Rhyncaphytoptus acutifoliae, Song, Zi-Wei, Xue, Xiao-Feng & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2009

Song, Zi-Wei, Xue, Xiao-Feng & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2009, Four new species of Rhyncaphytoptus from Tibet Autonomous Region, China (Acari: Eriophyoidea: Diptilomiopidae), Zootaxa 2196, pp. 31-47 : 37-40

Rhyncaphytoptus acutifoliae sp. nov.

( Figs 3 & 4 )

Description. FEMALE: (n = 8) Body fusiform, 345 (340–350), 80 (80–85) wide, 78 (75–80) thick; light yellow. Gnathosoma 68 (65–68), projecting downwards, pedipalp coxal seta (ep) 4 (3–4), dorsal pedipalp genual seta (d) 13 (12–13), cheliceral stylets 70 (70–73). Prodorsal shield triangular, 34 (32–35), 60 (60–64) wide; with rounded frontal lobe; shield design with incomplete submedian lines, two inconspicuous hollows present near rear shield margin. Scapular tubercles on rear shield margin, 29 (25–29) apart, scapular setae (sc) 35 (35–37) projecting forward. Coxal plates smooth; anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 18 (18–20), 12 (11–12) apart, proximal setae on coxisternum I (1a) 30 (30–35), 12 (12–13) apart, proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 67 (60–67), 30 (28–30) apart. Prosternal apodeme present. Legs with usual series of setae. Leg I 56 (54–56), femur 15 (14–15), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 20 (18–20); genu 8 (7–8), antaxial genual seta (l ʺ) 30 (30–32); tibia 13 (13–14), paraxial tibial seta (l ʹ) 12 (10–12), located in proximal 1/3; tarsus 10 (9–10); paraxial unguinal tarsal seta (u ʹ) 6 (5–6); tarsal empodium 8 (8–9), simple, 5-rayed, tarsal solenidion knobbed. Leg II 53 (51–53), femur 15 (14–15), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 15 (15–17); genu 8 (7–8), antaxial genual seta (l ʺ) 15 (15–17); tibia 11 (10–11); tarsus 10 (9–10); paraxial unguinal tarsal seta (u ʹ) 6 (5–6); tarsal empodium 8 (8–9), simple, 5-rayed, tarsal solenidion knobbed. Opisthosoma: opisthosoma dorsally with 35 (30–35) annuli, smooth; ventrally with 66 (65–67) annuli, with round microtubercles on 3/4 ventral annuli, elliptical microtubercles on otherwise annuli. Setae c2 23 (20–23) on ventral annulus 22 (21– 22); setae d 65 (60–65) on ventral annulus 33 (33–34), 50 (48–50) apart; setae e 15 (15–16) on ventral annulus 44 (44–48), 27 (25–27) apart; setae f 35 (35–37) on 6th ventral annulus from rear, 30 (28–30) apart. Setae h1 6 (5–6). Female genitalia 18 (15–18), 32 (31–32) wide, coverflap smooth, setae 3a 14 (12–14), 20 (20–21) apart.

MALE: (n = 5) Body fusiform, 285 (280–288), 73 (70–76) wide, light yellow. Gnathosoma 60 (60–62), projecting downwards, pedipalp coxal seta (ep) 4 (3–4), dorsal pedipalp genual seta (d) 10 (9–10), cheliceral stylets 65 (65–68). Prodorsal shield triangular, 27 (27–30), 63 (60–63) wide; prodorsal shield with lobe rounded. Scapular tubercles on rear shield margin, 23 (23–26) apart, scapular setae (sc) 30 (30–33) projecting forward. Coxal plates smooth; anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 11 (10–12), 10 (10–11) apart, proximal setae on coxisternum I (1a) 30 (30–32), 11 (11–12) apart, proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 55 (53–60), 24 (24–28) apart. Prosternal apodeme present. Legs with usual series of setae. Leg I 54 (51–54), femur 15 (14–15), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 16 (15–17); genu 6 (5–6), antaxial genual seta (l ʺ) 26 (26–28); tibia 12 (12–13), paraxial tibial seta (l ʹ) 10 (8–10), located in proximal 1/3; tarsus 10 (9–10); paraxial unguinal tarsal seta (u ʹ) 5 (5–6); tarsal empodium 7 (6–7), simple, 5-rayed, tarsal solenidion knobbed. Leg II 52 (49– 52), femur 15 (14–15), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 13 (11–13); genu 6 (5–6), antaxial genual seta (l ʺ) 10 (10–11); tibia 10 (10–11); tarsus 9 (9–10); paraxial unguinal tarsal seta (u ʹ) 5 (5–6); tarsal empodium 7 (6–7), simple, 5-rayed, tarsal solenidion knobbed. Opisthosoma: opisthosoma dorsally with 35 (32–36) annuli, smooth; ventrally with 67 (67–70) microtubercular annuli. Setae c2 22 (20–22) on ventral annulus 19 (19–21); setae d 60 (52–60) on ventral annulus 32 (32–37), 44 (44–48) apart; setae e 15 (13–18) on ventral annulus 44 (43–49), 22 (22–25) apart; setae f 36 (36–38) on 6th ventral annulus from rear, 24 (24–26) apart. Setae h1 5 (4–5). Male genitalia 25 (24–25) wide, setae 3a 32 (32–36), 19 (18–19) apart.

Type material. Holotype, female (slide marked 892 holotype), from Cotoneaster acutifolius Turcz. (Rosaceae) , Bayi town, Linzhi District, Tibet Autonomous Region, P. R. China, 14 August 2007, coll. Zi-Wei Song, Xiao-Feng Xue & Zhen Wang. Paratypes, 7 females and 5 males (slides no. 892) with the same data as holotype.

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

Etymology. The specific designation acutifoliae is from the host species name “ acutifolius ”.

Differential diagnosis. This species is similar to R. betulae Kuang & Hong, 1990 , but can be differentiated from the latter by the prodorsal shield with inconspicuous hollows present near rear shield margin (prodorsal shield with V-shape mark located between admedian lines near rear margin in R. betulae ); ventral annuli with round microtubercles on 3/4 from anterior, elliptical microtubercles on otherwise annuli (ventral annuli with bead microtubercles in R. betulae ); setae f on 6th ventral annulus from rear (setae f on 5th ventral annulus from rear in R. betulae ).

Figures

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

FIGURE 4. Rhyncaphytoptus acutifoliae sp. nov. L, lateral view of female; LO, enlarged lateral view of opisthosoma; CGM, coxae and genitalia of male; em, empodium.