Peltanobia erasmusi Meyer

Toroitich, Faith J., Ueckermann, Edward A., Theron, Pieter D. & Knapp, Markus, 2009, The tetranychid mites (Acari: Tetranychidae) of Kenya and a redescription of the species Peltanobia erasmusi Meyer (Acari: Tetranychidae) based on males, Zootaxa 2176, pp. 33-47 : 35-36

Redescription of Peltanobia erasmusi Meyer using male characters.

Male ( Figures 2 and 3 ): Males smaller in size compared to females, with a more elongated and narrow body. Peritremes anastomosing and protrude as horn-like structures above prodorsum as in the female ( Fig. 2 A and B). Aedeagus long and straight protruding at posterior end and its shaft narrows distally to a sharp tip. Aedeagus bears a sheath attached to it ( Fig. 2 A and D). Dorsal plates faintly visible in male as opposed to female. It has 5 pairs of genito-anal setae. Para anals (h2 and h3) considerably small in size, lanceolate and borne on strong tubercles. Palp tarsus thick three times as long and wide ( Fig. 2 C).

Leg chaetotaxy as follows: tarsi 15+2-15+ 1-14-14; tibiae 15+2-9-8-8; genua 5-5-5-5; femora 9-6-4-4; trochanter 1-0-1-1; coxae 2-2-1-1.

Length of body (including gnathosoma) (612-625) 618.5; body width (310-322) 316; setal length; ve (24- 25) 24.5; sci (22-23) 22.5; sce(26-28) 27; c1(17-19) 18; c2 (25-31) 28; c3 (28-30)29; d1 (18-21) 19.5; d2 (28- 29)28.5; e1 (17-24) 20.5; e2 (31-42) 36.5; f1 (23-25) 24; f2 (35-39) 37; h1 (36-45) 40.5.

Legs: tarsotibia I (232); tarsotibia II (145); tarsotibia III (157); tarsotibia IV (189) ( Figure 3 ).

Specimens examined: Three females and three males collected from Cynodon dactylon (Poaceae) in Rongai, Nakuru district (S00°09.033'; E035°50.749').

Remarks: This species was first described from grass in Umfolozi reserve, South Africa and has also been reported from Zimbabwe on Commelina sp. and Ipomaea magnusiana ( Meyer, 1987) . The specimens used in this description were collected on grass from an open grazing patch. In the field, this species is dark red in colour, appear round in shape and larger compared to other spider mites species collected. Damage symptoms are not clearly visible on the host plants.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Peltanobia erasmusi Meyer, male: (A) dorsum, (B) peritreme (C) distal segment of the palp tarsus, (D) male aedeagus.

FIGURE 3. (D) tarsus and tibia leg I, (E) tarsus and tibia leg II, (F) tarsus and tibia leg III, (G) tarsus and tibia leg IV.