Cosella nudifemoralis, Flechtmann, Carlos H. W. & Etienne, Jean, 2002

Flechtmann, Carlos H. W. & Etienne, Jean, 2002, New records of plant mites (Acari, Acaridae, Tetranychidae) from Guadeloupe and Marie Galante with descriptions of five new eriophyid species, Zootaxa 47, pp. 1-16 : 3-5

Cosella nudifemoralis n.sp. ( Figs. 1 )

DIAGNOSIS ­ The absence of the forefemoral seta and of the antapical seta is distinct for the new species.

FEMALE (n = 6) ­ From front of shield to terminal lobes 189 (176­200); 63 (57­70) wide. Gnathosoma projecting downwards; basal seta 4 (3­4); antapical seta not discernible in 33 specimens examined; chelicerae 15 (13­16). Prodorsal shield with complete median and admedian lines, connected by a transverse line at level of dorsal shield tubercles. Shield 37 (35­39), including rounded anterior lobe 3 (3). Dorsal tubercles ahead of rear shield margin, 26 (24­27) apart, directing scapular setae (sc) convergingly backwards (or upwards?); sc 13 (11­13). Legs: tibiae I and II absent; forefemoral seta absent. Leg I: 23 (22­26) from trochanter base to tip of tarsus; femur 9 (8­10), femoral seta (bv) absent; genu 5 (4­5), genual seta (l") 25 (22­25); tarsus (or tibio­tarsus?) 7 (7­8), solenidion 4 (4), slightly expanded apically, empodium 4 (4), 4­rayed, dorsal seta (ft') 15 (15­18), lateral seta (ft") 19 (19­24), unguinal seta (u') 4 (4­5). Leg II 22)21­23); femur 9 (7­9), bv 10 (9­ 11); genu 3 (3), l" 10 (7­10); tarsus 6 (6­8), solenidion 6 (6­7), empodium 5 (4­5), 4­rayed, ft' 6 (5­7), ft" 22 (21­23), u' 4 (4­5). Coxae I fused into one structure with hypostom (suboral plate), spinulate; coxal seta I (1b) absent; coxal seta II (1a) 19 (16­20), 11 (10­12) apart; coxal seta III (2a) 33 (31­34), 26 (22­27) apart. Coxae II with spinules surrounding coxal tubercle. Coxisternal area with faint 4 (3­4) annuli, smooth. Genitalia 22 (21­23) wide, 16 (13­18) long, genital seta (3a) 10 (10­13); epigynium granulated and one arched line parallell to its distal margin. Opisthosoma with a barely noticeable short, anterior ridge; otherwise, annuli evenly arched in cross section. Lateral seta (c2) 27 (25­35), on annulus 2 (1­3) counting from posterior margin of genitalia; ventral seta I (d) 44 (41­45), 35 (28­35) apart, on annulus 13 (11­13); ventral seta II (e) 9 (9­11), 21 (16­21) apart, on annulus 25 (24­28); ventral seta III (f) 23 (19­23), 26 (20­26) apart, on annulus 40 (38­42) or 7 (7­8)th from rear. Total dorsal annuli 53 (48­53), smooth; total ventral annuli 46 (44­ 49), microtuberculate. Caudal seta (h2) 57 (53­58); accessory seta (h1) minute.

MALE (n = 1) ­ Smaller than female, 157; 55 wide. Gnathosoma: basal seta 3; antapical seta not discernible; chelicerae 14. Prodorsal shield 35, including frontal lobe, 3. Sc 25, 12 apart. Legs: Leg I: femur 8, bv absent; genu 4, l" 20; tarsus 6, solenidion 4, empodium 4, 4­rayed, ft' 16, ft" 19, u' 4. Leg II 19; femur 8, bv 10; genu 3, l" 8; tarsus 6, solenidion 6, empodium 4, 4­rayed, ft' 5, ft" 19, u' 4. Coxal seta II (1a) 16, 10 apart; 2a 28, 23 apart. Genitalia 20 wide, 11 long, with faint tubercles. Coxisternal area with 3 faint annuli, smooth. Opisthosoma: c2 37, on annulus 2­3; d 33, 26 apart, on annulus 9­10; e 8, 15 apart, on annulus 22; f 18, 21 apart, on annulus 37 or 7th from rear. Total dorsal annuli 45; total ventral annuli 43. Caudal seta (h2) 45; h1 minute.

TYPE MATERIAL ­ Female holotype, 35 female and one male paratypes, from Randia aculeata (Rubiaceae) , Les Amandiers, Sainte Rose, Guadeloupe, coll. J. Etienne, 06 Sept. 2001, on nine microscopic preparations in the collection of Departamento de Entomologia, Fitopatologia e Zoologia Agrícola, Universidade de São Paulo, ESALQ, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. One paratype slide deposited in the New Zealand Arthropod Collection.

RELATION TO HOST ­ Tight leaf edge rolling.

ETYMOLOGY ­ The specific designation nudifemoralis is derived from nudus, Latin, = bare, naked,+ femoralis, referring to the absence of the forefemoral seta. REMARKS ­ This is the only known Cosella species (so far 14 species have been assigned to this genus) without forefemoral and antapical setae. A minute antapical seta was described in C. cissi Keifer, 1978 .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Cosella nudifemoralis n. sp. CGF, coxigenital area of female; D, dorsal aspect of female; E, empodium; GM, genitalia of male; IGF, internal genital structures of female; L 1, leg I; L 2, leg II.