Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) sonajhuriae, Kar & Karmakar, 2022

Kar, Anamika & Karmakar, Krishna, 2022, Seven new species of phytoseiid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) from Tripura, northeastern India, Zootaxa 5120 (2), pp. 213-241 : 232-238

Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) sonajhuriae sp. nov.

( Figs 31–35 , 64–70 )

Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) De Leon, 1959 .

Type species: Anthoseius hebetis De Leon, 1959: 258 .

Amblydromella Muma, 1961: 294 . Type species: Typhlodromus fleschneri Chant, 1960 .

Typhlodromus rhenanus group, Chant, 1959: 62.

Type species: Seiulus rhenanus Oudemans, 1905 .

Chant & McMurtry (1994) recognised nine species groups viz., arizonicus, transvaalensis, singularis, daresalaami, rickeri, religiosus, rhenanus , egypticus and bergi species groups under the subgenus Anthoseius based on the presence or absence of setae S4, JV3 and JV4, morphology of dorsal setae and their length, shape of female ventrianal shield and the point of insertion of r3 and R 1. Among these species groups the present species Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) sonajhuriae sp. nov., belongs to the rhenanus species group with setae r3 and R 1 inserted on the lateral integument of the adult female, with the setae on the dorsal shield in the z -Z and s -S series shorter than the distances between their bases and with the female ventrianal shield pentagonal in shape.

Diagnosis. The species is distinguished by having dorsum strongly reticulated, all the dorsal setae short, smooth and pointed except Z5 serrated with bulbous tip; posterior margin of sternal shield little concave, fixed digit of chelicerae with six teeth while movable digit with three teeth, spermatheca saccular, leg IV with three bulbous macrosetae.

Description

Female (n= 10). Dorsum ( Fig. 31 ). Dorsal shield 288 (285–292) long and 168 (164–170) wide, strongly reticulated, with six pairs of solenostomes (gd2, gd4, gd5, gd6, gd8 and gd9); 18 pairs of setae on dorsal shield and two pairs on unsclerotised dorsal cuticle: j1 13 (13–15), j3 16 (16–19), j4 11 (10–13), j5 12 (11–14), j6 13 (12–15), J2 17 (16–18), J5 7 (6–8), z2 11 (10–12), z3 16 (14–17), z4 16 (15–17), z5 15 (13–16), Z4 21 (22–26), Z5 40 (39– 42), s4 17 (16–20), s6 20 (18–21), S2 19 (18–20), S4 21 (20–22), S5 11 (10–12), r3 13 (12–14) and R1 15 (13–16).

Peritreme ( Fig. 31 ). Extended beyond the bases of j1.

Venter ( Fig. 32 ). All shields are smooth. The sternal shield rectangular, posterior margin of sternal shield almost straight. Sternal shield 57 (56–60) long and 55 (53–56) wide at level of setae st1–st3 and st3–st3 respectively, with three pairs of setae and two pairs of poroids; one pair of setae (st4) on metasternal platelet 8 (7–9) long with distinct poroid. Distances between st2–st2 53 (52–54), st5–st5 57 (55–58). The base of the genital shield broad, flat posteriorly. Two pairs of metapodal platelets present. The primary metapodal platelet 6 (5–7) long and 3 (2–4) wide, secondary metapodal platelet 4 (3–5) long. Genital shield smooth, broad at base and narrow at genital opening with irregular circular flap. Ventrianal shield smooth, pentagonal 93 (93–96) long, 75 (74–76) wide at level of ZV2 and 63 (62–65) wide at anus level with four pairs of pre-anal setae, JV1 8 (7–9), JV2 8 (7–9), ZV2 8 (7–9), JV3 8 (7–9) and one pair of pre-anal pores gv3 20 (18–22) apart almost at level JV2. Membrane surrounding ventrianal shield with four pairs of setae ZV1 7 (6–9), ZV3 7 (6–9), JV4 6 (6–9) and JV5 22 (21–24); JV5 long, smooth with bulbous tip.

Chelicera ( Fig. 33 ) Fixed digit 24 (23–25) long with six teeth and distinct pilus dentilis, movable digit 25 (24–26) long with three teeth.

Spermatheca ( Fig. 34 ). Spermatheca saccular, calyx 10 (9–11) long with rounded proximal part from where distinct broad major duct arises, atrium conspicuous, crescent shaped, minor duct visible.

Legs ( Fig. 35 ). Leg IV with three bulbous macrosetae of the following lengths: genu 7 (6–8), tibia 13 (12–14) and tarsus 21 (20–23). Chaetotactic formula of genu II: 1 2/1. 2/0 1 and genu III 1 2/1.2/01. Length of leg I 223 (220–225), leg II 205 (203–208), leg III 175 (172–178) and leg IV 238 (235–240).

Type specimens. Holotype: female ( Acarol.lab/BCKV/8603/2021 ) collected from Akasmani or Acacia tree ( Acacia auriculiformis ) on 28 th August, 2019; deposited in the NZC, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata. 4 paratype females (Acarol.lab/ BCKV /8604–8605/2019) collected from star fruit tree, ( Averrhoa carambola ) at Khowai: 24°2'24"N, 91°35'56"E, 34m AMSL, Khowai, Tripura on 6 thFebruary, 2021 ; 5 paratype females (Acarol. lab/ BCKV /8606–8608/2019) collected from unidentified climber at Betlingchhip, Jampui hill: 23°48'48"N, 92°15'37"E, 890m AMSL, North Tripura and deposited in the Acarological laboratory, Department of Agricultural Entomology, BCKV, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal, India.

Etymology. The specific name sonajhuriae refers to the Bengali name of the host plant Acacia auriculiformis from where the new species was collected.

Remarks. Following the polytomous key to the world species of the subgenus Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) by Hernandes et al., 2012 the new species Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) sonajhuriae sp. nov. has been identified. The new species is close to T. (A.) fleshnerai Chant, 1960 , T. (A.) gracilentus Tseng, 1975, T. (A.) zhaoi Wu & Li, 1983 , T. (A.) xiufui Wu & Liu, 1997 and T. (A.) dahungensis Pramanik & Karmakar, 2016 by having similar dorsum and venter patterns. But the new species differs from these close species by length of dorsal setae, number of teeth in fixed and movable digit of chelicerae, leg macrosetae and shape of spermatheca. All the differences between the new species and its close species are listed in Table 7 .

Figures

FIGURES 31–35. Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) sonajhuriae (female). 31. Dorsal view of idiosoma; 32. Ventral view of idiosoma; 33. Chelicera; 34. Spermatheca; 35. Genu, tibia and basitarsus of leg IV.

FIGURES 56–70. 56–59. Phytoseius khowaiensis (female). 56. Anterior dorsal view of idiosoma; 57. Posterior dorsal view; 58. Genu, tibia and basitarsus of leg IV; 59. Spermatheca; 60–63. Phytoseius baramuracus (female). 60. Dorsal view of idiosoma; 61. Spermatheca; 62. Ventrianal shield; 63. Genu, tibia and basitarsus of leg IV; 64–70. Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) sonajhuriae (female). 64. Dorsal view of idiosoma; 65. Genu, tibia and basitarsus of leg IV; 66. Anterior dorsal view of idiosoma; 67. Spermatheca; 68. Chelcera; 69. Chelicera; 70. Ventrianal shield.