Amblyseius largoensis (Muma)

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 : 16-17

Amblyseius largoensis (Muma)

( Fig. 9 )

Amblyseiopsis largoensis Muma, 1955: 266 .

Amblyseius largoensis, Chant & McMurtry, 2004: 208 ; Moraes et al. 2004: 33.

Amblyseius amtalaensis Gupta, 1977: 53 (synonymy according to Gupta, 1986).

Amblyseius (Amblyseius) sakalava Blommers, 1976: 96 (synonymy according to Ueckermann & Loots, 1988). Typhlodromus (Amblyseius) amitae Bhattacharyya, 1968: 677 (synonymy according to Gupta, 1986).

FEMALE—(Specimens measured—Ghana: 1; Kenya: 3; Sierra Leone: 1). Idiosomal setal pattern 10A:9B/ JV-3:ZV.

Dorsum ( Fig. 9 A)—Dorsal shield smooth, 343(320–374) long and 241(224–272) wide. Setae j1 36(32– 40), j3 50(48–56), j4 7(6–8), j5 5(5–6), j6 8(6–10), J2 9(6–11), J5 9(8–10), z2 11(10–13), z4 8(6–10), z5 6(5– 8), Z1 10(8–14), Z4 91(85–98), Z5 260(218–294), s4 90 (78–101), S2 13 (11–16), S4 12 (10–16), S5 11 (10– 13), r3 13(10–16), R1 12(11–13). Setae smooth, except Z4 and Z5, lightly serrate.

Peritreme—Extending beyond level of j1.

Venter ( Fig. 9 B)—Sternal shield smooth, posterior margin straight; distances between St1-St3 66(61–75), St2-St2 67(62–70). Genital shield smooth; distance between St5-St5 66(62–69). Ventrianal shield smooth, vase-shaped, anterior margin convex, 110(101–120) long, 45(40–50) wide at level of Zv2 and 68(62–74) wide at level of anus; preanal pores elliptical, posterior and slightly mesad to Jv2. Two pairs of metapodal shields.

Chelicera—Movable digit 33 long, with 3 teeth; fixed digit 28(28–29) long, with 11 teeth and a pilus dentilis.

Spermatheca ( Fig. 9 C)—Calyx tubular, 28(26–30) long; atrium as wide as calyx.

Legs—Sharp-tipped macrosetae: Sge I 39 (37–43), Sge II 36 (34–42), Sge III 45 (40–50), Sti III 40 (35–46), Sge IV 120(104–142), Sti IV 95 (86–107), St IV 61 (58–69)); presence of a prominent erect seta at base of tarsus I.

MALE—(Specimen measured—Ghana: 1).

Dorsum—Dorsal shield pattern as in female, 273 long and 218 wide. Setae j1 33, j3 47, j4 6, j5 6, j6 8, J2 9, J5 9, z2 9, z4 8, z5 8, Z1 12, Z4 86, Z5 218, s4 81, S2 14, S4 14, S5 12, r3 12, R1 12. Setae smooth, except Z4 and Z5, lightly serrate.

Peritreme—Extending forward to level between j1 and j3.

Venter ( Fig. 9 E)—Ventrianal shield subtriangular, with transverse striae anteriorly to Jv2; 120 long, 148 wide at the anterior corners, 4 pairs of lyrifissures (2 anterior to Jv1, 1 lateral and posterior to Jv1 and 1 lateral and posterior to Zv2); preanal pores elliptical, posterior and almost on line behind Jv2.

Spermatodactyl—L-shaped; shaft 17 long.

Legs—Sharp-tipped macrosetae: Sge I 36, Sge II 33, Sge III 41, Sti III 36, Sge IV 86, Sti IV 73 and St IV 64.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED—One female, Benin: Cotonou, Départment du Littoral, on Terminalia catappa , 3-XI-1989, G.J. Moraes. Two females and 1 male, Ghana: University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Central Region, on Mangifera indica , 12-XI-1989, J.S. Yaninek. Four females, Kenya: 6.5 km S Likoni, Coastal Province, on unknown plant, 22-XI-1989, C.W. Kariuki; 6.5 km S Mombasa, Costal Province, on Cocos nucifera , 28-XI-1989, J.S. Yaninek; 50 km S Mombasa, Costal Province, on Plumeria rubra , 28-XI-1989, J.S. Yaninek. Two females, Sierra Leone: Lansar, on Luffa aegyptiaca , 16-XII-1991, J.S. Yaninek.

REMARKS— Amblyseius neolargoensis Van Der Merwe, 1965 is very similar to A. largoensis , but it differs by having Z4 ca. 1.2 times as long as s4, Z4 ca. 75%, Z5 ca. 30%, s4 ca. 45%, Sge IV ca. 45%, Sti IV ca. 25% and St IV ca. 25% longer than in A. largoensis .

Phytoseiid taxonomists do not agree on the synonymy of those two species. Chant et al. (1978) and Muma et al. (1970) reported that A. largoensis is a senior synonym of A. neolargoensis , while Amitai & Swirski (1981), McMurtry & Moraes (1984) and Schicha (1981) reported that they are two different species. Based on the differences mentioned above we also considered them as different species in this study.

WORLD DISTRIBUTION—Cosmopolitan.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Amblyseius largoensis (Muma): A. Female dorsal shield; B. Female ventral surface; C. Spermatheca; D. Female leg IV; E. Male ventrianal shield.