Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) celastrus Ueckermann & Loots, 1988

Ueckermann, E. A., Situngu, Sivuyisiwe & Barker, Nigel P., 2021, Checklist of Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) species from plants bearing leaf domatia, from the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, with the description of a new species, Journal of Natural History 55 (11 - 12), pp. 683-697 : 691-694

Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) celastrus Ueckermann & Loots

Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) celastrus Ueckermann & Loots, 1988: 23 ; De Moraes et al. 2004: 217.

Amblydromella (Amblydromella) celastra , Denmark & Welbourn, 2002: 308.

This species can be defined as having all dorsal setae being short and smooth except for setae Z4 and Z5 which are serrate and knobbed distally, setae S2, S4 and S5 equally long, ventral setae JV5 smooth and knobbed, spermatheca with cervix a long tube which slightly flares towards vesicle, macroseta on leg IV knobbed and genua II and III with 7 setae.

World distribution: South Africa. This species was sampled only 4 times since description, present study included; Ueckermann et al. 2008). Specimens examined: 1♀ Kwelera, East London, on Ehretia rigida (Thunb.) Druce (Boraginaceae) , 27 September 2014

Key to South African species of Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) – Females. (Based on Ueckermann et al. 2008)

1. Ventrianal shield with 3 pairs of pre-anal setae........................................................................... 2

- Ventrianal with 4 pairs of pre-anal setae ........................................................................................ 3

2. Dorsal shield with apair of profound incisions at level of R1; all dorsal setae very short and smooth; JV5 very short, smooth, sharp tipped......................................................................... ...................................................................................... T.(A.) eremicus Smith Meyer & Ueckermann

- Dorsal shield without apair of profound incisions at level of R1; all dorsal setae and JV5 long, serrate, knobbed, except for setae S5 and J5 which are very short and smooth.... ................................................................................................................... T.(A.) transvaalensis (Nesbitt)

3. Dorsal shield with more than 10 pairs of serrated setae........................................................... 4

- Dorsal shield with at most 5 pairs of serrate setae .................................................................... 5

4. Dorsal shield with all pairs of setae serrate, except for setae j4–j6, J2-J5 and z5 which are smooth, setae Z4, S4 and S5 knobbed; setae St3 off sternal shield........................................... .......................................................................................................... T.(A.) grastis Ueckermann & Loots

- Dorsal shield with all pairs of setae serrate, setae Z4, S4 and S5 acute only Z5 knobbed; setae St3 on sternal shield .............................................. T.(A.) michaeli Ueckermann & Loots

5. Both setae S4 and S5 smooth .............................................................................................................. 6

- Setae S4 and S5 serrate, setae Z4 and Z5 also serrate but knobbed ........................................ ............................................................................................................. T.(A.) terrulentis Van der Merwe

6. Most dorsal setae distinctly blunt; setae Z4 and Z5 spatulate; anal orifice located at centre of ventrianal shield ...................... ...................... T.(A.) religiosus Ueckermann & Loots

- Most dorsal setae sharp-tipped or blunt or slightly tipped; setae Z4 and Z5 not spatulate; anal orifice located at posterior region of ventrianal shield.............................. 7

7. Setae S4, S5 and r3, knobbed .......................... .......................... T.(A.) bullatus van der Merwe

- Setae S4, S5 and r3 sharp-tipped or stout, blunt or slightly tipped .................................. 8

8. Setae S4, S5 and r3 sharp-tipped ...................................................................................................... 9

- All dorsal setae smooth, stout, blunt or slightly tipped, except for setae Z5 which are the longest, serrate and knobbed ................................................................ T.(A.) uhoneae sp.n.

9. Setae Z4 as long as or longer than distance to setae S5 ....................................................... 10

- Setae Z4 clearly shorter than distance to setae S5 ................................................................. 14

10. Genu of leg II with 7 setae................................................................................................................ 11

- Genu of leg II with 8 setae ................................................................................................................. 12

11. Seta Z5 knobbed, setae Z4 extending to or pass Z5, both serrate; leg IV with 3 knobbed macrosetae................................................................................................ T.(A.) buccalis Van der Merwe

- Seta Z5 sharp-tipped, seta Z4 distinctly shorter than distance between its base and base of Z5, both serrate; leg IV with one knobbed macroseta.... .... T.(A.) capparidis Van der Merwe

12. Seta S5 much shorter than S4, all dorsal setae smooth except setae Z4 and Z5 which are serrate and also the longest setae .................. .................. T.(A.) praeacutus Van der Merwe

- Seta S5 equal to or slightly shorter than S4; only setae Z5 serrate.................................... 13

13. Calyx of spermatheca bulged next to atrium, followed by aslender tube that flares toward the vesicle; preanal pores present; macroseta on leg IV knobbed............................ ........................................................................................................ T.(A.) astibus Ueckermann & Loots

- Calyx of spermatheca bell-shaped, short, broad, atrium incorporated in calyx; pre-anal pores absent; macroseta on leg IV acute .................................................... T.(A.) lootsi Schultz

14. Pre-anal pores absent......................................................................................................................... 15

- Pre-anal pores present ......................................................................................................................... 16

15. All dorsal setae short and smooth, only setae Z5 long, serrate and knobbed; proximal half of calyx of spermatheca slightly bulged and thick walled, posterior half thin walled slightly flared towards vesicle; leg IV with 3 knobbed macrosetae.. ..................................................................................... T.(A.) argyronamus Ueckermann & Loots

- All dorsal setae short and smooth, except for setae Z5 which are serrate and acute; calyx of spermatheca bell-shaped with posterior half thick-walled; leg IV with one knobbed macroseta...................................................................... T.(A.) namaquaensis Ueckermann & Loot

16. Calyx of spermatheca more than 50 times as long as width at its mid-length................. ............................................................................................................... T.(A.) muliebris Van der Merwe

- Calyx of spermatheca less than 10 times as long as width at its mid-length ............... 17

17. Setae S5 clearly shorter than S4 ..................................................................................................... 18

- Setae S5 and S4 equal or subequal in length............................................................................. 27

18. Legs III and IV with extra knobbed setae in addition to macrosetae..................................... ................................................................................................................... T.(A.) crassus Van der Merwe

- Legs without extra knobbed setae in addition to macrosetae............................................ 19

19. Leg IV with 1-3 knobbed macrosetae; Z5 sharp-tipped or knobbed .............................. 20

- Leg IV with one sharp-tipped macroseta; Z5 sharp-tipped.......................................................... ................................................................................. T.(A.) galpinii Ueckermann, Zannou & Moraes

20. Leg IV with one or 3 knobbed macrosetae................................................................................ 21

- Leg IV with 2 knobbed macrosetae, Sti IV absent......... ......... T.(A.) rasilis Van der Merwe

21. Leg IV with 3 knobbed macrosetae............................................................................................... 22

- Leg IV with one knobbed macroseta ............................................................................................. 24

22. Sternal shield with 3 pairs of setae; setae JV5 knobbed...................................................... 23

- Sternal shield with 2 pairs of setae; setae JV5 blunt ....... T.(A.) drymis Ueckermann & Loots

23. Calyx of spermatheca about 4 times as long as width at its mid-length; with 5 teeth about equally spaced along internal margin of fixed digit.......... .......... T.(A.) vescus Van der Merwe

- Calyx of spermatheca about 10 times as long as width at its mid-length; fixed digit of chelicera with 6 teeth, all distal...................................................................... T.(A.) acaciae Schultz

24. Setae Z4 serrate, shorter than distance to S5; setae JV5 knobbed................................. 25

- Setae Z4 serrate as long as distance to S5; setae JV5 sharp-tipped...................................... 26

25. Calyx of spermatheca tubular; sternal shield with 3 pairs of setae......................................

................................................................................................................... T.(A.) paganus Van der Merwe

- Calyx of spermatheca bell-shaped; sternal shield with 2 pairs of setae................................. ................................................................................................. T.(A.) wrenschae Ueckermann & Loots

26. Seta Z5 knobbed, seta S5 about 0.7 times as long as S4........ T.(A.) persianus McMurtry

- Seta Z5 sharp-tipped, seta S5 about 0.5 times as long as S4...................................................... ....................................................................................................... T.(A.) theroni Ueckermann & Loots

27. Genu II with 8 setae............................................................................................................................. 28

- Genu II with 7 setae .............................................................................................................................. 30

28. Setae Z4 serrate and as long as distance to S5........................................................................ 29

- Setae Z4 smooth and shorter than distance to S5...... ...... T.(A.) incisivus Van der Merwe

29. Seta JV5 knobbed; tibia of leg IV with 6 or 7 setae.................................................................. ............................................................................................. T.(A.) johannae Ueckermann & Loots

- Seta JV5 sharp-tipped; tibia of leg IV with 6 setae............................................................ ......................................................................................... T.(A.) auratus Ueckermann & Loots

30. Genu of leg III with 6 setae........................................................... T.(A.) apoxys Van der Merwe

- Genu of leg III with 7 setae ................................................................................................................ 31

31. Leg IV with one knobbed or sharp-tipped macroseta .......................................................... 32

- Leg IV with 3 knobbed macrosetae........... ........... T.(A.) umbraculus Ueckermann & Loots

32. Setae JV5 knobbed............................................................................................................................... 33

- Setae JV5 sharp-tipped ........................................................................................................................ 34

33. Seta Z4 knobbed................................................................ T.(A.) celastrus Ueckermann & Loots

- Seta Z4 sharp-tipped......................................... ......................................... T.(A.) gardeniae Schultz

34. Setae Z5 knobbed distally; calyx of spermatheca bell-shaped.......................................... 35

- Setae Z5 narrow distally ending blunt; calyx of spermatheca abroad tube.......................... ..................................................................................................................... T.(A.) februs Van der Merwe

35. Seta Z4 serrate; St IV knobbed................... ................... T.(A.) microbullatus Van der Merwe

- Seta Z4 smooth; St IV sharp-tipped...................... ...................... T.(A.) saevus Van der Merwe