Tetra hajiqanbari Lotfollahi & Jafari, 2023

Lotfollahi, Parisa, Jafari, Shahriar & Bahirai, Fereshteh, 2023, Tetra hajiqanbari Lotfollahi & Jafari (Acari: Eriophyidae), a new species from Iran, Persian Journal of Acarology 12 (3), pp. 385-392 : 386-389

Tetra hajiqanbari Lotfollahi & Jafari sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4536303E-DDA5-4ABE-9B65-F48DCDA6EF0C

Description

Female ( Fig. 1 ; measured specimens = 9) – Body fusiform, 175 (175–190, excluding gnathosoma), 57* (56–58) thick, 55 (52–62) wide. Gnathosoma projecting obliquely downwards, cheliceral stylets 29* (28–31), palp 31* (31–32), palp coxal setae ep 2 (2–3), dorsal palp genual setae d 6 (5.5–6.5), unbranched. Suboral plate rounded anteriorly, with granules. Prodorsal shield 40 (39–47) including frontal lobe, 50 (48–54) wide, sub-triangular; with a broad-based distally rounded frontal lobe, 8 (8–9), over gnathosomal base; frontal lobe with an acuminate large protuberance under it. Shield pattern distinct, without median line, with long admedian lines extended on shield anterior ¾, short inner submedian lines on shield anterior half, short outer submedian lines on shield posterior half, long transverse lines started from shield lateral sides and extended transversally up to the middle of the admedian lines, connecting submedian lines to admedian lines; whole prodorsal shield covered with a texture with fine or coarse lighter dots. Tubercles of scapular setae sc very near to the rear shield margin, 23 (22–30) apart, setae sc 50 (40– 50), directed upward divergently. Legs with all usual segments and setae. Leg I 32 (29–33), trochanter 7 (6–8), femur 10 (9–10), genu 5 (no variation), tibia 7 (6–7), tarsus 9 (8–9.5), tarsal solenidion ω 9 (8.5–10), curved down, distally enlarged and tapered, empodium simple, 7 (6–7), 4- rayed; femoral setae bv 14 (11–14), genual setae l" 27 (26–28), paraxial tibial setae l' 5 (5–6.5), located about in middle of tibia, paraxial fastigial tarsal setae ft ' 21 (16–21), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae ft" 28 (24–28), paraxial unguinal tarsal setae u' 5 (5–6). Leg II 29 (27–29), trochanter 6 (6–7), femur 9 (8–9), genu 4 (4–4.5), tibia 5 (4–5), tarsus 8 (7–8), tarsal solenidion ω 9 (9–11), curved down, distally enlarged and tapered, empodium simple, 6 (5.5–6), 4-rayed; femoral setae bv 16 (13– 16), genual setae l" 7 (7–10), paraxial fastigial tarsal setae ft' 8 (7–8), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae ft " 25 (23–25), paraxial unguinal tarsal setae u' 5 (no variation). Coxisternal region: prosternal apodeme 7 (5–7), entire, anterior setae on coxisternum I 1b 11 (10–13), 12 (11–13) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum I 1a 33 (30–33), 10 (9–10) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum II 2a 49 (43– 49), 28 (25–29) apart; 6 (no variation) microtuberculate semiannuli between coxae and genital coverflap plus some disperse triangular microtubercles at the base of the coverflap. Coxae with granules. External genitalia 14 (11–14), 21 (20–22) wide, coverflap with one rank of 13 (11–14) longitudinal striae; setae 3a 60 (51–60), 19* (18–21) apart. Internal genitalia: spermathecae ovoid, oriented posterolaterad; spermathecal tubes relatively short as long as 1/3 of spermatechae diameter, with tiny cone-shaped spermathecal process situated at the back center of spermathecal tube; transverse genital apodeme trapezoidal, distally folded. Opisthosoma dorsally with two lateral ridges extended on whole opisthosoma, more distinct on anterior 10 (10–11) dorsal semiannuli, with 19 (18–19) dorsal semiannuli, 62 (56–63) ventral semiannuli. Microtubercles: dorsal semiannuli mostly smooth just with some spiny microtubercles at their pleural parts, last 8 (8–9) dorsal semiannuli with microtubercles on rear margin that are spiny on 3 (no variation) last semiannuli; spiny on posterior margin of ventral semiannuli, elongated and linear on last 5 (no variation) ventral semiannuli. Setae c2 25 (21–25) on ventral semiannulus 14 (12–14), setae d 63 (52–63) on ventral semiannulus 27 (25–28); setae e 15 (13–16) on ventral semiannulus 41 (37–42); setae f 22 (19–23) on ventral semiannulus 58 (52–59); 4 (no variation) annuli posterior to setae f. Setae h2 64* (60–68) apically very fine, h1 5 (4–6).

Male ( Fig. 1 - GM; measured specimens = 3) – Similar in shape and prodorsal shield arrangement to female. Body smaller than female, 150–153, 53 wide, 48 thick; palp genual setae d 5–6; prodorsal shield 39–41, 49–51 wide, frontal lobe 6–7; setae sc 27–28, 20–21 apart. Opisthosoma with 17–18 dorsal semiannuli and 53–60 ventral semiannuli; 9 semiannuli between coxae and genitalia, with microtubercles similar to that of female. Setae: 1b 8–11, 11–12 apart; 1a 26–28, 9 apart; 2a 40–50, 25–27 apart; c2 29, on ventral semiannulus 11–13; d 49–50, on ventral semiannulus 24–26; e 13–16, on ventral semiannulus 37–39; f 20–21, on ventral semiannulus 52–55; h1 4, h2 73–75. Male genitalia 20–22 wide, setae 3a 44–49, 17–18 apart. Legs I and II with a 4- rayed empodium.

Nymph (measured specimen = 1) – Body vermiform, 137 (excluding gnathosoma), 44 wide; palp genual setae d 4. Prodorsal shield 34 including frontal lobe, 41 wide, sub-triangular; with a short frontal lobe, 4, over gnathosomal base. Shield pattern very faint, pattern similar to female but poorly formed, admedian lines more distinct. Tubercles of sc setae 45 on rear shield margin, 18 apart, setae sc 45, directed posterior. Opisthosoma with 54 dorsal semiannuli with round microtubercles set on rear margin of semiannuli, 43 ventral semiannuli with oval microtubercles, elongated on the posterior semiannuli. Setae: 1b 9, 10 apart; 1a 17, 8 apart; 2a 28, 22 apart; c2 19, on ventral semiannulus 9; d 39, on ventral semiannulus 18; e 10, on ventral semiannulus 27; f 18, on ventral semiannulus 39; h1 4, h2 43. Setae 3a 28, 21 apart on semiannulus 10 after coxae. Legs I and II with a 3-rayed empodium.

Type host plant

Glycyrrhiza glabra L. ( Fabaceae ); liquorice.

Type locality

Faculty of Agriculture , Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Lorestan Province, Iran (33° 25' 45.2'' N, 48° 15' 34.5'' E), 1,150 m above sea level, coll. S. Jafari, 19 July 2020 .

Type material

Holotype female mounted on a microscope slide (GG-IL-LU19B-1) along with 1 paratype female and 1 paratype nymph. 35 paratype females and 6 paratype males mounted on 9 microscope slides (GG-IL-LU19B -2–10).

Relation to the host plant Vagrant on leaves. No apparent damage was observed.

Distribution

Tetra hajiqanbari Lotfollahi & Jafari sp. nov. is at present recorded only from Lorestan province, Iran. However, liquorice is widely distributed in Iran so future surveys could reveal a wider distribution for this new mite species.

Etymology

The new species is named in memory of Dr. Hamidreza Hajiqanbar (1973–2021) for his outstanding contributions to the systematics of Heterostigmata of Iran.

Differential diagnosis

The new species is close to Tetra glycyrrhizae Denizhan et al., 2007 found vagrant on flowers and leaves of G. glabra in Kalecik, Türkiye. They are similar in ornamentation of coxae and female genitalia coverflap, empodium rays number, number of dorsal semiannuli, semiannuli between coxae and genital coverflap and empodium rays, length of setae e, f and h1 ( Table 1). However, they are different in ventral semiannuli number (50 (41–54) in T. glycyrrhizae and 62 (56–63) in the new species), length of setae sc (32 (30–39) in T. glycyrrhizae and 50 (40–50) in the new species), c2 (18 (15–19) in T. glycyrrhizae and 25 (21–25) in the new species), d (40 (38–49) in T. glycyrrhizae and 63 (52–63) in the new species) and 3a (45 (44–51) in T. glycyrrhizae and 60 (51– 60) in the new species) ( Table 1). Setae sc of the new species directed upward divergently, but it is directed to posterior in T. glycyrrhizae . The new species frontal lobe has an acuminate large protuberance under it, while the protuberance is absent in T. glycyrrhizae . Tetra glycyrrhizae has a short median line and without submedian lines, but the new species doesn’t have a median line and with two pairs of submedian lines. In the new species the whole prodorsal shield is covered with a texture of fine or coarse lighter dots, while T. glycyrrhizae has been described without any texture. Microtubercles of T. glycyrrhizae ventral semiannuli are elliptical, but they are spiny in the new species.

Figures

Figure 1. Schematic drawings of Tetra hajiqanbari Lotfollahi & Jafari sp. nov. – AD. Prodorsal shield; AL. Lateral view of anterior body region; CG. Female coxigenital region; D. Dorsal view; em. Empodium; GM. Male genital region; IG. Internal female genitalia; LO. Lateral view of annuli; L1. Leg I; pg. palp genua; PM. Lateral view of the posterior opisthosoma. Scale bar: 15 µm for D; 10 µm for AD, AL, CG, GM, IG, pg, PM; 7.5 µm for LO; 5 µm for LO, L1; 2.5 µm for em.