Aculodes alhagis, Xue & Sadeghi & Hong, 2012

Xue, Xiao-Feng, Sadeghi, Hussein & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2012, Four new eriophyoid mite species (Acari: Eriophyoidea: Eriophyidae) from Iran, Zootaxa 3544, pp. 28-40 : 32

Aculodes alhagis sp. nov.

( Figs. 3 & 4)

Description. FEMALE: (n=9). Body vermiform, 223 (210–223), 70 (70–72) wide, 72 (68–73) thick; light yellow. Gnathosoma 28 (27–28), projecting obliquely downwards, pedipalp coxal seta (ep) 5 (5–6), dorsal pedipalp genual seta (d) 10 (10–11), cheliceral stylets 26 (25–26). Prodorsal shield 38 (36–38), 52 (52–55) wide, pentagon, median line present 2/3 at base, median and admedian lines connected and forming two cells, median, admedian and submedian lines connected by two transverse lines at basal 1/3 and 2/3, admedian and submedian lines connected and forming two cells, submedian lines connected and forming two cells at each side; anterior shield lobe acuminate. Scapular tubercles on rear shield margin, 32 (30–33) apart, scapular setae (sc) 20 (20–23), projecting posteriorly. Coxal plates with short lines, anterolateral setae on coxisternum І (1b) 7 (6–7), 15 (15–16) apart, proximal setae on coxisternum І (1a) 28 (26–28), 12 (12–13) apart, proximal setae on coxisternum ІІ (2a) 48 (48–53), 30 (30–32) apart. Prosternal apodeme 6 (6–7). Legs with usual series of setae. Leg І 40 (38–41), femur 10 (10–11), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 17 (16–17); genu 5 (5–6), antaxial genual seta (l'') 31 (26–33); tibia 10 (9–10), paraxial tibial seta (l') 6 (5–6), located at 1/3 from dorsal base; tarsus 8 (7–8), seta ft' 18 (18–20), seta ft'' 26 (26–30), seta u' 6 (6–7); tarsal empodium (em) 6 (6–7), simple, 7-rayed, tarsal solenidion (ω) 7 (7–8), rod-like. Leg І 33 (33–36), femur 9 (9–10), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 17 (15–17); genu 4 (4–5), antaxial genual seta (l'') 12 (11–13); tibia 7 (6–7); tarsus 7 (7–8), seta ft' 8 (6–8), seta ft'' 25 (25–27), seta u' 5 (5–6); tarsal empodium (em) 6 (6–7), simple, 7-rayed, tarsal solenidion (ω) 8 (7–8), rod-like. Opisthosoma dorsally with 52 (50–53) annuli, smooth, except for posterior three annuli, ventrally with 54 (52–55) annuli, smooth, except for posterior ten annuli. Setae c2 38 (38–41) on ventral annulus 10 (10–11), 56 (55–56) apart; setae d 80 (78–85) on ventral annulus 22 (21–23), 36 (35–36) apart; setae e 33 (33–36) on ventral annulus 35 (35–38), 20 (20–21) apart, setae f 26 (26–28) on 5th ventral annulus from rear, 21 (21–22) apart. Setae h1 4 (4–5), h2 98 (98–103). Female genitalia 15 (15–16), 23 (23–24) wide, coverflap with 10 longitudinal ridges, setae 3a 42 (42–46), 15 (15–16) apart.

MALE: Unknown.

Type material. Holotype female (slide number Iran 50.1, marked holotype), from Alhagi maurorum Medik. (Leguminosae) , Mashhad, Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran, 2 October 2009, coll. Hussein Sadeghi, deposited as a slidemounted specimen in the Arthropod / Mite Collection of the Department of Entomology , NJAU, Jiangsu Province, China . Paratypes: 1 female (slide number Iran 50.1, marked paratype, on the same slide with holotype), from Alhagi maurorum Medik. (Leguminosae) , Mashhad , Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran , 2 October 2009, coll. Hussein Sadeghi, deposited in the Arthropod / Mite Collection of the Department of Entomology , NJAU, Jiangsu Province, China ; 7 females on seven slides (slide number Iran 50.2–50.8) from Alhagi maurorum Medik. (Leguminosae) , Mashhad , Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran , 2 October 2009, coll. H. Sadeghi, deposited in the Department of Plant Protection , FUM, Iran .

Host plant. Alhagi maurorum Medik. (Leguminosae) .

Relation to host. This species is vagrant on both sides of the leaf surfaces. No damage was observed.

Etymology. The specific designation alhagis is from the generic name of host plant, Alhagi .

Differential diagnosis. This species is similar to Aculodes sophorae Kuang & Luo 2005 [from Sophora japonica L. (Leguminosae)], but can be differentiated from the latter by having a distinct prodorsal shield design (smooth in A. sophorae ), coxal plates with short lines (smooth in A. sophorae ), female genital coverflap with ridges (smooth in A. sophorae ).