Vasates desmodius, Song, Zi-Wei, Xue, Xiao-Feng & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2009

Song, Zi-Wei, Xue, Xiao-Feng & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2009, Seven new species of Phyllocoptini from Tibet Autonomous Region, China (Acari: Eriophyidae: Phyllocoptinae), Zootaxa 2291, pp. 1-23 : 4-7

Vasates desmodius sp. nov.

( Figs 3 & 4 )

Description. FEMALE: (n = 9) Body fusiform, 218 (215–227), 61 (60–65) wide, 65 (65–68) thick; light yellow. Gnathosoma 26 (26–28), projecting obliquely down, pedipalp coxal seta (ep) 4 (3–4), dorsal pedipalp genual seta (d) 8 (7–8), cheliceral stylets 23 (23–25). Prodorsal shield subtriangular, 41 (39–41), 57 (57–58) wide; frontal lobe rounded; shield design with incomplete median line, complete admedian and submedian lines, admedian and submedian lines sinuous, median line discontinuous and separated two parts, one is located on anterior, second on posterior part of the shield; some granules on shield lateral. Scapular tubercles on shield rear margin, 25 (23–26) apart, scapular setae (sc) 13 (13–14) projecting medioposterioly. Coxal plates with short lines; anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 10 (8–10), 9 (9–11) apart, proximal setae on coxisternum I (1a) 15 (15–17), 7 (7–9) apart, proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 40 (40–42), 21 (21–23) apart. Prosternal apodeme 10 (9–10). Legs with usual series of setae. Leg I 43 (40–43), femur 12 (11–12), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 12 (12–14); genu 5 (5–6), antaxial genual seta (l ʺ) 22 (20–22); tibia 9 (8–9), paraxial tibial seta (l ʹ) 6 (6–7), located 1/3 from dorsal base; tarsus 7 (6–7); seta ft ʹ 22 (20–22), seta ft ʺ 22 (21– 23), paraxial unguinal tarsal seta (u ʹ) 5 (4–5); tarsal empodium 7 (7–8), simple, 8-rayed, tarsal solenidion rodlike. Leg II 39 (36–39), femur 11 (10–11), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 16 (15–16); genu 6 (5–6), antaxial genual seta (l ʺ) 10 (10–11); tibia 6 (5–6); tarsus 7 (6–7); seta ft ʹ 7 (7–8), seta ft ʺ 20 (19–21), paraxial unguinal tarsal seta (u ʹ) 5 (4–5); tarsal empodium 7 (7–8), simple, 8-rayed, tarsal solenidion rod-like. Opisthosoma: opisthosoma dorsally with 34 (32–34) annuli, with linear microtubercles; ventrally with 60 (60–65) annuli, with nail-headed microtubercles. Setae c2 20 (19–22) on ventral annulus 10 (10–12); setae d 60 (55–60) on ventral annulus 23 (22–25), 30 (29–31) apart; setae e 15 (13–15) on ventral annulus 39 (39–42), 18 (15–18) apart; setae f 18 (18–19) on 5th ventral annulus from rear, 15 (15–17) apart. Setae h1 4 (3–4), setae h2 43 (42– 45). Female genitalia coverflap 10 (10–13), 18 (18–19) wide, with 10 longitudinal ridges, setae 3a 30 (25– 30), 13 (13–14) apart.

MALE: Unknown.

Type material. Holotype, female (slide marked NJAUAcariEri934 holotype), from Desmodium sp. ( Fabaceae ), Pai Town, Nyingchi Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, P. R. China (29°35΄10ʺN, 94°55΄44ʺE; H: 3173m), 15 August, 2007, coll. Zi-Wei Song, Xiao-Feng Xue & Zhen Wang. Paratypes, 8 females (slides marked NJAUAcariEri934) with the same data as holotype.

Relation to host. Vagrant on leaf undersurface. No damage to the host was observed.

Etymology. The specific designation desmodius is from the host genus name “ Desmodium ”.

Differential diagnosis. This species is similar to V. jilinensis Kuang, 1995 , but can be distinguished by median line separated into two parts, median line and admedian lines separated (median line present only 1/3 from posterior, median and admedian lines connected in V. jilinensis ); empodium 8-rayed (empodium 6-rayed in V. jilinensis ); dorsal annuli with short linear microtubercles, ventral annuli with nail-headed microtubercles (dorsal annuli with elliptical microtubercles, ventral annuli with round microtubercles in V. jilinensis ).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Vasates desmodius sp. nov. D, dorsal view of female; CG, coxae and external genitalia of female; L 1, leg I; L 2, leg II.

FIGURE 4. Vasates desmodius sp. nov. SA, lateral view of anterior region; LO, enlarged lateral view of opisthosoma;