Tenuipalponychus rosae Yusof & Zhang

Othman, Yusof & Zhang, Zhi-Qiang, 2003, Discovery of Tenuipalponychus (Acari: Tetranychidae) in Malaysia and description of a new species, Zootaxa 231, pp. 1-8 : 3-7

Tenuipalponychus rosae Yusof & Zhang sp. nov.

(Figs 1­7)

Description

Female. Idiosoma 310­325 long, 215 wide. Colour in life, greenish white.

Prodorsal striae coarse and irregular, with reticulated pattern medially (Fig. 1). Prodorsal setae spatulate, covered with short setules and set on tubercles. Length of prodorsal setae (Fig. 1): v 2 40 ­45, sc 1 45­55, sc 2 35­45. Distance between setal insertions: v 2 – v 2 60, sc 1 – sc 1 75, sc 1 – sc 1 175. Peritreme simple distally (Fig. 1).

Palptarsus (Fig. 2): Terminal eupathidium (su) 9 long and 3 in diameter. Two lateral eupathidia (ul’ and ul”), 10 long. Solenidion () 10 long.

Hysterosomal striae coarse and irregular with mostly transverse pattern medially and reticulated pattern marginally. Hysterosoma (Fig. 1) with 10 pairs of spatulate setae dorsally (c 1­3, d 1­2, e 1­2, f 1­2, h 1). Para­anal setae h 2­3 located ventrally ( Fig. 3 ). Length of setae: c 1 35­45, c 2 45­50, c 3 45­50, d 1 40­50, d 2 50­55, e 1 40 ­50, e 2 55, f 1 30, h 1 30, h 2 18, h 3 15. Distance between setal insertions: c 1 – c 1 40, d 1 – d 1 45, e 1 – e 1 30, f 1 – f 1 75, h 1 – h 1 25.

Ventral idiosoma with transverse striae ( Fig. 3 ). Length of coxal­sternal setae; 1a 45­ 50, 1 b 45­50, 2 a 40­45, 2 b 45­50, 2 c 45­50, 3 a 40­45, 3 b 45­50, 4 a 40­45, 4 b 45­50. Anal setae (ps) 2 pairs, nude, 13 long. Genital setae 2 pairs, nude; g 1 25, g 2 20. Pregenital setae (ag) nude, 30 long ( Fig. 3 ).

Number of normal tactile setae on leg segments: trochanters 1­1­1­1; femora 9­7­4­4; genua 4­4­4­4; tibiae 9­7­6­6; tarsi 10­7­6­6. Genua and tibiae I­IV each with two spatulate setae located approximately dorsally ( Figs. 4­7 ). Number of solenidia on leg segments: tibiae 1­0­0­0; tarsi 3­2­1­1. Number of eupathidia on leg segments: tarsi 3­3­0­0.

Length of leg segments: femur I 70 ­75; genu I 30­40; tibia I 40 ­45; tarsus I 50 ­55; femur II 45 ­50; genu II 25­30; tibia II 25­30; tarsus II 45 ­50; femur III 45 ­50; genu III 25­ 30; tibia III 35 ­40; tarsus III 45 ­50; femur IV 50 ­55 genu IV 25­30; tibia IV 35 ­40; tarsus IV 50 ­55 ( Fig 4­7 ).

Male. Not known.

Etymology

Named after the host plant, Rosa chinensis ; noun in genitive.

Remarks

This species resembles T. citri , but can be readily distinguished from the latter by the different patterns of dorsal striae, the relative length of dorsal setae and the relative position of setae f 1 in relation to f 2 (see key to species below).

The type species, T. citri , is known only from Karnataka, India. The second species, T. tabebuiae , is known from Brazil and Costa Rica. The discovery of this new species in Malaysia suggests this genus may be more widely distributed in the tropical regions.

Nothing is known about the biology of this genus, with the exception of a report on the occurrence of diapause in T. tabebuiae in Brazil, and the morphological differences between the diapausing and no­diapausing females ( Feres & Bellini 2002).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Tenuipalponychus rosae sp. nov. (holotype female). Ventral view of idiosoma.

FIGURES 4 ­ 5. Tenuipalponychus rosae sp. nov. (paratype female). 4, leg I; 5, leg II.

FIGURES 6 ­ 7. Tenuipalponychus rosae sp. nov. (paratype female). 6, leg III; 7, leg IV.