Transeius masseei ( Nesbitt, 1951 ) Kolodochka, 2023

Kolodochka, L. A., 2023, The Predatory Mites (Phytoseiidae, Parasitiformes) In The Fauna Of Ukraine: A Review With A Key To Species And New Combinations In The Genus Transeius, Zoodiversity 57 (3), pp. 191-214 : 203-205

Transeius masseei ( Nesbitt, 1951) , comb. n. ( fig. 6 )

Typhlodromus masseei Nesbitt, 1951: 27 ; Begljarov, 1958: 112;

Typhlodromus (Typhlodromus) masseei: Westerboer & Bernhard, 1963: 622 ;

Amblyseius (Typhlodromopsis) masseei: Muma, 1961: 287 ;

Amblyseius masseei: Athias –Henriot, 1966: 207; Karg, 1971: 197; Begljarov, 1981: 33;

Amblyseius maior: Karg, 1970: 297 ; 1971: 210; Kolodochka, 1978: 33;

Amblyseius major [sic]: Kolodochka, 1971: 79 [misspelling];

Neoseiulus maior: Moraes et al., 1986: 87 ;

Neoseiulus masseei: Moraes et al., 1986: 89 ;

Aristadromips maior: Chant & McMurtry, 2007: 60 ;

Aristadromips masseei: Chant & McMurtry, 2007: 60 ; Denmark & Evans, 2019: 309.

Amblyseius (Typhlodromips) masseei: Karg, 1993: 184 (senior synonym of A. maior Karg, 1970: 297 ).

M a t e r i a l. Type. Holotype ♀ and “ allotype ” Ơ (both on the same slide), specimen #5966, label: “on apple leaves (and twigs), (appears to be predaceous on Mediolata nowae-scotiae ), Apple leaf, Drew och., Berwick, Nova Scotia, Canada, August 12 1946 ” — original label cited ( CNC) (examined and figured).

Non-type. 241 ♀, 90 Ơ (331 specimens): Ukraine, Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Kherson, Kyiv, Lviv, Mykolaiv, Rivne, Volyn, Zhytomyr Regions .

R e d e s c r i p t i o n. F e m a l e. Dorsal shield well sclerotized, smooth, oblong-oval, with small lateral emarginations ( fig. 6 , 1 ); distinct solenostomes 7 pairs (it, iv, id, isc, il, is, ic). Seta PM4 with 4–6 serrations, PM3 with one, and other setae smooth. Seta AM1 longer than the distance from one’s own theca to theca of seta AL1, which is almost equal to distance to theca AL2. Seta AL2 shorter than distance to theca of AL3. Seta AL2 slightly longer than AL1 and almost 1.5 times shorter than AL3. Setae PM1, PD1, and PS equal in length. Seta PL1 longer than both setae PL2 and PL3. Peritreme reaching theca of seta AD1. Ventrianal shield elongated pentagonal, wider in anterior part than genital, with lateral notches and slight transverse striation, bears a pair of large round, widely spaced anal pores ( fig. 6 , 2 ). Anterior metapodal shield narrow, linear, posterior not less than 1.7 times as long as it, irregularly fusiform and wider ( fig. 6 , 3 ). The posterior part of the peritremal shield is slightly curved, ending in a coracoid shape ( fig. 6 , 4 ). On Df of chelicera 8 teeth, on Dm — 3 ( fig. 6 , 5 ). Spermatheca with bell-shaped funnel, funnel walls of equal thickness up to half of its length, then gradually thinning towards sacculus; atrium sessile, large duct wide ( fig. 6, 6 ). Leg IV with 3 macrosetae, on genu some longer then on tibia and basitarsus ( fig. 6 , 7 ). Genu and tibia of legs III, as well genu of legs II with one short macroseta.

Measurements: Lds 470, Wds 260, Lvas 160, Wvas 120, Lian 50, Ltar IV 140; setae length: AD1 33; AD2 15; AD3 14; AD4 18; PD2 21; PD4 12; AM1 57; AM2 13; AL1 40; AL3 47; AL4 65; PL1 56; PL2 40; PL3 36; PM1 22; PM3 71; PM4 105; AS 20; PS 22; PV 57; MCh IV: ge 60, ti 55, ta 60; MCh III: ge 45, ti 35; MCh II: ge 36.

Male. Preanal setae 6 pairs; anal pores distinct, not close together. There are specimens with additional setae, which shown in fig. 6 , 7 . Spermatodactyl L-shaped, beak-shaped ( fig. 6 , 8 ). Lds 383.

Diagnosis. Transeius masseei is the largest of the currently known phytoseiid species of Ukraine. The range of variability in the size of the dorsal shield of the largest shield of the female is as follows: Lds 435–535, Wds 260–290. The body size of males is also large: Lds 350–400, Wds 240–260.

D i s t r i b u t i o n, h a b i t a t, o c c u r r e n c e. Europe, North America. In Ukraine: Polissia, Forest - Steppe, Steppe; trees, shrubs, occasionally herbs; frequent. Most common on Pyrus communis, Salix sp., Betula sp. , Alnus glutinosa .

N o t e s. 1. Some measurements and illustrations of non-type specimens from the Kyiv and Cherkasy Regions were made after comparison with types, as the former were in best condition .

2. A revision of the specimens from the Wainstein collection (SIZK) marked “ Amblyseius masseei (Nesbitt) ” showed that 3 mites were mounted on one slide and 2 on the other.

The slide #1304 contains mites, collected on Prunus sp. in Adler, Sochi, Krasnodar Region ( Russia) in 1954 (exact date missing). Specimens were identified by B. A. Wainshtein, judging by the handwriting of the entry in the registration card. I identified instead one female Neoseiulus bicaudus , as well one female and deutonymph of N. umbraticus mounted in the specimen #1304.

Two females of N. aurescens were collected on Salvia sp. in Tbilisi, Georgia on 20.05 1955 and mounted on the slide #1392 labelled “ Amblyseius masseei ”. Apart from these slides, there are no other specimens in the collection that have been labelled in one way or another as Amblyseius masseei . It is therefore clear that a misidentification has been made of the species, which is described in the literature, but at the time was little known to practicing taxonomists due to its rarity in the wild and in collections. Thus, Amblyseius masseei is not represented in the B. A. Wainstein collection.

Figures

Fig. 6. Transeius masseei (Nesbitt, 1951), ♀ (1–7), Ơ (8, 9): 1 — dorsal shield; 2 — ventral body surface; 3 — metapodal plates; 4 — posterior part of peritremal shield; 5 — chelicera; 6 — spermatheca; 7 — fragment of leg IV (macrosetae shown only); 8 — ventrianal shield; 9 — chelicerae with spermatodactil.

Fig. 1. Transeius begljarovi (Abbasova, 1970), ♀ (1–7), Ơ (8, 9): 1 — dorsal shield; 2 — ventral body surface; 3 — metapodal plates; 4 — posterior part of peritremal shield; 5 — chelicera; 6 — spermatheca; 7 — fragment of leg IV; 8 — ventrianal shield; 9 — chelicerae with spermatodactil.

Fig. 2. Transeius fragilis (Kolodochka et Bondarenko, 1993), ♀ (1–7): 1 — dorsal shield; 2 — ventral body surface;3 — metapodal plates; 4 — posterior part of peritremal schield; 5 — chelicera; 6 — spermatheca; 7 — fragment of leg IV.

Fig. 3. Transeius herbarius (Wainstein, 1960), ♀ (1–7), Ơ (8, 9): 1 — dorsal shield; 2 — ventral body surface; 3 — metapodal plates; 4 — posterior part of peritremal shield; 5 — chelicera; 6 — spermatheca; 7 — fragment of leg IV (macrosetae shown only); 8 — ventrianal shield; 9 — chelicerae with spermatodactil.

Fig. 4. Transeius jailensis (Коlоdосhka, 1981), ♀ (1–7), Ơ (8, 9): 1 — dorsal shield; 2 — ventral body surface; 3 — metapodal plates; 4 — posterior part of peritremal shield; 5 — chelicera; 6 — spermatheca; 7 — fragment of leg IV (macrosetae shown only); 8 — ventrianal shield; 9 — chelicerae with spermatodactil.

Fig. 5. Transeius lutezhicus (Wainstein, 1972), ♀ (1–7), Ơ (8, 9): 1 — dorsal shield; 2 — ventral body surface; 3 — metapodal plates; 4 — posterior part of peritremal shield; 5 — chelicera; 6 — spermatheca; 7 — fragment of leg IV; 8 — ventrianal shield; 9 — chelicerae with spermatodactil.

Fig. 7. Transeius montanus (Wainstein, 1962), ♀ (1–7), Ơ (8, 9): 1 — dorsal shield; 2 — ventral body surface; 3 — metapodal plates; 4 — posterior part of peritremal shield; 5 — chelicera; 6 — spermatheca; 7 — fragment of leg IV; 8 — ventrianal shield; 9 — chelicerae with spermatodactil.

Fig. 8. Transeius proximus (Кolоdoсhкa, 1991), ♀ (1–9), Amblyseius (Amblyseius) avetianae Arutujan et Ohandjanian, 1972 (10): 1 — dorsal shield; 2 — ventral body surface; 3 — metapodal plates; 4 — caudal part of peritremal shield;5 — chelicera; 6 — spermatheca; 7 — fragment of leg IV; 8 — chelicera; 9, 10 — spermatheca.