Asca garmani Hurlbutt

De, Jeferson L., Lindquist, Evert E. & De, Gilberto J., 2009, Edaphic ascid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata: Ascidae) from the state of São Paulo, Brazil, with description of five new species, Zootaxa 2024, pp. 1-32 : 2-3

Asca garmani Hurlbutt

Asca garmani Hurlbutt, 1963: 491 –94; Wood, 1966: 47; Bhattacharyya, 1966: 35 –37; De Leon, 1967: 55; Walter et al., 1993: 1339.

Material examined: Piracicaba – 3 females, 28.vi.1999, from soil of a patch of rubber tree plantation; 36 females, 09.x.1998, 5 females, 04.I.1999, 4 females, 05.iv.1999, 2 females, 02.vii.1999, from litter of a patch of rubber tree plantation.

Previous records: Australia ( Walter et al. 1993), Bahama Islands, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, continental USA ( Hurlbutt 1963; De Leon 1967); India ( Bhattacharyya 1966), South Pacific Islands ( Wood 1966). Farrier & Hennessey (1993) cite other references with records of this species from Puerto Rico, Canada, Hawaiian Islands, and continental USA.

Diagnosis: Anterior margin of tectum triramous. Hypostome with transverse rows of deutosternal denticles each with numerous (7–12) denticles. Podonotal shield reticulate over most of surface, with 17 pairs of pilose setae, vertical pair j1 not inflated; marginal setae r2-r5 on lateral soft cuticle. Opisthonotal shield reticulate laterally, with a short row of microtubercles on either side between J4 and Z3, smooth medially between J -series of setae and behind setae J4-Z3; this shield with pair of well developed postero-lateral tubercles, each with one conspicuous seta, S5, with long fine pilosity, and one vestigial seta, Z4; Z5 nearly smooth or slightly barbed, J5 minute, other setae pilose; setae J1-J2-J3-J4 progressively longer; transverse interval between bases of setae J3-J3 equal or less than that between J4-J4 and less than that between J4-Z3. Lateral soft cuticle of posterior region with slightly pilose marginal setae R1-R6 and 2 pairs of smooth submarginal UR setae. Ventri-anal shield lineate anteriorly, nearly smooth behind level of anus; shield setae all simple, JV5 longest, ZV3 shortest. Tarsi II–III with setae ad -2 and pd -2, and tarsus IV with ad -2 slender, attenuated, with recurved tips.

Remarks: This and other species of the aphidioides species-group sensu Karg (1979) are known only from females, and appear to be thelytokous. Slightly different morphological variants have been described as separate species, but it is difficult to distinguish intrapopulational variation from interpopulational variants that may represent discrete clones meriting specific rank ( Walter et al. 1993). Measurements of the collected specimens are close to those of the original description. In distinction to the original description of this species, setae Z5 of the specimens collected are lightly, sparsely barbed; this distinction also holds for material studied from various regions in Canada.