Neoseiulus akimovi Kolodochka, 2018

Kolodochka, L. A., 2018, Two New Species Of The Genus Neoseiulus (Parasitiformes, Phytoseiidae) With Redescriptions Of N. Bicaudus And N. Micmac Based On Holotypes, Vestnik Zoologii (Vestn. Zool.) 52 (4), pp. 295-306 : 303-305

Neoseiulus akimovi Kolodochka , sp. n. ( fig. 5 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:AB265E97-5384-47E1-9772-A769FBE46FB3

T y p e m a t e r i a l. Holotype ♀: [Georgia: Ajaria, environs of] Kobuleti , [41°48´N, 41°46´E], peat bog, on blackberry bush ( Rubus ), # 4411 (20), 29.04.1970, (S. Vartapetov) (SIZK).

D e s c r i p t i o n. Female (holotype). Dorsal shield ( fig. 5 , A) weakly sclerotized, elongat- ed, with constrictions on level of R1, feebly reticulate in posterior part, with 5 pairs of distinct solenostomes (gd1, gd2, gd6, gd8, gd9), 16 pairs of poroids, and 17 pairs of setae acute, smooth (seta Z4 too), thin, short and slightly different in length except Z5 elongated and weekly serrated. Setae J5 short ( fig. 5 , B). Length of seta j3 approximately sub-equal to distance to base of seta z2. Setae z2 near half distance between its base to base of z4 which longer than 0.5 distance to seta s4. Seta S5 shoter than other postlateral setae (Z1. S2, S4). Seta Z4 longer than distance between its base and solenostome gd9 and almost reaches base of seta S5.

All ventral setae thin, acute, and smooth. Sternal shield with 3 pairs of setae (St1–St3) and 2 pairs of lyrifissures. Setae St4 on separate metasernal platelets each with pore. Ventrianal shield wider than genital shield, elongated, near pentagonal with anterior margin slightly convex, lateral margins slight constricted, circum-anal area of shield with insignificant striation. Narrow transversal sclerotized stria between genital and ventrianal shields. One pair narrow straight-line plates posteroparaxially to setae ZV1. Ventrianal shield with three pairs of short pre-anal setae JV1, JV2, ZV2. Pre-anal solenostomes gv3 small and disposed posteroparaxially of setae JV2 ( fig. 4 , C). Setae ZV1, ZV3, JV4, JV5, and 4 pairs of small oval platelets on the integument surrounding the ventrianal shield. Chelicerae normal in size. Fixed digit with 3 subapical denticles, movable digit with 1 blunt tooth ( fig. 3 , D). Metapodal plates elongated, anterior platelet smaller than posterior platelet ( fig. 4 , E). Infundibulum of spermatheca relatively large, asymmetrically bell-shaped with wall moderately thickened. Infundibulum gradually narrows from vesicle (sacculus) towards atrium and then suddenly creates progressively convergent part like cervix to clearcut small atrium ( fig. 5 , F 1 , 5 , F 2 ). Peritremes long, extending beyond bases of setae j3 ( fig. 5 , A). Posterior part of peritremal shield widened, curved ( fig. 5 , G). Leg IV with three acute macrosetae: on basitarsus — longest, and on tibia and genu markedly shorter ( fig. 4 , H). No macrosetae on other legs. Genu II with 8 setae (2 al –2 ad, 2 pd / 1 av –1 pl); setae al1 and al2 markedly shorter than the rest of the setae on genu II ( fig. 5 , I).

Measurements. Length of dorsal shield from j1 to end of shield, Lds 390; width of dorsal shield, Wds 188; length of ventrianal shield, Lvas 133; max width of ventrianal shield, Wvas 108; distance between pre-anal solenostomes gv3, Lgv3 39; length of tarsus of leg IV, Ltar IV 109. Length of setae: j1 25, j3 34, j4 20, j5 15, j6 20, J2 23, J5 10, s4 31, z2 30, z4 34, z5 11, S2 37, S4 37, S5 31, Z1 27, Z4 35, Z5 68, r3 29, R1 29, JV5 43; macrosetae on leg IV: ge 27, ti 30, tar 49.

Male unknown.

Neoseiulus akimovi sp. n. was also misidentified by B. A. Wainstein as “ N. bicaudus ”. These species resembles each other to some extent but N. akimovi sp. n. differs by the presence of 5 pair of dorsal solenostomes (gd4 and gd5 absent), setae JV5 smooth and comparatively shorter, 8 setae on genu II, funnel of spermatheca bell-shaped with wall thickened (in N. bicaudus , 7 pairs dorsal solenostomes present, setae JV5 long and serrate, 7 setae on genu II, funnel of spermatheca cup-shaped with thin walls).

Neoseiulus akimovi sp. n. is similar to N. cucumeris ( Oudemans, 1930) in general but differs by setae Z4 smooth, by thin-walled of broad infundibulum of spermatheca which narrows from vesicle (sacculus) towards atrium at first gradually but suddenly creates progressively convergent part like cervix to clear-cut small atrium, against Z4 serrate, another form and narrower infundibulum of thick-walled spermatheca, atrium relatively larger and connected to infundibulum by a very short true cervix in N. cucumeris ( fig. 5 , K, L).

The new species is named in honour of Prof. Igor A. Akimov, the eminent Ukrainian acarologist.

Author is deeply thankful to anonymous reviewers as well S. Kreiter (Montpellier SupAgro, France) and M. S. Tixier (University of Montpellier, France), and Dr. F. Faraji (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands) for providing valuable comments and criticism that improved the quality of the article. Furthermore, I am grateful personally to Harold A. Denmark (Gaineswille, U.S.A.), for reading of this manuscript, and his remarks that helped to improve it.

Figures

Fig. 5. Neoseiulus akimovi Kolodochka, sp. n. Female: A — dorsal shield; B — setae J5; C — fragment of ventral body surface; D —chelicera; E — metapodal plates; F1, F2 — spermatheca;G — caudal part of peritremal shield; H — fragment of leg IV; I — genu II (setal abbreviation the same on fig. 1). N. cucumeris (Oudemans, 1930). Female, spermatheca: K — from Karg (1993); L — sample from commercial mite culture.

Fig. 4. Neoseiulus brachychaetus Kolodochka, sp. n. Female: A — dorsal shield; B — fragment of ventral body surface; C — chelicera; D — metapodal plates; E1, E2— spermatheca; F — caudal part of peritremal shield; G — fragment of leg IV; H — genu II (setal abbreviation the same on fig. 1). Male: I — chelicera.

Fig. 3. Neoseiulus micmac (Chant et Hansell). Female: A— dorsal shield; B — setae J5; C — fragment of ventral body surface; D 13–14, chelicerae (D — moveable digit; D — fixed digit); E — metapodal plates; F — spermatheca; G — caudal part of peritremal shield; H — fragment of leg IV.

Fig. 1. Neoseiulus bicaudus (Wainstein). Female:A — dorsal shield; B — setae J5; C — fragment of ventral body surface; D —chelicera; E — metapodal plates; F — spermatheca; G — caudal part of peritremal shield; H — fragment of leg IV; I, genu II (setal abbreviation: ad — antero-dorsal, pd — post-dorsal; al — antero-lateral, pl — post-lateral; av — antero-ventral).

Fig. 2. Neoseiulus bicaudus (Wainstein). Male: A — chelicera; B — ventrianal shield.