Rhagidia meyerae, Halliday, R. B., 2005

Halliday, R. B., 2005, Predatory mites from crops and pastures in South Africa: potential natural enemies of redlegged earth mite Halotydeus destructor (Acari: Penthaleidae), Zootaxa 1079, pp. 11-64 : 52-53

Rhagidia meyerae sp. nov. ( Figs 48–54 )

Specimens examined

Holotype female, Sedgefield, 15.vi.1999, B. Halliday and R. Roush coll., site 99­26, capeweed and grass. Paratypes: 1 female, same data as holotype; 1 female, 1 N, Kompanjiesdrif, near Stellenbosch, 15.viii.1994, T. K. Qin coll., site 30­2 (= 94­2) roadside grass and clover; 1 female, 54.4 km east of Cape Town, 16.viii.1994, T. K. Qin coll., site 30­4 (= 94­4), capeweed and grass.

Description

Female

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 48 ). Integument soft, smooth, unsclerotised. Length (including naso) 659–693 µm, width (at level of sejugal furrow) 294–357 µm (n=4). Setal lengths (µm): internal vertical (iv) 42; external vertical (ev) 55; trichobothrium (tr) 87; scapular (sc) 79; internal humeral (ih) 32; external humeral (eh) 89; dorsal 1 (d1) 32; dorsal 2 (d2) 32; internal lumbar (il) 42; external lumbar (el) 21; internal sacral (ic) 66; external sacral (es) 32; trichobothrial flagellum very fine, serrated, other setae thicker, smooth to very finely serrated; serration most distinct on posterior setae; anus terminal.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 49 ). Epimeral formula 3­1­6­3, trochanteral formula 1­1­2­2, all epimeral and trochanteral setae serrated, becoming slightly thicker distally ( Fig. 54 ). Genital region with five pairs of progenital setae and five pairs of paragenital setae, all serrated and distally thickened, length of progenital lips 120 µm.

Gnathosoma . Hypostome subtriangular, length ca. 70 µm, width at base ca. 87 µm, with two pairs of smooth subterminal hypostomal setae and two pairs of serrate basal hypostomal setae. Internal malae elongate, fine, smooth, external malae membranous, fringed ( Fig. 49 ). Fixed digit of chelicera with strongly convex dorsal surface and small basal lobe, distal seta (32 µm) approximately double length of proximal seta (16 µm). Distance between bases of setae 18 µm. Movable digit crescent­shaped, length 75 µm, with finely serrated inner margin ( Fig. 50 ). Terminal segment of palp (tibiotarsus) with 10 heavily pilose setae and a short thick solenidion ( Fig. 51 ).

Legs. Rhagidial organ on tarsus I with 4 prostrate solenidia in a linear arrangement ( Fig. 52 ), tarsus II with 3 prostrate solenidia in a linear arrangement ( Fig. 53 ).

Figures

FIGURE 54. Rhagidia meyerae sp. nov., female. Epimeral setae on coxae I, II, III. Scale bar = 100 µm.

FIGURES 48 – 53. Rhagidia meyerae sp. nov., female. 48. dorsal idiosoma; 49. ventral idiosoma; 50 chelicera; 51. palp tibiotarsus and genu; 52. distal end of tarsus I; 53. distal end of tarsus II. Scale bar = 100 µm for 48, 49, 80 µm for 50, 51, 52, 53.