Aculus mononis, Song, Zi-Wei, Xue, Xiao-Feng & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2008

Song, Zi-Wei, Xue, Xiao-Feng & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2008, Eriophyoid mite fauna (Acari: Eriophyoidea) of Gansu Province, northwestern China with descriptions of twelve new species, Zootaxa 1756, pp. 1-48 : 31-33

Aculus mononis sp. nov.

( Fig. 10 )

Description. FEMALE: (n = 10) Body fusiform, 256 (255–258), 68 (67–69) wide, 76 (75–76) thick; light yellow. Gnathosoma 16 (15–17), projecting obliquely down, pedipalp coxal setae (ep) 5 (4–5), dorsal pedipalp genual setae (d) 10 (8–10), chelicerae 15 (13–15). Prodorsal shield 41 (40–41), 48 (46–50) wide; with frontal lobe obtuse, prodorsal shield triangular; prodorsal shield design with incomplete median line, complete admedian and submedian lines; median line connected with admedian lines by “V” shape line forming “M” shape at the shield rear; the inner admedian lines incomplete and connected forming “U” shape, the out admedian lines sinuous at 1/3 and 2/3 anterior and connected with the inner admedian lines forming three cells; lateral of the shield with granules. Scapular tubercles on rear margin, 41 (40–41) apart, scapular setae (sc) 35 (34–35) projecting posteriorly. Coxal area smooth; anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 5 (4–5), proximal setae on coxisternum I (1a) 19 (17–20), proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 48 (45–50). Coxal plates I separated. Legs: Leg I 40 (38–41), femur 12 (11–12), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 10 (8–12); genu 5 (4–5), antaxial genual seta (l'') 23 (20–25); tibia 7 (7–8), paraxial tibial seta (l') 6 (5–7), seta located 1/2 from dorsal base; tarsus 6 (5–6), tarsal seta (u') 4 (4–5), tarsal empodium simple, 4-rayed, tarsal solenidion knobbed. Leg II 37 (36–38), femur 10 (10–11), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 12 (10–12); genu 5 (4–5), antaxial genual seta (l'') 6 (5–7); tibia 7 (6–7); tarsus 6 (6–7), tarsal seta (u') 4 (4–5), tarsal empodium simple, 4-rayed, tarsal solenidion knobbed. Opisthosoma: dorsal opisthosoma with 40 (37–43) annuli, evenly round and with elliptical microtubercles on rear annular margins, ventrally with 60 (55–64) elliptical microtuberculate annuli. Setae c2 21 (20–23) on ventral annulus 12 (11–12); setae d 60 (55–64) on ventral annulus 25 (24–25); setae e 15 (14–15) on ventral annulus 39 (38–40); setae f 24 (23–25) on 8th ventral annulus from rear. Setae h1 absent. Female genitalia 14 (13–15), 26 (25–27) wide, coverflap with 10–12 longitudinal ridges, proximal setae on coxisternum III (3a) 9 (8–10).

MALE: (n = 1) Body fusiform, 187, 60 wide, light yellow. Gnathosoma 15, projecting obliquely down, pedipalp coxal setae (ep) 3, dorsal pedipalp genual setae (d) 6, chelicerae 13. Prodorsal shield 33, 40 wide; with frontal lobe obtuse, prodorsal shield triangular. Scapular tubercles on rear margin, 32 apart, scapular setae (sc) 30 projecting posteriorly. Coxal area smooth; anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 5, proximal setae on coxisternum I (1a) 20, proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 45. Prosternal apodeme present. Legs: Leg I 38, femur 10, basiventral femoral seta (bv) 10; genu 5, antaxial genual seta (l'') 23; tibia 7, paraxial tibial seta (l') 7, seta located 1/2 from dorsal base; tarsus 5, tarsal seta (u') 5, tarsal empodium simple, 4-rayed, tarsal solenidion knobbed. Leg II 35, femur 9, basiventral femoral seta (bv) 12; genu 4, antaxial genual seta (l'') 6; tibia 6; tarsus 5, tarsal seta (u') 5, tarsal empodium simple, 4-rayed, tarsal solenidion knobbed. Opisthosoma: dorsal opisthosoma with 35 annuli, evenly round and with elliptical microtubercles on rear annular margins, ventrally with 55 microtuberculate annuli. Setae c2 20 on ventral annulus 10; setae d 55 on ventral annulus 20; setae e 10 on ventral annulus 31; setae f 20 on 8th ventral annulus from rear. Setae h1 absent. Male genitalia 4, 19 wide, proximal setae on coxisternum III (3a) 10.

Types. Holotype, female, from Acer mono Maxim. (Aceraceae) , Guan’e Gou, Dangchang County, Gansu Province, China, 33°57'39N, 104°19'45E, September 11, 2005, collected by Zi-Wei Song and Xiao-Feng Xue. Paratypes, 9 females and 1 male, with the same data as holotype.

Relation to host. Mites are vagrant on the undersurface of leaves, causing no apparent damage.

Etymology. The specific designation mononis is from the scientific name of the host plant, Acer mono .

Remarks. This species is similar to Aculus sargentodoxae Wei & Kuang, 1997 , but can be differentiated by prodorsal shield design with median line, admedian lines connected forming the cells, submedian lines not connected with admedian lines (prodorsal shield design with median, admedian and submedian lines connected with transverse lines forming the network in A. sargentodoxae ), empodium 4-rayed, tarsal solenidion knobbed (empodium 5-rayed, tarsal solenidion tapered in A. sargentodoxae ), dorsal annuli with elliptical microtubercles (dorsal annuli with short striped microtubercles in A. sargentodoxae ).

Figures

FIGURE 10. Aculus mononis sp. nov. A, dorsal view of female; B, coxae and female genitalia; C, legs I and II; D, lateral aspect of female; E, tarsal empodium; F, male genitalia.