Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) rhenanoides Athias-Henriot, 1960

Tixier, Marie-Stephane, Allam, Latifa, Douin, Martial & Kreiter, Serge, 2016, Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) of Morocco: new records, descriptions of five new species, re-descriptions of two species, and key for identification, Zootaxa 4067 (5), pp. 501-551 : 522-523

Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) rhenanoides Athias-Henriot, 1960 b

Typhlodromus rhenanoides Athias-Henriot, 1960b: 85 .

Neoseiulus rhenanoides . — Schuster & Pritchard, 1963: 205.

Anthoseius rhenanoides . — Charlet & McMurtry, 1977: 186.

Amblydromella rhenanoides . — Moraes et al., 1986: 174.

Amblydromella (Aphanoseia) rhenanoides . — Denmark & Welbourn, 2002: 308. Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) rhenanoides . — Moraes et al., 2004: 347; Chant & McMurtry, 2007: 155.

This species is mainly reported from the Mediterranean basin. It has been reported on many uncultivated plants and sometimes on some orchards such as peach, plum, olive, citrus and vineyards (Ragusa, 1977, 2006; Papaioannou- Souliotis et al., 1994; Ragusa & Tsolakis, 2001). Nothing is known of its ability to control pests. This species was already reported from Morocco by McMurtry & Bonfour (1989) on Cupressus sp. In the present survey, it was commonly observed (359 specimens collected) on a great variety of plants and locations.

Specimens examined: 2002, Road from El Jadida to Casablanca on Lupinus humulus (Fabaceae) (3 females), Solananum sodomeum (Solanaceae) (18 females, 11 males), Damon Oum Er Bia River on Nicotiana glauca (Solanaceae) (1 female), Urtica dioica (Urticaceae) (1 female), Solanum nigrum (Solanaceae) (1 female), Marubium incanunum (Lamiaceae) (1 female); 2003, Larache on Acacia cyanophylla (Fabaceae) ; near Larache on Acacia dealbata (Fabaceae) (5 females, 2 males), Chamaerops humilis (Arecacae) (1 female), Bab Bou Idir on Crataegus monogyna (Rosaceae) (2 females), Dryopteris dilatata (Dryopteridaceae) (2 females), Mazari Cape on Anagallis molli (Primulaceae) (2 females), Echium vulgare (Boraginaceae) (5 females), Hypericum sp. ( Hypericaceae ) (8 females), Lythrum tribracteatum (Lythraceae) (3 females), Verbascum sinuatum (Scrophulariaceae) (17 females), Cupressus sempervirens (Cupressaceae) (27 females, 8 males), Pinus halepensis (Pinaceae) (10 females), Ceratonia siliqua (Fabaceae) (4 females, 2 males), Juniperus communis (Cupressaceae) (16 females), Lavendula dentate ( Lamiaceae ) (14 females, 7 males), Quercus coccifera (Fagaceae) (5 females), Erica arborea (Ericaceae) (4 females), Cistus libanotis (4 females, 3 males), Cistus parviflorus (Cistaceae) (2 females), Gomphocarpus fruticosus (Apocynaceae) (4 females), Rubus sanctus (Rosaceae) (5 females, 2 males), Chamaerops humilis (Arecacae) (8 females, 4 males), Spartel Cape on Eucalyptus sp. ( Myrtaceae ) (2 females), Smilax aspera (Smilacaceae) (5 females, 2 males), Rubus sp. ( Rosaceae ) (3 females), Tamarix sp. ( Tamaricaceae ) (1 female), Phyllirea latifolia (Oleaceae) (4 females), Guerbouss Mountain Pass on Ficus carica (Moraceae) (1 female), Ziziphus lotus (Rhamnaceae) (1 female), Linum maritimum (Linaceae) (2 females), Daucus carota (Apiaceae) (1 female); Izemmouren on Olea europea (Oleaceae) (7 females), Pistacia lenticus (Anacardiaceae) (20 females, 2 males), Genista acanthoclada (Fabaceae) (4 females), Echium vulgare (Boraginaceae) (1 female), Thapsia gragarica (Apiaceae) (2 females), Ajuga iva (Lamiaceae) (1 female), Chenopodium sp. ( Chenopodiaceae ) (1 female), Melissa officinalis (Lamiaceae) (1 female), Thymus sp. ( Lamiaceae ) (2 females), Mechra Bel Ksiri on Ziziphus lotus (Rhamnaceae) (3 females), Acacia karoo (Fabaceae) (1 female), Larache Beach on Solanum nigrum (Solanaceae) (1 female), Acacia dealbata (Fabaceae) (1 female), Road to Souk El Arba on Cistus crispus (Cistaceae) (1 female), Erica arborea (Ericaceae) (23 females, 7 males), Lavandula stoechas (Lamiaceae) (4 females), Pinus halepensis (Pinaceae) (8 females, 3 males), Pistacia lentiscus (Anacardiaceae) (1 female), Quercus suber (Fagaceae) (1 female), Saïdia on Lygos raetrum (Fabaceae) (5 females, 2 males), Eucalyptus globulus (Myrtaceae) (1 female), Scabiosa maritime (Caprifoliaceae) (1 female).

Previous records: Algeria, Canary Islands, France, Greece, Hawaii, Italy, Les Saintes, Madeira Islands, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia, USA.

Remarks. Among the three females collected on Dryopteris dilatata at Bab Bou Idir ( Dryopteridaceae ), one was characterised by the absence of seta S5 on both sides of the opisthosoma. The lack of these setae identifies this specimen to the sub-genus Typhlodromus (Typhlodromus) . Comparisons with the species of this latter sub-genus bearing five solenostomes on the dorsal shield ( T. (T.) atticus , T. (T.) corticis , T. (T.) griekwensis , T. (T) nerminae, T. (T.) waverus and T. (T) neomagdalanae), show great differences suggesting that this specimen would belong to a new species. However, as only one specimen was found, and it was collected on the same plant and in the same locality as specimens of T. (A.) rhenanoides , and as except the absence of setae S5, there is no other differences with this latter species, we think that this specimen does not belong to a new species but constitutes an abnormal T. (A.) rhenanoides . Abnomalities in the absence or presence seta have been reported, but usually on only one of the side of the dorsum. Measurements and morphological characteristics of this specimen are reported below.

Dorsum. Dorsal shield 330 long and 150 wide, lightly reticulated, with five solenostomes (gd2, gd5, gd6, gd8 and gd9), 17 pairs of dorsal setae and two pairs of sub-lateral setae: j1 27, j3 30, j4 15, j5 15, j6 20, J2 25, J5 8, z2 17, z3 27, z4 27, z5 18, Z4 50, Z5 73, s4 30, s6 33, S2 43, S4 40, r3 25, R1 30. All setae smooth except Z5 slightly serrated. Peritreme extending between j1 and j3.

Venter. All shields lightly reticulated. Sternal shield with two pairs of setae and two pairs of lyrifissures; two pairs of sternal setae on small metasternal plates; posterior margin convex. Distances between ST1 – ST3 65, ST2 – ST2 63, ST5–ST5 63. Two pairs of metapodal plates 22 long, 6 wide for the largest and 15 long and 3 wide for the smallest. Ventri-anal shield with four pairs of pre-anal setae, JV1, JV2, JV3 and ZV2, and pre-anal pores present. Membrane surrounding ventri-anal shield with four pairs of setae ZV1, ZV3, JV4 and JV5; ventri-anal shield 105 long, 100 wide at anterior corners, and 88 wide at level of anus. JV5 63 long.

Legs. Legs IV with three macrosetae on the genu Sge IV 27, tibia STI IV 27, basitarsus ST IV 67. Chaetotactic formula of Genu II and III not discernible. Length of leg I: 275, II: 232, III: 232, IV: 300.

Chelicera. Chelicerae closed, dentition not visible.

Spermatheca. With elongated cervix tubular shape ( Denmark et al., 1999), cervix elongated 25 long and 12 wide; neck at the basis of the cervix.