Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) egypticus El-Badry

Abo-Shnaf, Reham I. A. & De, Gilberto J., 2014, Phytoseiid mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) from Egypt, with new records, descriptions of new species, and a key to species, Zootaxa 3865 (1), pp. 1-71 : 43-46

Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) egypticus El-Badry

( Figs 57–63 )

Typhlodromus egypticus El-Badry, 1967a: 180 ; 1970: 498; Zaher, 1986: 134; Chant & McMurtry, 1994: 300.

Typhlodromus balanites El-Badry, 1967b: 469 ; Zaher, 1986: 134 (new synonymy).

Amblydromella balanites .— Moraes et al., 1986: 156.

Amblydromella egyptica .— Moraes et al., 1986: 161.

Typhlodromus mangiferus Zaher & El-Brollosy [sic], in Zaher, 1986: 132 (new synonymy).

Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) egypticus . — Ueckermann & Loots, 1988: 52; Chant & McMurtry, 1994: 254; Moraes et al., 2004: 322; Hernandes et al., 2012: 55.

Amblydromella (Amblydromella) balanites . — Denmark & Welbourn, 2002: 307.

Amblydromella (Amblydromella) egyptica . — Denmark & Welbourn, 2002: 307.

Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) balanites .— Moraes et al., 2004: 313; Chant & McMurtry, 2007: 152; Hernandes et al., 2012: 54. Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) mangiferus . — Moraes et al., 2004: 336.

Female [holotypes of T. balanites and T. mangiferus (measurements mentioned in this order in square brackets), and eight additional females].

Dorsal shield mostly reticulate ( Fig. 57 ), smooth laterad of Z4 and mesad of s6; 339 (335–347) [374, 353] long and 187 (176–197) [203, 188] wide, with 18 pairs of setae, four pairs of pores and eleven pairs of lyrifissures. Setae j1 23 (16–25) [26, 18], j3 35 (30–40) [39, 38], j4 26 (23–27) [26, 24], j5 27 (25–31) [29, 26], j6 39 (37–42) [42, 39], J2 48 (42–51) [55, 47], J5 12 (11–13) [12, 11], z2 26 (23–28) [26, 23], z3 36 (33–39) [39, 37], z4 36 (33–39) [42, 36], z5 29 (27–33) [29, 28], Z4 63 (57–65) [68, 64], Z5 58 (53–61) [65, 53], s4 42 (38–46) [67, 43], s6 55 (48–58) [57, 56], S2 61 (50–64) [70, 61], S4 64 (60–66) [70, 66], S5 9 (7–10) [10, 10], r3 30 (26–33) [31, 31], R1 34 (30–40) [34, 33]. Dorsal setae smooth, except Z5, serrate; most setae inserted on tubercles. Peritreme extending forward to level of j1.

Venter ( Fig. 58 ). Sternal shield smooth, with posterior margin indistinct; with three pairs of setae. Distances between st1–st1 46 (43–48) [46, 44], st2–st2 58 (53–69) [55, 53], st3–st3 74 (66–83) [81, 73], st4–st4 88 (72–113) [109, 88]; st4 inserted on platelets. Genital shield smooth; distance between st5–st5 62 (58–66) [65, 62]. Ventrianal shield vase-shaped, smooth; 113 (101–119) [125, 118] long, 61 (55–65) [68, 64] wide at ZV2 level and 62 (57–66) [70, 63] wide at level of anus; with four pairs of pre-anal setae and a pair of pre-anal pores posteromesad of JV2. Seta JV5 56 (52–57) [60, 55]. Ventral setae smooth. Two pairs of metapodal plates.

Spermatheca ( Fig. 60 ). Calyx of spermatheca cup-shaped, 14 (13–15) [17, 17] long; atrium distinct.

Gnathosoma. Corniculi slightly convergent distally; basal width of corniculus 5, distance between bases of corniculi 6. Movable cheliceral digit 22 (21–24) [23, 22] long, with 3 [3, 3] teeth ( Fig. 59 ); fixed digit 25 (24–25) [23, 23] long, with 4 [4, 4] teeth; dorsal and lateral lyrifissures distinct.

Legs. Macroseta sharp-tipped: St IV 36 (33–38) [39, 38] ( Fig. 61 ); chaetotaxy of genu II 2, 2/1, 2/0, 1; genu III 1, 2/1, 2/0, 1.

Male (one paratype of T. mangiferus and two additional males).

Dorsal shield pattern as in female; 283, 251 [250] long and 187, 157 [164] wide. Setae j 1 21, 18 [17], j 3 31, 20 [23], j 4 23, 19 [19], j 5 23, 21 [18], j 6 29, 27 [25], J 2 34, 31 [29], J5 10 [10], z 2 23, 22 [20], z 3 29, 27 [26], z 4 31, 28 [27], z 5 23, 22 [20], Z4 47, 40 [43], Z5 44, 38 [41], s 4 34, 30 [33], s6 42, 35 [36], S2 44, 40 [42], S4 47, 42 [40], S 5 10, 9 [8], r 3 29, 25 [24], R 1 29, 27 [26]. Dorsal setae smooth, except Z5, serrate. Peritreme extending forward to level of j1.

Venter. Distances between st1–st1 42, 43 [42], st2–st2 49, 37 [49], st3–st3 55, 51 [53], st4–st4 47, 46 [47], st5–st5 40, 39 [40]. Ventrianal shield subtriangular ( Fig. 63 ), lightly striate; 109, 101 [106] long and 135, 131 [127] wide at anterior corners, with four pairs of pre-anal setae, a pair of pre-anal pores and three pairs of lyrifissures. Seta JV 5 31, 29 [29].

Gnathosoma. Movable cheliceral digit 22, 21 [21] long, with 1 [1] tooth, fixed digit 22, 23 [22] long, with 4 [4] teeth. Shaft of spermatodactyl 57, 55 [55] long ( Fig. 62 ).

Legs. Macroseta sharp-tipped: St IV 36, 30 [29]; chaetotaxy of genua II and III as in female.

Specimens examined. Holotype female of T. balanites from B. aegyptiaca , at Shambat city, North Sudan, December 1966 (coll. E.A. El-Badry); holotype female, one paratype male and one male of T. mangiferus from mango leaves, at Giza governorate, September 1977 (coll. M.A. El-Borolossy); one female from same substrate and locality, February 1987 (coll. M.A. Zaher); one female from organic manure at Nasser, Beni Suef governorate, April 2001 (coll. A.H.M. Romeih); two females from mango leaves, at Senuris, Fayoum governorate, December 2002 (coll. R.I.A. Abo-Shnaf); one male from same substrate and locality, July 2003 (coll. R.I.A. Abo-Shnaf); one female from same substrate and locality, January 2004 (coll. R.I.A. Abo-Shnaf); one female from apple leaves, at same locality, March 2003 (coll. R.I.A. Abo-Shnaf); two females from Z. jujube leaves, at the Faculty of Agriculture Farm, Cairo University, Giza governorate, August 2001 (coll. M.M. Ahmed).

Previous records from Egypt. as T. balanites — Fayoum governorate ( Romeih et al., 2010b); Giza governorate ( Zaher, 1986; Romeih et al., 2010b); as T. egypticus —Cairo governorate ( Zaher, 1986); Giza governorate ( El-Badry, 1967a; Zaher, 1986); as T. mangiferus —Giza, Ismailia and Matrouh governorates ( Zaher, 1986).

Remarks. Typhlodromus egypticus was originally described from the holotype female and T. mangiferus from an unstated number of type specimens, both from Giza governorate, Egypt. The original descriptions of T. egypticus and T. mangiferus were reasonably detailed and illustrated; setal measurements were provided for T. mangiferus but not for T. egypticus . Typhlodromus balanites was originally described from the holotype female, 34 paratype females and five paratype males collected in North Sudan. The original description was rather detailed, with illustrations and setal measurements.

An examination of the type specimen of T. balanites showed this to be a junior synonym of T. egypticus . El- Badry (1967a, 1970) reported the chelicera of T. egypticus to have no teeth [sic], while Chant & McMurtry (1994) mentioned species of what they called the “ egypticus species group” to have chelicera with few teeth [sic]. Despite our effort, it was not possible to obtain types of T. (A.) egypticus for examination in this study. Thus, the new synonymy proposed in this paper is based on an examination of types of T. mangiferus , on the original description of T. egypticus , on the fact that both nominal species were described from the same region and on the several additional females and males examined in this study. Our measurements of T. mangiferus holotype are close to those reported by Zaher (1986) for a single female, except z2 (30 according to that author).

Figures

FIGURES 57 – 63. Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) egypticus: 57. Female dorsal shield; 58. Female ventral shields; 59. Female chelicera; 60. Spermatheca of female showing variations in form; 61. Genu, tibia and basitarsus of female leg IV; 62. Spermatodactyl; 63. Male ventrianal shield.