Proprioseiopsis beatus (Chaudhri)

Palevsky, Eric, Gal, Shira & Ueckermann, Edward A., 2009, Phytoseiidae from date palms in Israel with descriptions of two new taxa and a key to the species found on date palms worldwide (Acari: Mesostigmata), Journal of Natural History 43 (27 - 28), pp. 1715-1747 : 1717-1718

Proprioseiopsis beatus (Chaudhri)

( Figure 1A–E )

Amblyseius beatus Chaudhri 1968, p. 551 .

Proprioseiopsis beatus ; Chaudhri et al. 1979, p. 52; Chant and McMurtry, 2007, p. 87.

Material examined

One female from C. dactylon in a date palm orchard, Samar, 10 April 2002. This is the first record of this species in Israel .

Female (n = 1)

Dorsum ( Figure 1A ). Dorsal shield broadly oval and smooth except for a few striae on posterior half of dorsal shields 382 long and 253 wide. All setae smooth except for Z4 and Z5, J2 absent. Six pairs of solenostomes present, gd1, gd2, gd4, gd5, gd6 and gd9. Lengths of setae: j1 29, j3 55, j4 9, j5 10, j6 16, J5 13, z2 35, z4 56, z5 8, Z1 29, Z4 81, Z5 85, s4 76, S2 51, S4 43, S5 31, r3 27, R1 22. Setae r3 and R1 on integument .

Peritreme. Extending anteriorly almost to setae j1.

Venter ( Figure 1B ). All ventral shields smooth, except for striated ventrianal shield, ST4 on small metasternal shields. Posterior margin of shield concave. Distances of ST1–ST3 66, ST2–ST2 77, and ST5–ST5 92. Ventrianal shield subtriangular, striate 134 long, 139 wide at level of setae ZV2 and 89 at level of anal opening. Shield with three pairs of preanal setae and two small preanal pores posteromesad of JV2. Opisthogaster with six pairs of platelets; four platelets between genital and ventrianal shields, four pairs of setae and two pairs of metapodal shields adjacent to ZV1.

Chelicera ( Figure 1C ). Fixed digit 33 long, with three apical teeth and a pilus dentilis, movable digit 30 long and with one small tooth.

Spermatheca ( Figure 1D ). Calyx bell-shaped and 10 long, atrium incorporated in calyx.

Legs ( Figure 1E ). Legs I–III without macrosetae, leg IV with only two (three according to Chaudhri et al. 1979, Sti IV, 23) macrosetae, St 93 long, Sge 46 long. Chaetotaxy of genu II: 2-2/1, 2/0-1, genu III: 1-2/1, 2/0-1.

Remarks

The Israeli specimen resembles P. beatus in all respects. Only setae S2 are longer (51) than those of the type specimens (36). Chaudhri (1968) did not mention the number of setae on genu II but compared P. beatus with P. okanagensis ( Chant et al. 1974) , which bears eight setae on genu II as does the Israeli specimen. Chaudhri (1968) also mentioned that Sti IV is present, but according to his figure this macroseta is not distinctly longer than the rest of the setae on the segment; in the Israeli specimen it is not distinctly longer.

Figures

Figure 1. Proprioseiopsis beatus. (A) Dorsal view; (B) ventral view; (C) chelicera; (D) spermatheca; (E) leg IV.