Transeius soniae 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 : 38-39

Transeius soniae Zannou, Moraes & Oliveira , n. sp.

( Fig. 23 )

DIAGNOSIS—Dorsal shield mostly smooth; ratios s4:Z1 = 8.2, s4:S2 = 1.4; seta j3 ca. twice as long as j1; seta z4 about as long as distance between its base and that of s4. Ventrianal shield smooth, subpentagonal. Spermatheca with calyx swollen basally, bladder-like, then narrowing and flaring distally. Male ventrianal shield with 6 pairs of preanal setae.

FEMALE—(Specimens measured—Kenya: 7).

Dorsum ( Fig. 23 A)—Dorsal shield mostly smooth, striated anterolaterally and in region between Z1 and Z4, 346(336–358) long and 202(194–208) wide. Setae j1 29(27–30), j3 55(51–59), j4 14(13–16), j5 12(10– 13), j6 10(8–13), J2 9(8–10), J5 9(8–10), z2 28(26–30), z4 33(30–37), z5 9(8–10), Z1 11(11–13), Z4 85(82– 90), Z5 99(96–104), s4 90 (82–104), S2 63 (59–66), S4 12 (11–13), S5 10 (8–13), r3 34(32–37), R1 19(19–21). Setae smooth, except Z4 and Z5, lightly serrate.

Peritreme—Extending forward to level of j1.

Venter ( Fig. 23 B)—Sternal shield mostly smooth, with few lateral striae; posterior margin indistinct; distances between, St1-St3 67(64–70), St2-St2 71(70–74). Genital shield smooth; distance between St5-St5 71(67–77). Ventrianal shield smooth, subpentagonal, with slight constriction at level of preanal pores, anterior margin slightly convex, 129(120–138) long, 89(83–96) wide at level of Zv2 and 83(80–88) wide at level of anus; preanal pores elliptical and posteromesad to Jv2.

Chelicera ( Fig. 23 C)—Movable digit 34(34–35) long, with 3 teeth; fixed digit 30 long, with 10 teeth and a pilus dentilis.

Spermatheca ( Fig. 23 D)—Calyx of spermatheca swollen basally, bladder-like, then narrowing and flaring distally, 19(16–21) long; atrium nodular.

Legs—Macrosetae: Sge I 26 (22–29), Sge II 28 (24–32), Sge III 24 (22–26), Sti III 23 (21–24), Sge IV 51 (50–54), Sti IV 38 (35–42), St IV 69 (66–70). Chaetotaxy: genu II: 2-2/1,2/1-1; genu III: 1-2/1,2/0-1.

MALE—(Specimen measured—Kenya: 1).

Dorsum—Dorsal shield pattern as in female, 295 long and 183 wide. Setae j1 25, j3 48, j4 13, j5 10, j6 10, J2 8, J5 8, z2 23, z4 33, z5 8, Z1 15, Z4 68, Z5 73, s4 68, S2 45, S4 10, S5 11, r3 28, R1 15. Setae smooth, except Z4 and Z5, lightly serrate.

Peritreme—Extending forward to level between j1 and j3.

Venter ( Fig. 23 G)—Ventrianal shield subtriangular and reticulate, 135 long, 175 wide at the anterior corners, with 6 pairs of preanal setae, 1 pair of lateral lyrifissures posterior to Zv2; preanal pores elliptical and posteromesad to Jv2.

Spermatodactyl ( Fig. 23 F)—Without heel or toe, sinuous; shaft 23 long.

Legs—Macrosetae: Sge I 20, Sge II 20, Sge III 18, Sge IV 40, Sti IV 30 and St IV 55. Chaetotaxy of genua II and III same as in female.

LOCALITY AND TYPE MATERIAL—Holotype female, 8 paratype females and 1 allotype male from unknown plant, Machakos, Katumani, Kenya, 30-IX-1990, C., Kariuki, deposited at ESALQ-USP.

ETYMOLOGY—This species is named in honor of Sonia Albigesi de Moraes, spouse of the second author of this paper.

REMARKS—This species fits the characteristics given by Chant & McMurtry (2004) for their proximus species subgroup of the ablusus species group. Transeius avetianae ( Arutunjan & Ohandjanian, 1972) differs from this species by having dorsal shield totally smooth, j3 ca. 1.5 as long as j1; s4 and S2 subequal in length. Transeius infundibulatus (Athias-Henriot, 1961) and Transeius proximus ( Kolodochka, 1991) differ from the new species here described by having dorsal shield totally smooth and ventrianal shield pentagonal with transverse striae.

Figures

FIGURE 23. Transeius soniae 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.