Phyllocoptes cunninghamiae, Song, Zi-Wei, Xue, Xiao-Feng & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2009

Song, Zi-Wei, Xue, Xiao-Feng & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2009, Seven new species of Phyllocoptes Nalepa from Tibet Autonomous Region, China (Acari: Eriophyidae: Phyllocoptinae), Zootaxa 2313, pp. 35-60 : 38-41

Phyllocoptes cunninghamiae sp. nov.

( Figs 1 & 2 )

Description. FEMALE: (n = 8) Body fusiform, 262 (262–270), 75 (75–77) wide, 75 (75–76) thick; light yellow. Gnathosoma 35 (33–35), projecting obliquely down, pedipalp coxal seta (ep) 5 (4–5), dorsal pedipalp genual seta (d) 15 (14–15), cheliceral stylets 30 (30–33). Prodorsal shield 50 (50–51), 67 (67–70) wide; prodorsal shield with round frontal lobe; shield design with median and admedian lines complete, admedian lines sinuous, median and admedian lines connect with a V- shaped line at 1/4 from anterior, submedian lines incomplete and connected forming open cells, granules on the lateral sides of the shield. Scapular tubercles ahead of shield rear margin, 24 (20–24) apart, scapular setae (sc) 5 (4–5) projecting centrad. Coxal plates with granules; anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 11 (10–12), 17 (16–17) apart, proximal setae on coxisternum I (1a) 25 (20–25), 15 (15–16) apart, proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 40 (38–40), 37 (35– 37) apart. Prosternal apodeme absent. Legs with usual series of setae. Leg I 53 (53–54), femur 16 (16–17), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 20 (18–20); genu 7 (6–7), antaxial genual seta (l ʺ) 37 (35–37); tibia 12 (11–12), paraxial tibial seta (l ʹ) 13 (12–13), located 1/3 from dorsal base; tarsus 8 (7–8); seta ft ʹ 22 (20–24), seta ft ʺ 22 (21–23), paraxial unguinal tarsal seta (u ʹ) 6 (6–7); tarsal empodium 9 (9–10), simple, 7-rayed, tarsal solenidion tapered. Leg II 50 (50–51), femur 15 (14–15), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 14 (14–15); genu 7 (6– 7), antaxial genual seta (l ʺ) 17 (15–17); tibia 10 (9–10); tarsus 8 (7–8); seta ft ʹ 9 (8–9), seta ft ʺ 22 (20–23), paraxial unguinal tarsal seta (u ʹ) 6 (6–7); tarsal empodium 9 (9–10), simple, 7-rayed, tarsal solenidion tapered.

Opisthosoma: opisthosoma dorsally with 57 (57–60) annuli, with tapered microtubercles; ventrally with 83 (81–83) annuli, with round microtubercles. Setae c2 40 (35–40) on ventral annulus 16 (14–16); setae d 45 (45–48) on ventral annulus 34 (30–34), 48 (48–50) apart; setae e 25 (20–25) on ventral annulus 54 (52–54), 27 (27–28) apart; setae f 35 (30–35) on 7th ventral annulus from rear, 30 (29–30) apart. Setae h1 5 (4–5), setae h2 58 (55–65). Female genital coverflap 15 (13–15), 30 (27–30) wide, with 8–10 longitudinal ridges, setae 3a 20 (20–21), 19 (17–19) apart.

MALE: (n = 2) Body fusiform, 198–200, 50–53 wide; light yellow. Gnathosoma 28–30, projecting obliquely down, pedipalp coxal seta (ep) 4–5, dorsal pedipalp genual seta (d) 10–11, cheliceral stylets 26–27. Prodorsal shield 44–46, 45–47 wide; prodorsal shield with round frontal lobe. Scapular tubercles ahead of shield rear margin, 18–20 apart, scapular setae (sc) 4–5 projecting centrad. Coxal plates with granules; anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 8–10, 14–15 apart, proximal setae on coxisternum I (1a) 10–11, 13– 15 apart, proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 23–25, 28–30 apart. Prosternal apodeme absent. Legs with usual series of setae. Leg I 45 –47, femur 11–12, basiventral femoral seta (bv) 10–12; genu 5–6, antaxial genual seta (l ʺ) 25–27; tibia 10–11, paraxial tibial seta (l ʹ) 10–11, located 1/2 from dorsal base; tarsus 7–8; seta ft ʹ 20–22, seta ft ʺ 20–23, paraxial unguinal tarsal seta (u ʹ) 6–7; tarsal empodium 9 (8–9), simple, 7-rayed, tarsal solenidion tapered. Leg II 42 –44, femur 10–11, basiventral femoral seta (bv) 10–11; genu 4–5, antaxial genual seta (l ʺ) 12–13; tibia 8–9; tarsus 7–8; seta ft ʹ 7–8, seta ft ʺ 20–22, paraxial unguinal tarsal seta (u ʹ) 6–7; tarsal empodium 8–9, simple, 7-rayed, tarsal solenidion tapered. Opisthosoma dorsally with 49–52 annuli, with tapered microtubercles; ventrally with 70–72 annuli, with round microtubercles. Setae c2 35–38 on ventral annulus 14–15; setae d 50–55 on ventral annulus 25–26, 35–37 apart; setae e 20–22 on ventral annulus 43–45, 20–22 apart; setae f 22–23 on 7th ventral annulus from rear, 22–24 apart. Setae h1 3–4, setae h2 60–62. Male genitalia 20–21 wide, setae 3a 28–30, 17–19 apart.

Type material. Holotype, female (slide marked NJAUAcariEri879 holotype), from Cunninghamia sp. ( Taxodiaceae ), Bayi Town, Nyingchi (Linzhi) Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, P. R. China, 14 August 2007, coll. Zi-Wei Song, Xiao-Feng Xue & Zhen Wang. Paratypes, 7 females and 2 males (slides marked NJAUAcariEri879) with the same data as holotype.

Relation to host. Vagrant on leaf undersurface. No damage to the host was observed.

Etymology. The specific designation cunninghamiae is from the host genus name “ Cunninghamia ”.

Differential diagnosis. This species is similar to P. dimidius Huang, 2001 , but can be differentiated by the prodorsal shield design with median line complete, submedian lines incomplete, admedian lines sinuous, median and admedian lines connect with a V-shaped line at 1/4 from anterior (prodorsal shield design with median line from base to middle, parallel with median line, with 3 transverse lines at basal 1/4, middle and 3/ 4, submedian lines complete, converging to apex, subparallel with admedian lines in P. dimidius ); prosternal apodeme absent (prosternal apodeme present in P. dimidius ); and dorsal annuli with tapered microtubercles (dorsal annuli with spiny microtubercles in P. dimidius ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Phyllocoptes cunninghamiae sp. nov. D, dorsal view of female; em, empodium; CG, coxae and genitalia of female; LO, enlarged lateral view of opisthosoma.

FIGURE 2. Phyllocoptes cunninghamiae sp. nov. L, lateral view of female; CGM, coxae and genitalia of male; L 1, leg I; L 2, leg II