Amblyseius pretoriaensis Ueckermann & Loots

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 : 22-23

Amblyseius pretoriaensis Ueckermann & Loots

( Fig. 13 )

Amblyseius (Amblyseius) pretoriaensis Ueckermann & Loots, 1988: 79 .

Amblyseius pretoriaensis, Chant & McMurtry, 2004: 201 ; Moraes et al. 2004: 48.

FEMALE—(Specimens measured—South Africa: holotype, 4 paratypes and 5 additional specimens). Idiosomal setal pattern 10A:9B/JV-3:ZV.

Dorsum ( Fig. 13 A)—Dorsal shield smooth, 330 (309–350) [343] long and 215(195–233) [195] wide. Setae j1 25 [25)], j3 47(41–50) [50], j4 6 [6], j5 6 [6], j6 6 [6], J2 6 [6], J5 9 [9], z2 6 [6], z4 9 [9], z5 6 [6], Z1 9 [9], Z4 120(104–132) [117], Z5 216(180–249) [239], s4 91 (88–101) [88], S2 11 (9–16) [9], S4 10 (9–13) [9], S5 9 (6–11) [6], r3 18(16–19) [19], R1 14(13–16) [16]. Setae smooth except Z4 and Z5, serrate.

Peritreme—Extending forward to level of j1.

Venter ( Fig. 13 B)—Sternal shield smooth; posterior margin slightly concave; distances between St1-St3 57(54–60) [55], St2-St2 60(57–63) [57]. Genital shield smooth; distance between St5-St5 63(57–67) [63]. Ventrianal shield smooth, vase-shaped, anterior margin straight, 111(104–117) [110] long, 82(76–85) [85] wide at level of Zv2 and 81(76–85) [82] wide at level of anus; preanal pores small and in line with Jv2. Two pairs of metapodal shields.

Chelicera ( Fig. 13 C)—Movable digit 28(25–32) [27] long with 3 teeth, fixed digit 27(25–32) [27] long, with 7–9 teeth and a pilus dentilis.

Spermatheca ( Fig. 13 D)—Calyx cup to bell-shaped, 12(9–13) [9] long; atrium nodular and major duct slender to rather broad.

Legs—Macrosetae sharp-tipped on legs II and III and with tiny knobs on leg IV, except in 2 specimens from Eastern Cape for which macrosetae are sharp-tipped on all legs. Sge II 33 (28–35) [35], Sge III 41 (35– 44) [44], Sti III 33 (28–35) [32], Sge IV 98 (79–107) [101], Sti IV 79 (60–85) [79], St IV 78 (71–82) [82]; presence of a prominent erect seta at base of tarsus I.

MALE—(Specimens measured—South Africa: 2).

Dorsum—Dorsal shield pattern as in female, 259(252–265) long and 173(170–176) wide. Setae j1 19, j3 27(25–28), j4 6, j5 6, j6 6, J2 6, J5 6, z2 6, z4 6, z5 6, Z1 8(6–9), Z4 109(104–114), Z5 189(186–192), s4 84 (82–85), S2 9, S4 6, S5 6, r3 13, R1 9. Setae smooth, except Z4 and Z5, serrate.

Peritreme—Extending forward to level of j1.

Venter—Ventrianal shield subtriangular, reticulate; 113 long and 139(132–145) wide at anterior corners; other characters not visible because the shield is broken.

Spermatodactyl ( Fig. 13 F)—L-shaped, shaft 16 long.

Legs—Macrosetae sharp-tipped on legs II and III and with tiny knobs on leg IV: Sge II 25. Sge III 30 (28– 32), Sti III 27 (25–28), Sge IV 76 (70–82), Sti IV 52 (47–57), St IV 63.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED— South Africa: Pretoria, Gauteng Province, holotype and 1 paratype female, on Mesembryanthemum crystallinum , 12-XII-1973, F.W. Schultz; Adelaide, Eastern Cape Province, 1 paratype female, on Setaria sphacelata , 6-II-1974, F.W. Schultz; Fort Beaufort, Eastern Cape Province, one paratype female from Convolvulus sagittatus , 6-II-1974, M.K.P. Smith Meyer; Pineapple Research Station, East London, Eastern Cape Province, 1 paratype female, on Plectranthus sp., 6-II-1974, M.K.P. Smith Meyer; 1 female, Golden Gate, Free State Province, on Helichrysum pilosellum , 8-II-1982, E.A. Ueckermann; 1 female, Gaint’s Castle, Kwazulu/ Natal, on Inulanthera calva , 3-II-1982, M.K.P. Smith Meyer; 1 female, Golden Gate Highland National Park, Free State Province, on Conyza podocephala , 6-II-1982, M.K.P. Smith Meyer; 1 female, Golden Gate Highland National Park, Free State Province, on Cineraria lyrata , 9-II-1982, E.A. Ueckermann; 1 female, Roodeplaat Vegetable and Ornamental Plant Institute, near Pretoria, Guateng Province, on Chrysanthemum sp., 27-XII-1979, M. Bolten; 2 males, Gaint’s Castle, Kwazulu/ Natal Province, on unidentified plant, 2-II-1982, M.K.P. Smith Meyer.

REMARKS—This species is widely distributed in South Africa and the spermatheca shows variation, from cup to bell-shaped and in specimens, mainly from the Western and Eastern Cape, the major duct is rather broad as opposed to slender in specimens from the Northern provinces.

WORLD DISTRIBUTION—Lesotho and South Africa.

Figures

FIGURE 13. Amblyseius pretoriaensis Ueckermann & Loots: A. Female dorsal shield; B. Female ventral surface; C. Female chelicera; D. Spermatheca; E. Female leg IV; F. Spermatodactyl.