Brevulacus salicinus, Soika, Grażyna, Gol, Ali, Honarmand, Arash, Wozińska, Anna & Sadeghi, Hussein, 2017

Soika, Grażyna, Gol, Ali, Honarmand, Arash, Wozińska, Anna & Sadeghi, Hussein, 2017, New records of eriophyoid mites from Iran (Acari: Trombidiformes: Eriophyoidea) and a description of a new Brevulacus Manson species, Zootaxa 4216 (4), pp. 321-338 : 322-326

Brevulacus salicinus n. sp.

( Figs 1–2 )

Diagnosis. Brevulacus salicinus n. sp. is distinguished from other known Brevulacus species by the following combination of characteristics. The prodorsal shield pattern is composed of longitudinal median, admedian and submedian I lines running along the whole length of the prodorsal shield. The admedian lines are parallel to each other, beginning at the anterior margin of the shield and continuing for about 2/3 its length, at which point they diverge and end at the rear margin. The submedian lines I are slightly arched, beginning from the anterolateral margin of the shield and ending between the tubercles. The tubercles of setae sc are slightly ahead of the rear shield margin. The opisthosoma has 50–60 dorsal annuli, and 72–85 ventral annuli. The opisthosomal annuli are evenly rounded dorsally. The 8-rayed empodium is entire. The genital coverflap of the female is smooth.

Description. FEMALE. (holotype and 6 paratypes). Body fusiform, 217 (214–217), 69 (67–69) wide. Gnathosoma 46 (40–65), projecting obliquely down, cheliceral stylets 44 (39–58), pedipalpal genual setae d 12 (10–12) simple, setae ep 4 (4–5). Prodorsal shield 37 (33–42), 47 (45‒49) wide, anterior half triangular with lobe anteriorly emarginated, posterior half semicircular; shield design with median, admedian, and submedian I lines extending over entire shield length. Admedian lines parallel to each other beginning at anterior margin of shield continuing for about 2/3 its length at which point they diverge and end at rear margin. Submedian I lines slightly arched, beginning from anterolateral margin of shield and ending between tubercles. Posteriorly, between tubercles, with several short lines and dots. Tubercles sc slightly ahead of rear shield margin, 28 (25–28) apart; setae sc 39 (31–39) projecting forward. Legs—with all usual segments and setae present. Leg I 45 (40–45); femur 15 (14–17), basiventral femoral seta bv 15 (11–17); genu 7 (7–8), antaxial genual seta l ″ 41 (35–41); tibia 14 (12–14), paraxial tibial seta l ′ 9 (8–10); tarsus 9 (9), paraxial fastigial tarsal seta ft ′ 17 (17–24), antaxial fastigial tarsal seta ft ″ 7 (7–11); paraxial unguinal tarsal seta u ′ 4 (4–5); tarsal solenidion ω 9 (8–10); empodium entire 6 (6–7), 8-rayed on each side. Leg II 34 (34–41); femur 11 (11–14), seta bv 13 (13–16); genu 6 (6–9), seta l ″ 9 (9–16); tibia 8 (8–10); tarsus 8 (8–10), seta ft ′ 24 (12–24), seta ft ″ 8 (8–10); seta u ′ 5 (4–7); tarsal solenidion ω 8 (7–9); empodium, 7 (6–7), 8-rayed on each side. Coxisternal plates smooth. Anterolateral setae on coxisternum I TABLE I. Morphological characteristics useđ to đifferentiate Brevulacus salicinus n. sp. anđ four Brevulacus species from Quercus spp. ( Fagaceae ).

Species of Brevulacus 1b 11 (6–11), 10 (10–12) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum I 1 a 37 (24–37), 9 (9–12) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum II 2 a 41 (41–58), 26 (26–32) apart; distance between setae 1b and 1a 6 (6–7); distance between setae 1a and 2a 9 (9–12) apart. External genitalia 14 (14–16), 27 (26–27) wide, genital coverflap smooth, proximal setae on coxisternum III 3a 20 (17–20), 19 (18–19) apart. Coxigenital region with 10 (10–13) annuli. Opisthosoma with 50 (50–60) dorsal annuli, with oval microtubercles; 90 (80–96) ventral annuli with small and oval microtubercles. Setae c2 21 (18–22), on annulus 15 (15–17), 61 (61–62) apart; setae d 70 (40–70), on annulus 34 (30–37), 40 (40–47) apart; setae e 37 (36–64), on annulus 52 (46–55), 25 (25–28) apart; setae f 26 (24–29), on annulus 84 (73–88), 21 (21–26) apart, 6 (5–6) from rear. Setae h2 106 (84–106), 13 (12–15) apart; setae h1 6 (6–10), 8 (8) apart.

MALE. (n=3). Similar to female. Body fusiform, 207–217, 61–73 wide. Gnathosoma 38–39, curved downward, cheliceral stylets 32–43, dorsal pedipalpal genual seta d 10, seta ep 4. Prodorsal shield 36–42, 48–50 wide, ornamentation the same as female. Tubercles sc slightly ahead of rear shield margin, similar to that of female, 24–26 apart; setae sc 32–35. Leg I 43–44, femur 12–15, seta bv 14–15 genu 6–8, seta l ″ 19–27; tibia 11‒13, seta l ′ 7–9; tarsus 8–10, seta ft ′ 21–27, seta ft ″ 8–17; seta u ′ 4–5; tarsal solenidion ω 8–10; empodium, entire 8-rayed. Leg II 34–38, femur 11–14, seta bv 13–15; genu 5–7, seta l ″ 10–16; tibia 8; tarsus 8, seta ft ′ 17–24, seta ft ″ 7–9; seta u ′ 4–6; tarsal solenidion ω 7–10; empodium entire 6–7, 8-rayed on each side. Coxisternal plates smooth. Setae 1b 9–11, 11–12 apart; setae 1a 31–34, 9–11 apart; setae 2a 34–49, 27–32 apart; tubercles 1b and 1a 6 apart; tubercles 1a and 2a 8–11 apart. External genitalia 20–22 wide. Setae 3a 17, 18–20 apart. Coxigenital region with 10–13 annuli. Opisthosoma with 49–55 dorsal annuli, 72–85 ventral annuli, microtubercles the same as female. Setae c 2 18–25, on annulus 14–16, 55–64 apart; setae d 34–73, on annulus 30–32, 42–47 apart; setae e 25–32, on annulus 40–45, 27–28 apart; setae f 21–33, on annulus 66–75, 24–26 apart, 6 from rear. Setae h2 69–84, 12 apart; setae h1 6, 8–9 apart.

Host plant. Salix sp. L. ( Salicaceae ).

Relation to the host plant. Vagrant on the under surface of the leaves, causing no apparent damage.

Type locality. Mashhad , Iran (36°20′N, 59°35′E), Razavi Khorasan Province, 985 m above sea level: 23 July 2013, coll. A. Honarmand.

Type material. Holotype: single female, on one microscope slide IR92-E7 and 4 female and 2 male paratypes mounted on six slides, deposited in the collections of the DVOPP, INHORT in Skierniewice, Poland and 2 female and 1 male paratypes mounted on 3 slides retained in the collection of the DPPFA, FUM , Iran.

Etymology. The specific name, salicinus , relates to the host plant, Salix sp.

Remarks: Up to this time only four species of the genus Brevulacus were known to occur on plants of the genus Quercus , these are: B. extensus Pye, 2012 , B. carpaticus Ripka, 2011 , B. reticulatus Manson, 1984 and B. jilinensis Xue, Song & Hong, 2009 . Brevulacus salicinus n. sp. was compared with descriptions of the species listed above and is most similar to B. jilinensis , which inhabits Quercus sp. ( Fagaceae ) (Table 1). However, it differs from the latter by the long median line, which runs along the whole of the prodorsal shield (short median line connected with admedian lines by transverse short lines in B. jilinensis ), submedian lines I end between sc tubercles in B. salicinus n. sp. while in B. jilinensis , submedian lines I end outside sc tubercles. Both species also differ in the number of opisthosomal annuli (50–60 in B. salicinus , 40–44 in B. jilinensis ), width of prodorsal shield (45–49 in B. salicinus , 58–63 B. jilinensis ), length of dorsal setae sc (31–39 in B. salicinus , 25–33 in B. jilinensis ), wide of external genitalia (23–27 in B. salicinus , 29–30 in B. jilinensis ), length of genital setae 3a (16–21 in B. salicinus , 25–30 in B. jilinensis ) and length of opisthosomal setae c2 (18–22 in B. salicinus , 15–16 in B. jilinensis ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Brevulacus salicinus n. sp.: D — Dorsal mite; CG — Female coxigenital region; IG — female internal genitalia (enlarged); L 1 — Leg I; AL — Lateral view of anterior body region; em — empodium (enlarged); GM — Male genital region. Scale bar: 50 µm for D, CG, AL & GM; 10 µm for L 1.

FIGURE 2. Digital micrographs of Brevulacus salicinus n. sp.: A — Dorsal view; B ‒ Ventral view; C ‒ Lateral anterior region; D ‒ genital region of male. Scale bar: 50 µm for A, B & C; 25 µm for D.