Ameroseius lidiae Bregetova, 1977

Teodorowicz, Ewa & Nemati, Alireza, 2023, Description of Ameroseius lidiae male (Mesostigmata: Ameroseiidae) from Iran with a key to males of European species within the genus, Persian Journal of Acarology 12 (4), pp. 487-494 : 488-491

Ameroseius lidiae Bregetova, 1977 ( Figs. 1–10 )

Description of male (n = 2)

Idiosoma – 325–390 long and 210–250 wide.

Dorsum ( Fig. 1 ) – Dorsal aspect oval shaped covered with deep fossae and reticulate pattern out and between; totally 29 pairs of setae, 19 pairs on the podonotal and 10 on the opisthonotal part respectively; all setae delicately barbed and moderately robust; vertical setae j1 (22–23) with less dense but more distinct barbs; humeral setae r3 (33–40) slightly thicker and longer than the surrounding setae; the shortest setae are z5, z6, Z2, Z3, Z4 measuring 9–14; the longest S5 (50–60) and Z5 (55–65); the latter setae are as given: j2 (18–22), j3 (23–27), j4 (15–19), j5 (17–19), j6 (24– 29), z3 (25–29), s2 (21–25), s3 (25–30), s4 (27–33), s5 (27–31), s6 (28–33), r4 (27–31), r5 (27–32), r6 (28–32); J2 (30–36), J4 (25–30), S1 (30–35), S2 (30–35), S3 (32–37), S4 (36–42). A fine pair of pores between setae Z3 and Z4.

Venter ( Fig. 2 ) – Tritosternum base 10 with a bifurcate laciniae fused up to 23–25 and free up to 35–37. Sternogenital shield reticulated in lateral and posterior parts, 150–175 long at midline and 90–100 wide at st1 / st2 level. Genital orifice located presternally. Five pairs of Sternogenital setae located on the shield st1-st3 reaching 18–20 and shorter st4-st5 (13–15). Anal shield to a small degree wider than long 110–135 width at level Zv2 setae and 100–120 length at midline. Shield with Mshaped cribrum at the bottom, slightly developed upwards on both sides of post anal seta. Opisthogastric setae Jv1, Jv2, Jv3, Zv2 short about 11–14, Jv5 even shorter only 9–10; para anal setae 16–19, post anal seta 12–15. All setae simple but post anal delicately barbed. Setae Jv1 and Jv5 inserted on a soft cuticle. Endopodal plates either fused to sternal shield or free form surrounding the 4th coxa. Stigma at the level of 4th coxa. Peritremes running forth to the very anterior part of idiosoma and partially visible on the dorsal side.

Gnathosoma ( Figs. 3–6 ) – Hypostome with four pairs of simple setae as given h1- 2 (14–15), h3 (12–13), pcx (14–16). Seven rows of denticles in the deutosternal groove but the denticles discernible. Internal malae not divided. Corniculi bifurcate 16–18 long ( Fig. 3 ). Epistome arc-shaped though pointed centrally, with a smooth edge and barely visible denticles at the bottom part ( Fig. 4 ); fixed digit with three teeth, moveable digit 18–19 with less protruded two teeth and spermatodactyl measuring 15 outside digit ( Fig. 5 ). Palps around 65, palp setation standard: setation as given: palptrochanter – 2, palpfemur – 5, palpgenu – 6, palptibia – 14, palptarsus – 15. Palptarsal apotele (11–13) three-tined ( Fig. 6 ).

Legs ( Figs. 7–10 ) – Pretarsi comprised of claws, ambulacrum and hyaline sheath varied in length: I = 15, II = 25, III = 25, IV = 30; leg I = 280–310, leg II = 230–260, leg III = 220–250, leg IV = 290–320. Overall leg setation comprising of coxa-trochanter-femur-genu-tibia-tarsus as given: I – 2-6-12-12-12-32; II – 2-5-10-11-10-16; III – 2-5-6-9-8-16; IV – 1-5-6-9-9-16. More specific leg setation for femur-genu-tibia as given (anterolateral anterodorsal/posterodorsal anteroventral/ posteroventral posterolateral): I – 2 3/2 1/2 2 - 2 3/2 2/1 2 - 2 3/2 2/1 2; II – 2 2/2 1/2 1 - 2 3/2 1/1 2 - 2 2/2 1/1 2; III – 1 2/1 1/0 1 - 2 2/2 1/1 1 - 2 1/2 1/1 1; IV – 1 2/1 1/0 1 - 2 2/3 1/0 1 - 2 2/2 1/1 1. Note that in the drawing 3rd and 4th leg are rotated leading to a possible misinterpretation of some setae especially situated anterolaterally, posteroventrally or posterolaterally.

Differential diagnosis

Ameroseius lidiae males resemble most A. sculptilis Berlese males. However, the unmistakable difference between the two is the presence of a characteristic subtriangular sculpture between setae j6 and J 2 in A. sculptilis which is not present in A. lidiae . Generally, all dorsal setae of A. sculptilis are medium length, with no extraordinary length difference between the longest versus shortest seta, except Z5 which is visibly longer especially when compared to the closest S5. In A. lidiae dorsal setae show greater variability, as there are very short setae, medium-length setae, and the longest setae Z5 and S5 of the same lengths, contrary to those of A. sculptilis . Ventral side of A. sculptilis reveals the heart-shaped ventrianal shield, noticeably wider than long, while in A. lidiae a ventrianal shield is as wide as long and suboval in shape. Moreover, there is a different dentation of digitus mobilis within these two species. Ameroseius sculptiis has a digitus mobilis with one tooth, while A. lidiae has a digitus mobilis with two teeth.

Figures

Figures 1–2. Ameroseius lidiae Bregetova, 1977 (male) – 1. Dorsal idiosoma; 2. Ventral idiosoma.

Figures 3–6. Ameroseius lidiae Bregetova, 1977 (male) – 3. Hypostome, 4. Epistome, 5. Chelicera, 6. Apotele.

Figures 7–10. Ameroseius lidiae Bregetova, 1977 (male) – 7. Leg I, 8. Leg II, 9. Leg III, 10. Leg IV.