Tetranychus ludeni Zacher, 1913

Toroitich, Faith J., Ueckermann, Edward A., Theron, Pieter D. & Knapp, Markus, 2009, The tetranychid mites (Acari: Tetranychidae) of Kenya and a redescription of the species Peltanobia erasmusi Meyer (Acari: Tetranychidae) based on males, Zootaxa 2176, pp. 33-47 : 44

Tetranychus ludeni Zacher, 1913

Aedeagus bends dorsad; aedeagal knob without a posterior projection, anterior projection small and acuminate; knob and shaft axis parallel ( Figure 5 C). Proximal pair of duplex setae on tarsus I almost in a straight line with tactile setae.

Specimens examined: Many individuals available collected on Physalis heterophylla (Solanaceae) growing in a flower bed in Kangemi, Nairobi (S01°15.984'; E036°45.810') and on Bidens pilosa (Asteraceae) in Runda (S01°13.470'; E036°48.050') Nairobi.

Remark: This species is widespread world-wide and occurs on a wide range of host plants. It was first described on Cucurbita sp. and Salvia splendens from Germany ( Zacher, 1913). Its first report in Kenya was on Chrysanthemum sp. ( Asteraceae ) from an unknown locality ( Jeppson et al., 1975).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Tetranychus sp. aedegi modified after Meyer, 1974 (with permission).: (A) T. evansi aedeagus; (B) T. lombardiini aedeagus; (C) T. ludeni aedeagus; (D) T. neocaledonicus aedeagus; (E) T. urticae aedeagus.