Aceria virgatae, Lotfollahi, Parisa, Irani-Nejad, Karim Haddad, Khanjani, Mohamad, Moghadam, Mohamad & Lillo, Enrico De, 2013

Lotfollahi, Parisa, Irani-Nejad, Karim Haddad, Khanjani, Mohamad, Moghadam, Mohamad & Lillo, Enrico De, 2013, Eriophyoid mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Eriophyidae) associated with Compositae in Iran, Zootaxa 3664 (3), pp. 349-360 : 352-354

Aceria virgatae n. sp.

( Fig. 2 )

Description. FEMALE (n=8). Body wormlike, 160 (150–175), 37 (33–40) thick, 39 (38–40) wide. Gnathosoma 26 (25–27) projecting obliquely downwards, chelicerae 23 (20–25), setae d 3 (3–6) unbranched. Prodorsal shield 27 (26–30), 30 (29–30) wide, semielliptical in anterior shape with a short anteromedian lobe 6 (4–9) over gnathosomal base. Shield pattern composed of a median line on posterior one-third, two short admedian lines on posterior one-quarter (admedian lines longer but notably fainter on the anterior part in some specimens), one pair of submedian lines extending over two-thirds anterior of prodorsal shield. Many dots and short lines on lateral margins and among admedian lines and tubercles sc on posterior part of prodorsal shield. Tubercles sc on rear shield margin 19 (17–19) apart, setae sc 41 (40–52). Leg I 30 (26–33), femur 7 (5–9), genu 4 (4–6), tibia 5 (4–8), tarsus 7 (5–9), ω 7 (7–9) distally tapered, empodium simple, 5, 5- or 6-rayed; setae bv 8 (6–10), setae l ΄΄ 24 (17– 30), setae l ΄ 6 (6–8), setae ft ΄ 11 (10–15), setae ft ΄΄ 21 (20–25). Leg II 22 (20–28), femur 6 (6–8), genu 4 (4–5), tibia 4 (4–5), tarsus 6 (5–8), ω 9 (8–10) distally tapered, empodium simple, 5 (4–5), 5 or 6-rayed; setae bv 7(5–9), setae l ΄΄ 6 (6–12), setae ft ΄ 5, setae ft ΄΄ 22 (20–27). Coxae with sparse dots and few dashes; setae 1b 7 (6–10), tubercles 1b 10 (8–10) apart, setae 1a 17 (15–21), tubercles 1a 6 (6–7) apart, setae 2a 42 (37–52), tubercles 2a 18 (17–18) apart. Prosternal apodeme 3 (3–5). Opisthosoma dorsally rounded, with 61 (60–64) narrow dorsal semiannuli, 64 (64– 75) narrow ventral semiannuli (counted from first annulus after coxae II) and 5 (4–5) semiannuli between coxae and coverflap plus 3 transversal rows of lined granules at base of genital coverflap. Microtubercles circular on posterior part of annuli up to 5–6 annuli before setae f. Relicts of microtubercles on rear margin of 5–6 dorsal semiannuli before setae f appearing as thickening of annulus margin. Setae c2 25 (21–29) on ventral semiannulus 10 (10–11), setae d 51 (45–60) on ventral semiannulus 23 (23–27); setae e 17 (12–22) on ventral semiannulus 38 (38–46); setae f 15 (15–22) on ventral semiannulus 59 (59–70). With 5 annuli before anal lobe; last 3 ventral semiannuli with elongated, linear microtubercles. Setae h2 74 (70–78) very fine at tip, h1 7 (6–8). Genital coverflap 12 (10–13), 20 wide, with 14 (13–14) striae; setae 3a 16 (14–16) apart, 15 (14–17).

MALE (n=3). Unknown from type host but found on alternative host as detailed below. Similar to female, 130–132. Prodorsal shield 24–30; setae sc 37, 16 apart. Opisthosoma with 50–54 dorsal semiannuli and 59–60 ventral semiannuli.

Type host plant. Centaurea virgata Lam. (Compositae)

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

Type locality. Maragheh countryside, Iran, 37°25'35''N, 46°14'38''E, 1,532 m above sea level, 3 August 2010, coll. P. Lotfollahi.

Other localities and host plant. Bonab countryside, Iran, 37°24'56''N, 46°00'45''E, 1,321 m above sea level, 3 August 2011, on Centaurea solstitialis L., coll. P. Lotfollahi.

Other material. Mites preserved in Oudemans’ fluid as extracted from the same samples as mentioned above.

Type material. Holotype: female on a single microscope slide (CV-IEA-MH10L-1) from the sample collected at Maragheh countryside, Iran; paratypes: 7 females mounted on separate microscope slides from sample collected at Maragheh countryside, Iran; 1 female and 3 males mounted on separate microscope slides from the sample collected at Bonab countryside, Iran.

Etymology. The specific epithet is the genitive case of the species name, virgata , of the type host plant.

Differential diagnosis. The new species herein described has many similarities to Aceria squarrosae de Lillo et al. 2003, which was collected from Centaurea squarrosa Willd. in Turkey. The Iranian species displays differences mainly in the prodorsal shield pattern which is characterized largely by having shorter median, admedian and submedian lines than those observed on A. squarrosae . No dashes are present between the median and admedian lines on the posterior half of the prodorsal shield in contrast with A. squarrosae . Minor differences include the higher number of semiannuli between the coxae and the genital area and fewer striae on the genital coverflap of A. virgatae in respect to A. squarrosae . Finally, the coxal plates of A. virgatae are provided with sparse dots instead of the dashes as observed on A. squarrosae .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Schematic drawings of Aceria virgatae n. sp. AD. Prodorsal shield; AL. Lateral view of anterior body region; CG. Female coxigenital region; em. Empodium; IG. Internal female genitalia; LO. Lateral view of annuli; L 1. Leg I; PM. Lateral view of posterior opisthosoma. Scale bar: 10 μm for AD, AL, CG, IG, PM; 5 μm for LO, L 1; 2. 5 μm for em.