Phytoscutus wiesei (Ueckermann & Loots)

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 : 8-9

Phytoscutus wiesei (Ueckermann & Loots)

( Fig. 5 )

Amblyseius (Trochoseius) wiesei Ueckermann & Loots, 1985: 133 .

Phytoscutus wiesei, Yoshida-Shaul & Chant, 1997: 229 ; Chant & McMurtry, 2004b: 309; Moraes et al., 2004: 167.

Female. ( Specimens measured. Uganda: 5; Angola: holotype)

Dorsum. Dorsal shield mostly smooth, with some undulating transverse striae between Z1 and Z4, 425(408–443) [403] long and 362(352–384) [302] wide. Setae j1 28(26–34) [32], j3 57(37–77) [69], j4 7(6–8) [9], j6 19(18–21) [13], J5 10(8–11) [13], z2 10(10–11) [9], z4 13(10–16) [16], z5 9(8–11) [9], Z1 86(58–139) [139], Z4 251(243–259) [239], Z5 319(302–331) [296] s4 236(216–259) [230], S5 15 (11–19) [25], r3 8(5–11) [9], R1 10(8–13) [9].

Venter. Sternal shield mostly smooth, with some rare lateral striae; posterior margin concave; distances between St1-St3 59(56–62) [54], St2-St2 73(72–74) [63]. Genital shield reticulate; distance between St5-St5 116(110–122) [101]. Ventrianal shield reticulate, lateral and posterior margins rounded, 203(200–206) [192] long, 295(269–344) [290] wide at the level of Zv2 and 218(213–225) [214] wide at level of anus, with 5 pairs of preanal setae (Jv1, Jv2, Jv4, Zv1 and Zv2); JV5 short (31 long); preanal pores mesad and about in line with setae Jv2. With 2 pairs of metapodal shields, 1 of which is much smaller than the other.

Chelicera. Movable digit 27(27–28) [25] long, with 3–4 [4] teeth; fixed digit 19(18–20) [22] long, with 8 [7] teeth and a pilus dentilis.

Spermatheca. Calyx funnel-shaped, 17(14–19) [13] long.

Legs. Sharp-tipped macrosetae; Sge I 56 [57], Sge III 77 [73], Sti III 43 [44], Sge IV 112 [126], Sti IV 86 [91], St IV 56 [69].

Specimens examined. Angola: Salazar, from Eugenia uniflora , 18-IV-1972, M.K.P. Smith Meyer. Uganda: 34 km S Masaka, Rakai District, Coffea sp. , 05-X-1990, J.S. Yaninek; Nsambya, Rakai District, Mangifera indica , 06-X-1990, B. Odongo; 1 km N Muzizi River, Hoima, Artocarpus heterophyllus , 10-X- 1990, J.S. Yaninek.

Remarks. The holotype of this species has a single pair of metapodal shields, instead of 2 as in the specimens from Uganda, collected in this study; in the latter specimens, those shields are distinctly separate in some specimens, but partially fused in others. Considerable variation in setal lengths was observed between specimens collected in Uganda within and between sites/hosts, and even between right and left sides of one of the specimens. Specimens from 1 km N Muzizi River, Hoima, have setae j3 and Z1 much shorter than those of the holotype and of the specimens from the other sites however it was not considered as a new species because of the high variation in setal lengths observed in some specimens of P. wiesei in Uganda.

World distribution. Angola, Liberia and Uganda.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Phytoscutus wiesei (Ueckermann & Loots) (female): A. Dorsal shield; B. Ventral surface; C. Spermatheca; D. Chelicera; E. Leg IV.