Typhlodromips neoswellendamensis Moraes, Zannou & Oliveira, 2007

De Moraes, Gilberto J., Zannou, Ignace D., Ueckermann, Eddie A., Oliveira, Anibal R., Hanna, Rachid & Yaninek, John S., 2007, Species of the subtribes Arrenoseiina and Proprioseiopsina (Tribe Amblyseiini) and the tribe Typhlodromipsini (Acari: Phytoseiidae) from sub-Saharan Africa, Zootaxa 1448 (1), pp. 1-39 : 30-31

Typhlodromips neoswellendamensis Moraes, Zannou & Oliveira , n. sp.

( Fig. 19 )

Diagnosis. This species is characterized by having reticulate dorsal shield; all dorsal setae smooth, except Z5, which is serrate; sternal shield mostly smooth, with few lateral striae; ventrianal shield reticulate; 1 pair of metapodal shields; calyx of spermatheca cup-shaped; Sge IV about as long as Sti IV and both ca. 50% as long as St IV.

Female. (1 specimen measured).

Dorsum. Dorsal shield with faint reticulation on anterior half and with distinct reticulation on posterior half, 424 long and 238 wide. Setae j1 29, j3 32, j4 14, j5 11, j6 broken, J2 19, J5 11, z2 19, z4 16, z5 13, Z1 19, Z4 46, Z5 77, s4 42, S2 26, S4 22, S5 16, r3 21, R1 22. All setae smooth, except Z5 which is serrate .

Venter. Sternal shield mostly smooth, with few lateral striae; posterior margin irregular and slightly concave; distances between St1-St3 83, St2-St2 85. Genital shield smooth; distance between St5-St5 85. Ventrianal shield pentagonal, reticulate; anterior margin slightly convex, 128 long, 118 wide at level of Zv2 and 105 wide at level of anus, preanal pores posterior to and approximately vertically aligned with Jv2. A single pair of distinct metapodal shields. Ventral setae smooth.

Chelicera. Movable digit 45 long, with 2 teeth; fixed digit 40 long, with 7 teeth and a pilus dentilis.

Spermatheca. Calyx cup-shaped, 9 long; atrium small.

Legs. Sharp-tipped macrosetae; Sge II 29, Sge III 29, Sti III 27, Sge IV 46, Sti IV 45, St IV 91. Chaetotaxy: genu II: 2–2/0,2/1–1; genu III: 1–2/0,2/1–1.

Male. Unknown.

Locality and type material. Holotype female from unknown plant, 39 km W Nakuru, Valley Province, Kenya, 04-XII-1989, J.S. Yaninek, deposited at ESALQ-USP.

Etymology. The epithet neoswellendamensis refers to the similarity between this new species and Typhlodromips swellendamensis (Ueckermann & Loots) .

Remarks. Typhlodromips swellendamensis ( Ueckermann & Loots, 1988) and Typhlodromips tee ( Schicha, 1983) differ from this new species by having dorsal shield centrally smooth, sternal and ventrianal shields smooth and 2 pairs of metapodal shields. In addition, T. tee has movable and fixed cheliceral digits with 3 and 10 teeth, respectively.

Figures

FIGURE 19. Typhlodromips neoswellendamensis Moraes, Zannou & Oliveira, n. sp. (female): A. Dorsal shield; B. Ventral surface; C. Spermatheca; D. Chelicera; E. Leg IV.