Aculops brevifolis, Xie & Chen & Han, 2021

Xie, Manchao, Chen, Zhenning & Han, Fuzhong, 2021, Three new species of eriophyoid mites from Maixiu National Forest Park, Qinghai Province, China (Acari: Eriophyoidea), Zoological Systematics 46 (3), pp. 200-207 : 203-205

Aculops brevifolis sp. nov. ( Figs 9–16 )

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to A. caraganis Song, Xue & Hong, 2011 with microtubercles on annuli and ribs on female coverflap and host plant from Caragana sp. , but can be differentiated from the latter by prodorsal shield design pattern with networks (prodorsal shield design pattern without networks in A. caraganis ), and oval microtubercles sculptured on rear annular margins (round microtubercles on annuli except 13 annuli smooth from rear). Besides this, the species is also characterized by: Body fusiform, color light yellowish; gnathosoma moderate and projecting obliquely down; prodorsal shield with frontal lobe tip pointed, shield design with granules on leading edge, and at least two rows of the networks present on rear shield; scapular tubercles on rear shield margin, scapular setae projecting to rear and divergently; coxal plates I and II sculptured with granules and short lines, prosternal apodeme present; legs with tarsal empodium simple, 7-rayed, tarsal solenidion knob small; opisthosoma dorsally with 42–46 semi- annuli, sculptured with oval microtubercles on rear annular margins, and ventrally with 59–72 semi-annuli, with rounded microtubercles except caudal 8–9 ventral semi-annli with elongated microtubercles; setae h1 present; female genitalia coverflap with 10–12 ribs.

Description. Female (n = 3). Body fusiform, 230 (140–230), 75 (55–75) wide, 48 thick; light yellowish in color. Gnathosoma 23 (23–25), projecting obliquely down; pedipalp coxal setae (ep) 3, dorsal pedipalp genual setae (d) 7 (5–7). Prodorsal shield 40 (35–41), 60 (50–60) wide, frontal lobe with broad base and gradually contracting forward and pointed tip. Shield design with granules on frontal edge, and at least two rows of the networks present on rear shield. Scapular tubercles on rear shield margin, 24 (20–25) apart; scapular setae (sc) 17 (15–18), projecting to rear and divergently. Coxigenital region with 9–10 semi-annuli between coxae and genitalia. Coxal plates I and II sculptured with granules and short lines, anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 7 (5–7), 10 (9–10) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum I (1a) 18 (15– 18), 8 (8–9) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 25 (20–25), 20 (20–25) apart; prosternal apodeme present, 8 (7–8). Leg I 30 (28–33), trochanter 3 (2–3), femur 10 (10–11), basiventral femoral setae (bv) 13 (12–13); genu 5(4–5), antaxial genual setae (l'') 23 (20–25); tibia 8 (7–8), paraxial tibial setae (l') 8 (7–8), located at 1/3 from dorsal base; tarsus 6 (5–6), paraxial, fastigial, tarsal setae (ft') 20 (20–25), antaxial, fastigial, tarsal setae (ft'') 22 (20–25); tarsal empodium (em) 5 (5), simple, 7-rayed; tarsal solenidion (ω) 6 (6), with knob small. Leg II 30 (26–31), trochanter 3 (2–3), femur 10 (10–11), basiventral femoral setae (bv)11 (10–11); genu 5 (4–5), antaxial genual setae (l'') 8 (8–10); tibia 6 (5–6); tarsus 6 (5–6), paraxial, fastigial, tarsal setae (ft') 5(5–7), antaxial, fastigial, tarsal setae (ft'')22 (20–25); tarsal empodium (em) 5 (5), simple, 7-rayed; tarsal solenidion (ω) 6 (6), with knob small. Opisthosoma dorsally with 42 (42–46) semi-annuli, oval microtubercles on rear annular margins; and ventrally with 70 (59–72) semi-annuli, with rounded microtubercles except caudal 8–9 ventral semi-annli with elongated microtubercles; setae c2 25 (22–30) on ventral semi-annulus 14, 60 (43–60) apart; setae d 40 (35–45) on ventral semi-annulus 27, 42 (30–42) apart; setae e 10 (8–10) on ventral semi-annulus 44, 22 (15–22) apart; setae f 20 (17–20) on 5th ventral semi-annulus from rear, 21(18–21) apart. Setae h1 5(4–5), 8 (6–8) apart; setae h2 50 (40–50), 10 (10) apart. Female genitalia 18 (15–18), 25 (23–25) wide, coverflap with 10–12 ribs, setae 3a 15 (15–17), 15 (13–15) apart.

Male (n = 8). Body fusiform, 133–135, 49–53 wide, 50 thick; Gnathosoma 20, projecting obliquely down; pedipalp coxal setae (ep) 3, dorsal pedipalp genual setae (d) 5. Prodorsal shield design pattern as female, 32–40, 45 wide. Scapular tubercles on rear shield margin, 19–20 apart; scapular setae (sc) 15–17, projecting to rear and divergently. Coxal plates with anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 5–7, 8–9 apart; proximal setae on coxisternum I (1a) 10–15, 7–8 apart; proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 20–25, 19–20 apart; prosternal apodeme 5. Leg I 26–27, trochanter 2, femur 8, basiventral femoral setae (bv) 7–10; genu 4, antaxial genual setae (l'') 22–25; tibia 6–7, paraxial tibial setae (l') 5–6; tarsus 6, paraxial, fastigial, tarsal setae (ft') 18–20, antaxial, fastigial, tarsal setae (ft'')18–20; tarsal empodium (em) 5, simple, 7-rayed; tarsal solenidion (ω) 6, with knob small. Leg II 24–25, trochanter 2, femur 8, basiventral femoral setae (bv) 8–10; genu 4, antaxial genual setae (l'') 7–8; tibia 4–5; tarsus 6, paraxial, fastigial, tarsal setae (ft') 5–6, antaxial, fastigial, tarsal setae (ft'') 18–20; tarsal empodium (em) 5, simple, 7-rayed; tarsal solenidion (ω) 6, with knob small. Opisthosoma dorsally with 37–39 semiannuli, and ventrally with 54–59 semi-annuli; setae c2 15–25 on ventral semi-annulus 10, 40 apart; setae d 35–40 on ventral semi-annulus 21, 28 apart; setae e 8–10 on ventral semi-annulus 35, 14 apart; setae f 15–20 on 5th ventral semi-annulus from rear, 15–16 apart. Setae h1 3, 5 apart; setae h2 30–40, 9–10 apart. Male genitalia 18 wide, setae 3a 12–13, 12–15 apart.

Type material. Holotype ♀, from Caragana brevifolia Kom. (Leguminosae) , Maixiu National Forest Park , Zeku Couty, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai, China, 35°13´11"N, 101°57´29"E, elev. 3200 m, 16 August 2019, coll. Manchao Xie. Paratypes. 2♀ 8♂, same data as holotype .

Relation to host. The mites are vagrant on the undersurfaces of leaves, with no visible symptoms observed.

Etymology. The specific designation brevifolis is derived from the specific name of the host plant, brevifol-, by adding the postfix, is, masculine of the gender.

Remarks. The genus Aculops ( Eriophyidae : Phyllocoptinae : Anthocoptini ) was built by Keifer (1966). About 159 species are included in the genus in the world ( Amrine et al., 2003), of which 33 species are distributed in China ( Hong et al., 2010), and 2 species are in Qinghai ( Li et al., 2012), namely: A. umli Hong & Xue, 2005 and A. xiningensis Kuang, 2000 .

This is firstly collected eriophyid mites from the leaves of Caragana brevifolia Kom.

Figures

Figures 9–16. Aculops brevifolis sp. nov., female. 9. Antero-dorsal mite. 10. Coxal-genital region (Note: the coverflap of female flipped up). 11.Antero-lateral view. 12. Empodium (enlarged).13. Lateral opisthosoma (enlarged). 14. Postero-dorsal mite. 15. Genital region of male. 16. Leg I (enlarged). Scale bars: 9–11, 15–16=10μm.