Acaralox latifolia, Huang & Chang & Hsieh & Shentu, 2022

Huang, Kun-Wei, Chang, Shu-Chen, Hsieh, Tzay-Tien & Shentu, Hsuan, 2022, Description of Acaralox latifolia n. sp. (Acari: Trombidiformes: Eriophyoidea) on water bamboo from Taiwan, Zootaxa 5209 (2), pp. 285-292 : 287-289

Acaralox latifolia n. sp.

Description. FEMALE (n = 8) ( Figures 1A–1G , 2A–2D , 3A–3D ): Body vermiform, 213 (204–218) long, 64 (55-64) wide, 67 (53–67) thick. Gnathosoma . 26 (22–28) long, pedipalp coxal setae (ep) 15 (12–16) long, dorsal pedipalp genual setae (d) 5 (4–6) long, subapical pedipalp tarsal setae (v) 3 (2–3) long, cheliceral stylets 26 (22–31) long.

Prodorsal shield. 47 (42–51) long, 61 (54–64) wide, shield lobe present, sub-triangular with anterior lobe, median line extending from basal ¼ to half, admedian lines from basal ¼ to apex, converging at apical ⅙ then diverging to apex, with transverse lines at basal ¼ and half, submedian lines absent, with granular and dashed lines at laterally; scapular tubercles along rear shield margin, setae (sc) diverging, 25 (19–25) long, sc–sc 28 (25–31) apart. Legs. All segments normal, leg I 39 (37–43) long, femur 9 (8–12), basiventral femoral setae (bv) 10 (8–12) long, genu 6 (5–7), antaxial genual setae (l’’) 27 (19–32), tibia 10 (10–12) long, paraxial tibial setae (l’) 8 (6–9) long, set at half, tarsus 8 (6–9) long, paraxial tarsal setae (ft’) 20 (17–22), antaxial tarsal setae (ft’’) 10 (9–12) long, paraxial, unguninal, tarsal setae (u’) 3 (3–4) long; leg II 41 (37–44) long, femur 11 (10–14), basiventral femoral setae (bv) 22 (19–25) long, genu 5 (4–6), antaxial genual setae (l’’) 16 (13–16), tibia 7 (6–10) long, tarsus 8 (7–9) long, paraxial tarsal setae (ft’) 10 (9–12), antaxial tarsal setae (ft’’) 5 (4–5) long, paraxial, unguninal, tarsal setae (u’) 2 (1–3) long; coxal area with granular, coxisternae I and II with several longitudinal lines and dashes. 1 st coxal setae (1b) 10 (7–12) long, Ct1-Ct1 15 (13–16) apart, 2 nd coxal setae (1a) 24 (17–24) long, Ct2-Ct2 11 (9–13) apart, 3rd coxal setae (2a) 29 (24–41) long, Ct3-Ct3 29 (23–31) apart, Ct1\Ct2 16 (12–16), Ct2\Ct3 22 (19–25); tarsal solenidion (ω) ending as knob 7 (5–7) long; empodium simple, 6 (5–7) long, 8-rayed. Opisthosoma: dorsum with wide furrow ending at apical ¼, dorsal annuli with about 68 (59–72) rings, ventral annuli with about 63 (56–68) microtuberculate rings; lateral setae (c2) 35 (27–53) long, at annulus 9 (8–9), 60 (53–60) apart; 1 st ventral setae (d) 42 (36–47) long, at annulus 22 (18–25), 39 (33–43) apart; 2 nd ventral setae (e) 34 (21–34) long, at annulus 38 (31–42), 24 (19–26) apart; 3 rd ventral setae (f) 30 (24–36) long, at annulus 56 (48–62), 26 (22–30) apart; accessory setae (h1) 52 (32–64) long, (h2) 5 (3–6) long. Genitalia. Genital coverflap: 23 (17–28) wide, 18 (13–18) long, with 12 (8–13) longitudinal ridges, internal genitalia 15, genital setae (3a) 29 (19–29) long, 19 (16–22) apart.

MALE (n = 5) ( Figures 1H , 3E ): Body 167–180 long, Prodorsal shield 41–46 long, 42–53 wide, s c–sc 27–29 apart, sc 19–23 long. Legs segments normal, leg I 31–33 long, femur 10–12, basiventral femoral setae (bv) 11–13 long, genu 4–5, antaxial genual setae (l’’) 19–22, tibia 8–10 long, paraxial tibial setae (l’) 4–6 long, set at half, tarsus 5–6 long, paraxial tarsal setae (ft’) 10–13, antaxial tarsal setae (ft’’) 5–8 long, paraxial, unguninal, tarsal setae (u’) 1–3 long; leg II 35–39 long, femur 9–10, basiventral femoral setae (bv) 14–17 long, genu 4–6, antaxial genual setae (l’’) 12–17, tibia 6–8 long, tarsus 6–9 long, paraxial tarsal setae (ft’) 12–17, antaxial tarsal setae (ft’’) 6–12 long, paraxial, unguninal, tarsal setae (u’) 2–3 long; coxal area with granular, 1st coxal setae (1b) 5–7 long, Ct1-Ct1 12–15 apart, 2nd coxal setae (1a) 19–22 long, Ct2-Ct2 10–11 apart, 3rd coxal setae (2a) 24–27 long, Ct3-Ct3 22–25 apart; tarsal solenidion (ω) ending as knob 6–9 long; empodium simple, 5–7 long, 8-rayed. Opisthosoma: dorsal annuli with about 61–65 rings, ventral annuli with about 65–68 microtuberculate rings; lateral setae (c2) 31–39 long, at annulus 8–10, 47–52 apart; 1st ventral setae (d) 34–44 long, at annulus 21–24, 36–47 apart; 2nd ventral setae (e) 31–33 long, at annulus 39–43, 21–23 apart; 3rd ventral setae (f) 22–30 long, at annulus 54–62, 20–23 apart; accessory setae (h1) 26–34 long, (h2) 37–65 long. Genitalia: 18–22 wide, 13–16 long, genital setae (3a) 15–22 long, at annulus 8–11,19–21 apart.

Type data. Holotype female, Nantou: Puli (N 23°56.466' E 120°57.690', 467 m a.s.l.), XI-7-2019, H. Shentu; ex Zizania latifolia (Griseb.) , Poaceae (deposited TARI) . Paratypes eleven females (7 deposited TARI (AZ02–08); 3 deposited NMNS (AZ09-11)), five males (3 deposited TARI (AZ12-15); 2 deposited NMNS (AZ16-17)), data same as for holotype; seven females, three males (deposited TARI (AZ18-27)), Yilan co: Jiaoxi (N 24°49.454' E 121°46.513', 26 m a.s.l.), XI-22-2019, H. Shentu.

Host association. Mites were observed on grooves between veins of water bamboo, Zizania latifolia , leaves, causing leaf curling ( Fig. 4 ).

DNA sequence. The COI gene fragment amplified using the AF1/AR2 primer pair from A. latifolia collected from Nantou was 642 bases. It shared 100% sequence identity with samples collected from Yilan, represented an AT content of 66.4%. Sequence data were deposited in the GenBank database (accession number: MW394361 ). In addition, two ITS1 fragments of 461 and 466 bases in length were amplified using the ITS5/AR1 primer pair, shared 98.1% sequence identity, and represented an AT content of 50.4 and 50.5 %. Specimens collected from Yilan or Puli were either 461 bp or 466 bp in size according to the results of PCR amplification of ITS fragments. We suspect that this phenomenon is due to individual differences within species. These two sequences are deposited in the GenBank database under the accession numbers MW396824 and MW396825 .

Differential diagnosis. The new species was compared with all known species of the genus Acaralox . Members of the new species are similar to those of A. marinae Li et al., 2009 and A. shiraziensis Kamali et al., 2018 . The new species differs from A. marinae by having the prodorsal shield bearing a median line from basal ¼ to ½, admedian lines from basal ¼ to apex, with granular and dashed lines laterally, submedian lines absent, and empodium simple and 8 rayed (in A. marinae , the prodorsal shield median line is incomplete, discontinuous, absent in basal and anterior 1/5, and bearing many short lines laterally, submedian lines present, and empodium 5 rayed). The new species differs from A. shiraziensis in possessing a prodorsal shield that bears a median line from basal ¼ to ½, and with transverse lines at basal ¼ and ½ between the median line and admedian lines (in A. shiraziensis , median line absent, admedian lines on posterior ⅓, submedial lines complete).

Etymology: The species name is derived from the specific epithet of the host plant Zizania latifolia .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Schematic drawings of Acaralox latifolia n. sp.: A. Dorsal view (female); B. Anterior area, lateral view; C. Internal female genitalia; D. Empodium; E–F. Leg I and leg II (female); G. Genital region, ventral view (female); H. Genital region, ventral view (male). (Scale bar = 50 μm for A, B, E, F, G, G and 25 μm for C, D).

FIGURE 2. SEM of Acaralox latifolia n. sp. (female): A. Dorsal view; B. Wax powder removed, dorsal view; C. Genital cover flap.; D. empodium.

FIGURE 3. Optical microscope image of Acaralox latifolia n. sp.: A. Dorsal view; B. Ventral view; C. Lateral view; D. Genital region (female); E. Genital region (male); F. Prodorsal shield; G. Empodium. (Scale bar = 50 μm for A, B, C; 25 μm for D, E, F; 10 μm for D).

FIGURE 4. Curled and withered leaves of Zizania latifolia (Griseb) caused by Acaralox latifolia n. sp. A. Healthy leaves; B. Curled and withered leaves.