Aculus paederius Wang, Gu & Tan, 2015

Gu, Xiao-Hui, Yang, Juan, Tan, Meng-Chao & Wang, Guo-Quan, 2015, A new genus and four new species of Eriophyidae from China (Acari: Eriophyoidea), Zoological Systematics 40 (1), pp. 41-52 : 49-51

Aculus paederius Wang, Gu & Tan , sp. nov. ( Figs 24–30 )

Diagnosis. Body fusiform, whitish. Prodorsal shield frontal lobe present, median, admedian and submedian lines incomplete, connected with three transverse lines forming 20 cells. Coxisternal plates sculptured with shorts lines and granules, prosternal apodeme present. coxigenital annuli with 5-6 rings. Legs with tarsal empodium entire, 6-rayed, tarsal solenidion knobbed. Dorsal opisthosoma evenly rounded, dorsal annuli smooth, ventral annuli with rounded microtubercles; setae h1 present. Female genitalia coverflap with 10 longitudinal ridges.

Description. Female (n = 14). Body fusiform, whitish, 223 (186–233), 73 (71–75) wide. 62 (58–71) thick.

Gnathosoma. Curved obliquely downward, 25 (24–30); dorsal pedipalp genual setae (d) 8 (7–9), pedipalp coxal setae (ep) 2 (2–3), cheliceral stylets 23 (22–25).

Prodorsal shield. Frontal lobe present, 44 (43–48), 62 (60–64) wide, shield design median, admedian and submedian lines incomplete, connected with three transverse lines forming 20 cells. Scapular tubercles near rear shield margin, 33 (32–35) apart, scapular setae (sc) 7 (6–8), directed backward.

Coxisternal plates. Prosternal apodeme present, coxisternal plates I and II sculptured with shorts lines and granules; anterolateral setae on coxisternum І (1b) 6 (5–8), 12 (9–14) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum І (1a) 18 (16–24), 10 (9–11) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum ІІ (2a) 31 (30–42), 29 (27–29) apart. Coxigenital annuli with 5–6 rings.

© Zoological Systematics, 40(1): 41–52

© Zoological Systematics, 40(1): 41–52

Legs. Segments normal. Leg I 34 (31–38), femur 11 (10–13), basiventral femoral setae (bv) 11 (10–11); genu 6 (5–6), antaxial genual setae (l'') 26 (25–28); tibia 8 (7–8), paraxial tibial setae (l) located one-third from base, 7 (7–8); tarsus 7 (7–8), paraxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft') 20 (20–22), antaxial fastigial tarsal seta (ft'') 23 (21–25), paraxial unguinal tarsal setae (u') 4 (3–4); tarsal empodium entire, 6 (6–7), 6-rayed, tarsal solenidion 8 (7–8), knobbed. Leg ІІ 30 (28–34), femur 10 (10–12), basiventral femoral setae (bv) 11(11–12); genu 5 (5–6), antaxial genual setae (l'') 10 (9–10); tibia 6 (5–6); tarsus 7 (6–7), paraxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft') 7 (7–8), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft'') 23 (21–25), paraxial unguinal tarsal setae (u') 3 (3–4); tarsal empodium entire, 6 (6–7), 6-rayed, tarsal solenidion 7 (7–8), knobbed.

Opisthosoma. Opisthosoma evenly rounded, dorsal annuli 48 (47–50), smooth; ventral annuli 69 (67–72), with rounded microtubercles. Setae c2 42 (24–50), on ventral annulus 14; setae d 48 (46–57), 40 (39–45) apart, on ventral annulus 28; setae e 40 (30–45), 19 (19–25) apart, on ventral annulus 40; setae f 30 (28–30), 22 (14–23) apart, on 6th ventral annulus from rear; setae h1 4 (3–4), setae h2 68 (48–70).

Female genitalia. Coverflap with 10 longitudinal ridges, 17 (12–20), 23 (23–25) wide, proximal setae on coxisternum III (3a) 21 (20–32), 19 (17–19) apart.

Male. Unknown.

Type material. Holotype, female (GXU), Meilan Airport (19°56′15′′N, 110°27′27′′E), Haikou, Hainan, China, 17 April 2011, from Paederia scandens (Lour.) Merr. (Rubiaceae) , coll. Guo-Quan Wang. Paratypes: nine females (GXU), four females (NHM), mounted on individual slide, same data as holotype.

Biology. The mites are vagrant on the undersurfaces of leaves, causing rust on the undersurfaces.

Distribution. China (Hainan).

Etymology. The species designation is derived from the generic name of the host plant.

Remarks. This new species is similar to A. ablopurpurascus Huang, 2001 , but different from the latter by the following: prodorsal shield with median line is incomplete, setae h1 present and empodium 6-rayed. In A. ablopurpurascus , prodorsal shield with median line is complete, setae h1 absent and empodium 5-rayed (Huang, 2001).

Figures

Figs 24–30. Aculus paederius Wang, Gu & Tan, sp. nov. 24. Female, anterior dorsal view. 25. Female, antero-lateral view. 26. Coxigenital area, female. 27. Empodium. 28. Female, lateral view. 29. Leg I. 30. Leg II.