Metacryptoseius khorasanicus Kazemi & Moraza

Kazemi, Shahrooz, Moraza, Mar A L., Kamali, Karim & Saboori, Alireza, 2008, A new genus and three new species of Eviphididae (Acari: Mesostigmata) associated with scarab beetles in Iran, Zootaxa 1852, pp. 1-20 : 9-14

Metacryptoseius khorasanicus Kazemi & Moraza sp. nov.

( Figs 16–25 )

Diagnosis. Adult dorsum with 32 pairs of setae, variable in length; setae j2, z2, s2, s6, r2, r3, r5, R1, R3-R5 and ventral JV5 conspicuously longer, eight to ten times longer than J 5 in female, and more than four times in male; other setae short, opisthonotal shield setae shorter setae; seta z2 longer than s2 and about four times longer than j3; j2 more than six times longer than seta z1. Sternal setae st2 longer than distances between their bases and that of st3; male setae on dorsal shield (except j1, j2, z2) longer than those of female. Peritreme extends to anterior margin of coxa II. Anal shield subtriangular, with anterior margin slightly convex.

Description. Female. Idiosoma. Length: 564–580, width: 370–406 (n=5).

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 16 ). Dorsal shield ovoid, 549–561 long, 326–361 wide; with striations antero-laterally, otherwise covered with fine dense punctations; lateral incisions reaching level of setae z2 or s2. Dorsal setae j2 (84), z2 (98), s2 (71), s6 (72), r2 (81), r3 (79), r5 (76) and R5 (78) long; other dorsal setae on shield short (13–24), R1 and R3 (35–39), R4 (56) and sometimes S4 (11) on soft cuticle. Dorsal adenotaxy and poroidotaxy typical of genus.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 20 ). Tritosternum with smooth base (35) and pilose laciniae (70 long). Sternal shield (157 long, 111 wide) finely granulated but anteriorly reticulate-striate, anterior and posterior borders irregular; with three pairs of setae st1, st2 and st3 (74, 67, 67 long respectively) and two pairs of lyrifissures, first pair almost positioned longitudinally; st4 (72) and third pair of sternal lyrifissures inserted on minute metasternal plates (17 long, 11 wide) flanked by endopodal shields between coxae III and IV. Genital shield 157 long, 91 wide posterior to base of genital setae, st5 (57). Five pairs of simple setae inserted on opisthogaster (JV1, JV2, JV5, ZV2 and ZV 3 48, 30, 113, 42, and 39 long respectively). Anal shield subtriangular, 106 long, 102 wide, with slightly convex anterior margin; postanal seta (52) longer than para-anal setae (30). Peritremes (239 long) extending from stigmata located between coxae III–IV to anterior margin of coxae II.

Gnathosoma . Hypostomal setae h1, h2, h3 and capitular setae simple and smooth (21, 32, 17, 20 long respectively). Fixed cheliceral digit (40 long) with a large median tooth and 2 small teeth, 1 subterminal and 1 proximal. Pilus dentilis setiform and fine; movable digit (52 long) with 1 median and 1 smaller apical tooth. Length and width of chelicera 140 and 40 respectively.

Legs. Leg chaetotaxy typical of genus; av -1 (17 long) thickened and tri-dentate terminally. Length of legs I–IV, 377, 342, 343 and 425 respectively.

Male. Idiosoma. Length: 628–646, width: 400–423 (n=4).

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 17 ). Dorsal shield 596–606 long, 342–361 wide, with shape, adenotaxy and poroidotaxy similar to those of female, except for lateral incisions which may not reach level of setae z2; setae s2, r2, r3 37–39 long; the longest setae on dorsal shield are j2 (63) and z2 (66); length of other dorsal shield setae relatively longer than those of female: podonotal setae 33–37 long (except j1 and z1 12 long), opisthonotal setae 17–25 (J5 =17) long; dorsal setae on soft cuticle: r5 (37), s6 (29) and R setae (17–23) long.

Ve n t r a l idiosoma ( Fig. 21 ). Tritosternal base 19 long, laciniae 84 long; sternogenital shield (273 long, 118 wide at level of st2 and 62 wide at level of st5), with setae st1 (36), st2 (34), st3 (40), st4 (34) and st5 (38) thickened ( Fig. 22 a) as posterior setae on coxae I–III, reticulate anteriorly, rest evenly granulate, except for area between st5, which is densely punctate. Genital opening on anterior margin of shield, 38 wide. Ventral idiosomal adenotaxy and poroidotaxy as in female; JV5 (81) longest, almost five times longer than J5, JV1 and JV2 ( Fig. 22 b) (28 and 31 respectively) longer than ZV2 (24) and ZV3 (13). Peritremes longer than those of female, extending to posterior border of coxae I (250 long). Anal shield as for female (105 long, 100 wide); para-anal setae (27) slightly shorter than post-anal seta (31). Ventral platelets present.

Gnathosoma . Hypostomal (h1, h2, h3) and capitular setae simple and smooth, 23, 36, 17 and 18 long respectively. Chelicera 140 long, 40 wide; movable chela (50) two times longer than fixed chela (24) ( Fig. 24 ); spermatodactyl 18 long; hyaline process indistinct.

Legs. Seta av -1 (12 long) and pv -1 on tarsus II–IV modified ( Fig. 18 ); length of legs approximately similar to those of female, leg I–IV: 385, 354, 346 and 438 respectively.

Deutonymph. Idiosoma. Length: 517–537, width: 308–354 (n= 3).

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 25 ). Dorsal shield ovoid, 462–485 long, 243–264 wide, with 24 pairs of setae; dorsal setae j1, j2, z1, z2, S2 and J5, 19, 35, 11, 34, 22 and 9 long respectively, other dorsal setae 9–17 long; lateral setae r2, r3, r5, s6, R1, R3, R4 and R5 on soft cuticle and 32, 34, 17, 38, 30, 26, 27 and 30 long respectively. Dorsal adenotaxy and poroidotaxy similar to those of female.

Ve n t r a l idiosoma. Tritosternal base (30 long) and laciniae (90 long) typical of genus. Sternal shield with endopodal extensions between coxae I–II but not between II–III and III–IV, and with four pairs of setae st1, st2, st3, st4 (28, 29, 29, 21 long respectively) and three pairs of lyrifissures; setae st5 (21) and paragenital lyrifissures inserted on soft cuticle at level of posterior margin of shield. Opisthogaster with five pairs of ventral setae JV 1, JV2, JV5, ZV2 and ZV3 (21, 23, 48, 19 and 14 long respectively). Peritremes 146 long. Anal shield subtriangular, 83 long, 94 wide.

Gnathosoma . Gnathotectum, chelicerae, salivary stylets, corniculi, deutosternal structures and palpi similar to those of adults. Chelicera 127 long, 44 width; fixed chela (34) shorter than movable chela (44). Hypostomal setae h1, h2, h3 and capitular setae 23, 34, 17 and 18 long respectively.

Legs. Pretarsi, claws, and chaetotaxy of legs I–IV as in female; seta av -1 (13 long) modified. Length of legs I–IV 352, 318, 327 and 377 respectively.

Material examined. Holotype. Female. N Iran, Mazandaran province, Galugah region, ex Scarabaeus transcaspicus (deposited in AETMU). Paratypes. 8 females, 4 males, 1 deutonymph, same data as holotype (deposited in AETMU); 2 females, 1 male, same data as holotype (deposited in MZUNAV); 1 female, same data as holotype (deposited in MZTU); 14 females, 1 male, 1 deutonymph, E Iran, Razavi Khorasan province, Torbat Heydarie, Feiz-Abad (34º 57' 23" N, 58º 45' 18" E), altitude 895 m, ex Scarabaeus transcaspicus , 5 May 2007 (deposited in AETMU); 5 females, E Iran, Razavi Khorasan province, Sarakhs, Bazangan Lake (36º 18' 33" N, 60º 29' 37" E), altitude 858 m, ex Scarabaeus transcaspicus , 5 May 2007 (deposited in AETMU).

Etymology. The species epithet “ khorasanicus ” refers to the province in which specimens of this species were collected.

Remarks. Differences between this species and related species are highlighted in the following key to females, in which M. guyimingi (Ma) comb. nov. is also included:

1. Dorsal shield ovoid in shape, with rounded posterior margin; setae JV5 eight to ten times longer than J5; z2 longer than s2; setae on dorsal shield, except j2, z2, s2, r2, r3, short (four to five times shorter than longest setae); males with setae z2 twice longer than s2....................................... M . khorasanicus sp. nov.

- Dorsal shield polygonal in shape, with posterior margin truncated; setae JV5 four to five times longer than J5 ..................................................................................................................................................................2

2. Setae JV5 about five times longer than J5; setae z2 almost equal in length to s2; dorsal setae on shield not conspicuously variable in length; setae J5 and Z5 subequal; males with setae z2 and s2 subequal and s2 similar in length to r3 .................................................................................................... M . persicus sp. nov.

- Setae JV5 about four times longer than J5; setae z2 longer than s 2; dorsal setae j2, z2, r2, r3, r5 and s6 conspicuously longer than other dorsal setae; setae J5 shorter than Z5; males with setae s2 conspicuously longer than r3................................................................................................ M . guyimingi (Ma) comb. nov.

Figures

FIGURES 16 – 19. Metacryptoseius khorasanicus gen. nov., sp. nov .. 16. Female, dorsal idiosoma; 17. Male, dorsal idiosoma; 18. Male, tarsus II, ventral view; 19. Female, setae: (a) hypostomal seta h 2, (b) dorsal seta.

FIGURES 20 – 24. Metacryptoseius khorasanicus gen. nov., sp. nov .. 20. Female, ventral idiosoma; 21. Male, ventral idiosoma; 22. Male, setae: (a) sternal st 3, (b) ventral JV 2; 23. Male, corniculus; 24. Male, movable digit with spermatodactyl, lateral view of distal part.

FIGURES 25 – 26. Deutonymphs, dorsal idiosoma. 25. Metacryptoseius khorasanicus gen. nov., sp. nov.; 26. Cryptoseius khayyami sp. nov.