Neoseiulella litoralis (Swirski and Amitai)

Kanouh, M., Kreiter, S., Douin, M. & Tixier, M. - S., 2012, Revision Of The Genus Neoseiulella Muma (Acari: Phytoseiidae). Re-Description Of Species, Synonymy Assessment, Biogeography, Plant Supports And Key To Adult Females, Acarologia 52 (3), pp. 259-348 : 316-318

Neoseiulella litoralis (Swirski and Amitai)

( Figure 29 )

Typhloctonus litoralis Swirski and Amitai 1984: 73-76 . Neoseiulella (Typhloctona) litoralis (Swirski and Amitai) Denmark and Rather 1996: 71-72. Neoseiulella litoralis (Swirski and Amitai) 1997b: 37 ; Moraes et al. 2004: 294; Chant and McMurtry 2007: 147.

Adult female ( Figure 29a – e )

Dorsal shield ( Figure 29a ) — Dorsal shield heavily reticulate: length 393 (383 – 403); width 184 (178 – 190) (at level of s4), 197 (188 – 205) (at level of Z1), with six pairs of solenostomes: gd1, gd2, gd5, gd6, gd8, and gd9. One pair of poroids. Sub-lateral setae (r3 and R1) on the lateral margin. Dorsal shield bearing 19 pairs of setae all smooth (in one paratype specimen, Z5 is slightly serrated): j1 23 (21 – 24); j3 24 (22 – 26); j4 15 (13 – 17); j5 13 (11 – 14); j6 15 (14 – 16); J2 18 (17 – 18); J5 14; z2 13 (11 – 15); z3 22 (20 – 24); z4 18 (17 – 19); z5 14 (12 – 15); Z1 19 (18 – 20); Z4 50 (48 – 51); Z5 63 (60 – 66); s4 20 (19 – 21); s6 28 (26 – 30); S2 37 (35 – 38); S4 29 (26 – 31); S5 29 (26 – 31); sub-lateral setae r3 23 and R1 23 (20 – 25). Peritreme extending anteriorly to the level of j3 or between z2 – j3 .

Ventral shields ( Figure 29b ) — Sternal shield 59 (55 – 63) long and 69 wide (at level of ST2), smooth, with two pairs of setae (ST1 and ST2) and two pairs of poroids. The third and fourth pairs of sternal setae (ST3, ST4) on separate platelets and a pair of small poroids accompanying ST4. Genital shield 130 (122 – 137) long and 67 (66 – 68) wide (at level of ST5), smooth. Four elongate platelets or genital sigilla separating genital and ventrianal shields folded under the genital shield. No pair of poroids close to the genital shield (ST 5) and 1 pair of poroids around the genital shield. Ventrianal shield subtriangular-shaped with conspicuous waist, much longer than wide, 140 (137 – 143) long and 98 (92 – 104) wide (at level of ZV2), reticulate with four pairs of preanal setae (JV1, JV2, JV3 and ZV2), and without solenostome gv3. Four pairs of caudoventral setae (ZV1, ZV3, JV4 and JV5) on the integument surrounding the ventrianal shield. JV5 45 (37 – 52) long, smooth. Primary metapodal plate or inguinal sigillum 41 (37 – 44) long and 5 wide.

Spermatheca ( Figure 29c ) — Cervix 4 long, Ushaped.

Chelicera ( Figure 29d ) — Two teeth and a pilus dentilis on the fixed digit. Movable digit 37 (36 – 38) long, unidentate.

Legs ( Figure 29e ) — Measurements of legs: leg I 338 (331 – 344); leg II 299 (295 – 303); leg III 296 (292 – 300); leg IV 395 (386 – 404). Seven setae (2-2/0, 2/0-1) on the genu II. One pointed macroseta 41 (36 – 45) long, on the basitarsus IV.

Material examined — Three female paratypes deposited in the Division of Entomology, Agricultural Research Organization, Bet Dagan, Israel.

Adult male ( Figure 29f, g )

Dorsal shield chaetotaxy similar to but smaller than the female. Sub-lateral seta R1 inserted on the dorsal shield (different from the female, on which R1 on lateral margin). Six pairs of solenostomes on the dorsal shield. Ventrianal shield 124 long and 142 wide, distinctly reticulated, bearing six pairs of preanal setae and a pair of poroids. Spermatodactyl L-shaped. This description is based on a paratype specimen .

Previous reports — N. litoralis is only known from the West- Palaearctic area. Countries from which this species was reported are: Israel ( Swirski and Amitai 1984; Klein et al. 1994); Spain (Ferragut et al. 2008). Plant supports on which this species was collected are: Ammophila arenaria (L.) Link ( Poaceae ); Achillea maritima (L.) Ehrend and Y.P.Guo, Artemisia monosperma Delile , Limbarda crithmoides (L.) Dumort ( Asteraceae ); Crucianella maritima L. ( Rubiaceae ); Echiohilon fruticosum Desf. (Boraginaceae) ; Lotus creticus L., Retama raetam (Forssk.) Webb. (Fabaceae) ; Oenothera drummondi Hook (Onagraceae) ; Polygonum equisetiforme Sibth and Sm. (Polygonaceae) ; Scrophularia syriaca A.D.C. ( Scrophulariaceae ); Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris (C.C.Gmel.) Hegi (Vitaceae) .

This species was recently collected in Villeneuve-lŁs-Maguelone (HØrault, Mediterranean Coast) on red swampfire ( Salicornia rubra Nelson) and sea purslane ( Halimione portulacoides (L.) Aellen ( Amaranthaceae ) ( Kanouh et al. 2010).

Figures

FIGURE 29: Neoseiulella litoralis (Swirski and Amitai). Female (paratype): a – dorsal shield; b – ventral shields; c – spermatheca; d – chelicera; e – leg IV. Male (paratype): f – ventrianal shield; g – spermatodactyl.