Transeius ventriconstrictus 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 : 40

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

( Fig. 24 )

DIAGNOSIS—Dorsal shield mostly smooth; ratios s4:Z1 = 8.5, s4:S2 = 1.8; seta j3 ca. twice as long as j1; seta z4 longer than distance between its base and that of s4. Ventrianal shield reticulate, with strong lateral constriction at level of preanal pores. Macroseta of genu IV as long as macroseta of tibia IV. Spermatheca with calyx bell-shaped.

FEMALE—(Specimens measured—Sierra-Leone: 2).

Dorsum ( Fig. 24 A)—Dorsal shield mostly smooth, with some anterolateral striae, 378(365–392) long and 214(213–214) wide. Setae j1 31(30–32), j3 63(62–64), j4 10, j5 9(8–10), j6 11, J2 11, J5 8, z2 24, z4 52(48– 56), z5 8, Z1 11, Z4 78(77–80), Z5 63(62–64), s4 94 (86–101), S2 52 (51–53), S4 12 (11–13), S5 12 (11–13), r3 33(32–34), R1 21(19–22). Setae smooth, except Z4 and Z5, serrate.

Peritreme—Extending forward to level of j1.

Venter ( Fig. 24 B)—Sternal shield mostly smooth, with few lateral striae; posterior margin straight; distances between, St1-St3 73(72–74), St2-St2 84(82–86). Genital shield smooth; distance between St5-St5 73(70–75). Ventrianal shield vase-shaped, anterior margin slightly concave, lateral margins strongly constricted at level of preanal pores, with transverse striation anteriorly to Jv2 and reticulate near preanal pores, 115 long, 74 wide at level of Zv2 and 70(67–72) wide at level of anus; preanal pores elliptical and posteromesad to Jv2.

Chelicera—Movable digit 32 long, apparently with 3–4 teeth; fixed digit 27 long, apparently with 10–12 teeth and a pilus dentilis.

Spermatheca ( Fig. 24 C)—Calyx saccular, 22 long; atrium nodular.

Legs—Macrosetae sharp-tipped; Sge I 14, Sge II 34 (32–37), Sge III 42 (40–45), Sti III 34, Sge IV 57 (56– 58), Sti IV 55 (54–56), St IV 82 (82–83). Chaetotaxy: genu II: 2-2/0,2/0-1; genu III: 1-2/1,2/0-1.

MALE—Unknown.

LOCALITY AND TYPE MATERIAL—Holotype female from Elaeis guineensis, Masiaka , Sierra Leone, 14-I-1992, B. I. Kamara, deposited at ESALQ-USP; 1 paratype female from Artocarpus heterophyllus , 10 miles W Limbacorner, Sierra-Leone, 14-I-1992, B. I. Kamara, deposited at ESALQ-USP.

ETYMOLOGY—The epithet ventriconstrictus refers to the pronounced lateral constriction of the ventrianal shield of the types of this species.

REMARKS—This species fits the characteristics given by Chant & McMurtry (2004) for their chorites species subgroup of the ablusus species group. Transeius aciculus ( De Leon, 1967) , Transeius jilinensis ( Wu, 1987) and Transeius mountus ( Ryu, 1995) differ from this species by having j1 at most 0.7 time as long as j3, s4 at most sub-equal to Z5 and ventrianal shield without strong lateral constriction. In addition T. aciculus and T. mountus have smooth ventrianal shields, the former has Sge IV and St IV subequal in length and each at least 1.5 times as long as Sti IV, the latter has totally smooth dorsal shield and Sti IV and St IV subequal in length and each at most 0.6 time as long as Sge IV, while T. jilinensis has ventrianal shield about as long as wide.

Figures

FIGURE 24. Transeius ventriconstrictus Zannou, Moraes & Oliveira, n. sp. (female): A. Dorsal shield; B. Ventral surface; C. Spermatheca; D. Leg IV.