Phytoseius litoralis, Silva, Guilherme Liberato Da, Rocha, Matheus Dos Santos & Ferla, Noeli Juarez, 2013

Silva, Guilherme Liberato Da, Rocha, Matheus Dos Santos & Ferla, Noeli Juarez, 2013, First new species of the Phytoseius horridus group (Acari: Phytoseiidae) described from Brazil, with a key to the Brazilian species of Phytoseius, Zootaxa 3681 (5), pp. 595-599 : 596-598

Phytoseius litoralis n. sp.

( Figs 1–5 )

Type material. Holotype female and one paratype, Tramandaí, Rio Grande do Sul, from Cecropia pachystachya , 29 November 2011 and 14 February 2012 respectively, deposited at Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia, Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz” ( ESALQ), Universidade de São Paulo ( USP), Piracicaba, SP, Brazil. One paratype female, Tramandaí, Rio Grande do Sul, from Solanum concinnum , 29 November 2011, deposited at Museum of Biological Diversity, the Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA. Three paratype females, Tramandaí, Rio Grande do Sul, from Psidium guajava , 14 February 2012 and 19 May 2012 deposited at Museu de Ciências Naturais (ZAUMCN), UNIVATES - Centro Universitário, Lajeado, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil.

Adult female (n = 6). Idiosomal setal pattern from Chant & Yoshida-Shaul (1992): 12A:3A/JV-3,4:ZV.

Dorsum ( Fig. 1 ). Dorsal shield rugose antero-laterally and medially, with three pairs of lyrifissures. Shield 285 280 (275–285) long and 158 155 (150–158) wide. Setae j 1 33 30 (28–33), j3 38 34 (30–38), j4 5 4 (3–5), j5 5 4 (3– 5), j6 5 4 (3–5), J5 7 7 (5–8), z 2 15 15, z 3 33 30(28–33), z 4 15 14 (13–15), z5 5 5 (3–5), Z4 100 89 (83–100), Z5 80 74 (65–80), s4 133 123 (120–133), s6 88 79 (75–88), r3 48 45 (43–48), Setae j1, j3, z3 and r3 thick and barbed. Setae s4, s6, Z4 and Z5 very thick, coarsely barbed and with a longitudinal slit or dividing line.

Venter ( Fig. 2 ). Sternal shield with two pairs of lyrifissures. Distances between ST1-ST3 63 58 (55–63), ST2– ST2 65 61 (58–65). Genital shield smooth; distance between ST5–ST5 60 60 (58–63). Ventrianal shield narrowly vase–shaped, with constriction at level of JV2, smooth, 100 91 (85–100) long, 48 43 (40–48) wide at level of JV2 and 50 48 (45–50) wide at level of anus with three pairs of preanal setae (JV1, JV2, and ZV2). Three pairs of opisthogastric setae on unsclerotised cuticle (JV5, ZV1 and ZV3). Ventral setae smooth except seta JV5 48 51 (48– 52) thick and barbed. With one pair of metapodal plate.

Peritreme - Almost reaching level of j1.

Spermatheca ( Fig. 3 ). Calyx cup-shaped 6 6 (5–8) long; atrium small and nodular with a narrow entrance anteriorly.

Chelicera ( Fig. 4 ). Movable digit 23 21(20–23) long, with one tooth; fixed digit long, 23 23 (21–23) with three or four teeth. Pilus dentilis not visible.

Legs ( Fig. 5 ). Only leg IV with macrosetae. Setal lengths: SgeIV 13 12 (10–13), StiIV 50 50 (48–50), StIV 28 26 (25–28). All macrosetae distally spatulate.

Adult male and immatures. Unknown.

Etymology. The name “ litoralis ” refers to the collecting locality on the coast of the State of Rio Grande do Sul.

Notes. This new species resembles P. c a m e l o t Walter & Beard 1997, P. crinitus Swirski & Shechter 1961 and P. neoferox Ehara & Bhandhufalck 1977 by having the same ventral pattern and setae s4, s6, Z4 and Z5 with a longitudinal slit or dividing line. In Brazil, the new species resembles P. woodburyi by having leg IV with distally spatulate macrosetae, and also belongs to the horridus group. Phytoseius camelot differs from the new species by having setae s4 (97–104), s6 (58–73), Z4 (63) and Z5 (60) smaller and the major duct of the spermatheca slightly inflated. Phytoseius crinitus differs by having setae s4 (102–109) and Z4 (73–81) smaller and the calyx of the spermatheca bell-shaped. Phytoseius neoferox differs by having setae s4 (93), s6 (69), Z4 (74) smaller, macrosetae on SgeIV (22) longer, and the calyx of the spermatheca bell-shaped and more than 20 µm long. Phytoseius woodburyi differs from the new species by having setae s4, s6, Z4 and Z5 without a long slit or dividing line, the calyx of the spermatheca broad, setae Z4 and JV5 smaller (Z4 74 µm and JV5 41 µm), two teeth on fixed digit, and genu IV with seven setae.

Phytoseius litoralis n. sp. has been collected in the natural environment in the “Horto Florestal do Litoral Norte” where the natural ecosystem of the region is preserved.

This new species was collected on plants with trichomes on their leaves, indicating that the species might prefer leaves with these structures. This phenomenon also was observed by Demite et al. (2008) who found P. jatoba , P. j u r u t e and P. kaapre on Hymenaea courbaril L. ( Fabaceae ), Cordia sellowiana Cham. (Boraginaceae) and Trichilia casaretti C. DC. ( Meliaceae ), respectively. According to Walter (1992) this genus is often associated with leaves with well-developed trichomes, which suggests that the morphology of Phytoseius , characterised by small size, narrow body, relatively long legs, and long, erect, barbed dorsal shield setae, may favour the occurrence of those mites on plants with these structures.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Phytoseius litoralis n. sp. Female. 1. Dorsal shield; 2. Ventral surface; 3. Spermatheca; 4. Chelicera; 5. Leg IV (genu, tibia and basitarsus).