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), 4 ­rayed, 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), 4 ­rayed, ft' 6 ( 5­7), ft" 22 ( 21­23), u' 4 ( 4­5). Coxae I fused into one structure with hypostom (suboral plate), spinulate; coxal seta I ( 1 b) absent; coxal seta II ( 1 a) 19 ( 16­20), 11 ( 10­12) apart; coxal seta III ( 2 a) 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 ( 3 a) 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 ( c 2) 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 ( h 2) 57 ( 53­58); accessory seta ( h 1) 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, 4 ­rayed, ft' 16, ft" 19, u' 4. Leg II 19; femur 8, bv 10; genu 3, l" 8; tarsus 6, solenidion 6, empodium 4, 4 ­rayed, ft' 5, ft" 19, u' 4. Coxal seta II ( 1 a) 16, 10 apart; 2a 28, 23 apart. Genitalia 20 wide, 11 long, with faint tubercles. Coxisternal area with 3 faint annuli, smooth. Opisthosoma: c 2 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 7 th from rear. Total dorsal annuli 45; total ventral annuli 43. Caudal seta ( h 2) 45; h 1 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.