Gynaeseius larum El-Banhawy & Knapp, 2011

El-Banhawy, E. M. & Knapp, M., 2011, Mites of the family Phytoseiidae Berlese from Kenya (Acari: Mesostigmata) 2945, Zootaxa 2945 (1), pp. 1-176 : 46

Gynaeseius larum El-Banhawy & Knapp n. sp.

( Fig. 74 )

Material examined. Holotype female, Kenya, Mt. Kenya, salient main road, altitude 2400 m, July 13, 2004 (El- Banhawy).

Female: Dorsal shield weakly sclerotised, slightly reticulated, 335 long, 170 wide. Measurements of dorsal setae: j1 11, j3, j4, j5, j6, J2, J5 4-6, z2, z4, z5, Z1, Z4 4-6, Z5 20, s4 11, S2, S4, S5, 4 -6, r3, R1 7, JV510 All dorsal and ventral setae smooth. Peritrematal shield short, not fused anteriorly with dorsal shield, reaching level of z4. Sternal shield smooth, distances between St I-St II 67 , St II-St II 46 , St III free on integument, St IV on platelets. Genital shield 75 wide. Ventri-anal shield 100 long, 75 wide (L/W ratio 1.3: 1), with a pair of conspicuous pre-anal pores mesad to JV2 and three pairs of pre-anal setae (JV1, JV2, ZV2). A pair of metapodal platelets and four pairs of setae surrounding ventri-anal shield. Fixed digit of chelicera with four small teeth clustered distally, movable digit with two teeth. Spermatheca calyx broad tube flared distally, 20 long, 3 wide. Macroseta, St IV 46 . Chaetotaxy: genu II 2 , 2 / 0, 2/0, 1, genu III 1 , 2 /1, 2/0, 1.

Remarks. This species is distinguished by the presence of 19 very short dorsal setae, short peritreme not fused with dorsal shield, St III free on integument, four small teeth clustered distally on fixed digit of chelicera and macroseta only present on tarsus IV. Unlike the description of the genus the dorsal shield is rounded and not truncate posteriorly. The male is unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 74. Gynaesius larum El-Banhawy & Knapp n. sp. (Female). A. Dorsal shield; B. Ventral shields; C. Chelicera; D. Spermatheca; E. Leg IV.