Amblyseius brachyscutatus Zannou, Moraes & Oliveira

Zannou, Ignace D., De, Gilberto J., Ueckermann, Eddie A., Oliveira, Anibal R., Yaninek, John S. & Hanna, Rachid, 2007, Phytoseiid mites of the subtribe Amblyseiina (Acari: Phytoseiidae: Amblyseiini) from sub-Saharan Africa, Zootaxa 1550, pp. 1-47 : 7-8

Amblyseius brachyscutatus Zannou, Moraes & Oliveira , n. sp.

( Fig. 3 )

DIAGNOSIS—Seta Z1 present; setae Z5 much longer than distance between their bases; ratios s4:Z1 = 26.8, s4:S2 = 22.3. Ventrianal shield ovoid, with 1 pair of preanal setae (Jv1 and Zv2 off ventrianal shield); Jv4 absent. Movable cheliceral digit with 5–6 teeth; fixed cheliceral digit with 11–12 teeth. Genu of leg I with a macroseta. Spermatheca with calyx cup-shaped and major duct thick-walled, bifurcate at junction with atrium. Spermatodactyl L-shaped.

FEMALE—(Specimens measured—Ghana: 3). Idiosomal setal pattern 10A:9B/JV-3,4:ZV.

Dorsum ( Fig. 3 A)—Dorsal shield smooth, 333(320–344) long and 219(211–227) wide. Setae j1 31(29– 34), j3 35(34–37), j4 3, j5 3, j6 4(3–5), J2 5(5–6), J5 4(3–5), z2 9(8–10), z4 5, z5 4(3–5), Z1 5, Z4 116(93– 134), Z5 238(173–285), s4 134(130–139), S2 6, S4 6 (5–6), S5 6 (5–6), r3 13(10–14), R1 6(5–6). Setae smooth.

Peritreme—Extending beyond level of j1.

Venter ( Fig. 3 B)—Sternal shield mostly smooth, with few lateral striae; posterior margin slightly convex; distances between St1-St3 66(64–67), St2-St2 70(67–70). Genital shield smooth; distance between St5-St5 67. Ventrianal shield smooth, ovoid, anteriorly truncate, 115(99–131) long, 52(50–54) wide at level immediately anterior to Jv2 and 70(67–72) wide at level of anus; with 1 pair (JV2) of preanal setae (Jv1 and Zv2 on soft cuticle); preanal pores elliptical, mesad and slightly posterior to Jv2. Two pairs of metapodal shields. Seta Jv4 absent.

Chelicera ( Fig. 3 C)—Movable digit 35 long, with 5 to 6 teeth; fixed digit 29(29–30) long, with 11 to 12 teeth and a pilus dentilis.

Spermatheca ( Fig. 3 D)—Calyx cup-shaped 12(11–13) long, atrium small.

Legs—Sharp-tipped macrosetae: Sge I 58 (54–61), Sge II 42 (40–43), Sge III 50 (50–51), Sti III 43, Sge IV 111(106–115), Sti IV 77 (75–78), St IV 94); presence of a prominent erect seta at base of tarsus I.

MALE—(Specimens measured—Ghana: 2).

Dorsum—Dorsal shield pattern as in female, 256(235–277) long and 200(192–208) wide. Setae j1 26(24– 27), j3 32(30–34), j4 3, j5 4(3–5), j6 4(3–5), J2 6(5–6), J5 3, z2 7(6–8), z4 3, z5 4(3–5), Z1 5, Z4 114(106– 122), Z5 218(203–234), s4 101, S2 6 (5–6), S4 5, S5 6, r3 11, R1 5. Setae smooth.

Peritreme—Extending beyond level of j1.

Venter ( Fig. 3 G)—Ventrianal shield subtriangular, with transverse striae anteriorly to Jv1, 109 long, 147 wide at the anterior corners; with 4 pairs of lyrifissures (1 well anterior and slightly laterad of Jv1, 1 anterior and well lateral of Jv1, 1 anterior and well laterad to Zv2 and 1 slightly posterior and laterad to Zv2); preanal pores elliptical, mesad and slightly posterior to Jv2.

Spermatodactyl ( Fig. 3 F)—L-shaped; shaft 18(18–19) long.

Legs—Sharp-tipped macrosetae: Sge II 33 (30–35), Sge III 41 (40–42), Sti III 36 (35–37), Sge IV 76 (75– 77), Sti IV 64 (54–74) and St IV 75 (72–78).

LOCALITY AND TYPE MATERIAL—Holotype female, allotype male, 4 paratype females and paratype male from Chromolaena odorata , 3 km S New Aboi, Western Region, Ghana, 11-XI-1989, J.S. Yaninek, deposited at ESALQ-USP.

ETYMOLOGY—The epithet brachyscutatus refers to the short ventrianal shield of the female of this species.

REMARKS – This new species is distinct from all known Amblyseius species by having a single pair of preanal setae (Jv2) on a reduced ventrianal shield. Amblyseius paucisetosus McMurtry & Moraes, 1985 resembles this new species by lacking Jv4; however, A. paucisetosus also lacks Z1 and Zv3, which are present in this new species.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Amblyseius brachyscutatus Zannou, Moraes & Oliveira, n. sp. A. Female dorsal shield; B. Female ventral surface; C. Female chelicera; D. Spermatheca; E. Female leg IV; F. Spermatodactyl; G. Male ventrianal shield.