Honduriella mcmurtryi Demite, 2018

Demite, Peterson R., Da Cruz, Wilton P., Bolton, Samuel & De Moraes, Gilberto J., 2018, Redescription of Honduriella maxima Denmark & Evans (Acari: Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae), description of a new species of Honduriella Denmark & Evans from the Amazonian Forest, and a modified characterisation of the genus, Zootaxa 4442 (2), pp. 331-337 : 332-335

Honduriella mcmurtryi Demite n. sp.

Diagnosis. Females with dorsal shield smooth except for lateral striae anteriad of S2; all dorsal setae smooth, except Z4 and Z5, lightly serrate; with s4 longer than Z4 and Z5. Sternal and genital shields lightly reticulate over most of their extent, smooth centrally; with a pair of prominent pores on a lightly sclerotised and curved plate between JV2 setae, apparently a remnant of the ventral shield; anal shield smooth, pyriform. Calyx cup-shaped. Macrosetae smooth and sharp-tipped, present on genua of all legs, tibiae of legs III and IV and tarsus of leg IV.

Description. Female (n= 8). Dorsum ( Fig. 5 ): dorsal shield smooth, except for lateral striae anteriad of S2, 415 419 (405–435) long, 262 263 (250–275) wide at level of s4; with 15 pairs of lyrifissures (poroids) and seven pairs of pores (solenostomes). Setal lengths: j1 38 38 (34–41), j 3 14 14 (12–16), j 4 11 11 (10–11), j5 9 9 (8–10), j 6 10 8 (7–10), J 2 11 10 (9–11), J5 9 8 (7–9), z 2 13 13 (12–15), z 4 21 20 (19–21), z5 8 9 (8–9), Z 1 9 10 (8–11), Z4 125 121 (112–128), Z5 93 93 (85–110), s4 150 159 (145–170), S 2 15 15 (13–16), S 4 15 15 (11–18), S 5 10 10 (9–11), r3 58 57 (54–60), R 1 22 23 (21–26).

Venter ( Fig. 6 ): sternal shield with three pairs of setae and two pairs of lyrifissures; distances between st1–st3 77 80 (77–82), st2–st2 92 89 (85–94); distance between st5–st5 77 70 (66–77). Genital shield rounded behind st 5. A pair of prominent pores present on a lightly sclerotised and curved plate between JV2 setae, apparently a remnant of the ventral shield. Anal shield smooth, 90 89 (85–90) long and 55 58 (55–63) wide. Seta JV5 70 65 (55–70). Opisthogastric integument with two pairs of metapodal plates.

Chelicera ( Fig. 7 ): fixed digit 45 44 (42–45), with 19 teeth in addition to apical tooth and pilus dentilis; movable digit 43 43 (42–44) long, with seven teeth in addition to apical tooth.

Spermatheca ( Fig. 8 ): cup-shaped calyx 11 10 (9–12) long.

Legs ( Fig. 9 ): macrosetal lengths: SgeI 57 56 (53–59), SgeII 49 50 (49–54), SgeIII 50 52 (50–56), StiIII 47 46 (44–50), SgeIV 70 75 (70–81), StiIV 61 64 (60–70), StIV 175 176 (163–188).

Male (n= 2). Dorsum: dorsal shield smooth, except for lateral striae anteriad of S4; 325–375 long, 250 wide at level of s4; setae: j1 34–38, j3 15, j4 11, j5 8–9, j6 10, J 2 9–10, J5 7–8, z 2 10–11, z 4 21–25, z5 7–8, Z 1 8–10, Z4 94–95, Z5 75–82, s4 127, S 2 13 –15, S4 11, S 5 9 –10, r3 45–47, R 1 20–23.

Venter ( Fig. 10 ): ventrianal shield subtriangular, 152–157 long and 210–225 wide at anterior corners; pair of pre-anal pores mesad of JV2; JV5 34–35.

Spermatodactyl ( Fig. 11 ): L-shaped, shaft 20 long; foot 70–73 long.

Legs: macrosetal lengths: SgeI 53–54, SgeII 47–49, SgeIII 48, StiIII 48–49, SgeIV 60–63, StiIV 64–65, StIV 165–172.

Remarks. Females of the only other species so far known in this genus, H. maxima , differ from the new species here described by having S4 and R1 distinctly shorter in relation to other setae (e.g., ratio between Z4 and each of those setae respectively 15.7 and 9.8 in H. maxima and 8.3 and 5.4 in the new species); setae j1, j3, SgeII, SgeIII, StiIII, SgeIV, StiIV and StIV of H. maxima are distinctly longer (43, 16, 61, 84, 63, 128, 120 and 220, respectively) than in the new species, but that could be related to its larger size; the movable digit of H. maxima has only with three teeth in addition to the apical tooth. Tarsus IV of H. maxima with one elongate seta in addition to macroseta (only macroseta in H. mcmurtryi ).

Material examined: Holotype female, on Clidemia hirta (L.) D. Don ( Melastomataceae ), Manaus (02°54’58”S; 59°59’49”W), Amazonas state, Brazil, 9 November 2013, collected by W.P. da Cruz; 3 paratype females, Rio Preto da Eva (02°26’04”S; 59°33’46”W), Amazonas state, Brazil, 18 February 2013, same host and collector as holotype; 1 paratype female on Cocos nucifera L. ( Arecaceae ), Rio Preto da Eva, 18 February 2013, same collector as holotype; 1 paratype male on C. nucifera, Rio Preto da Eva , 15 August 2012, same collector as holotype. Deposited at Acari Collection of Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia da Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz” (ESALQ-USP), Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. One paratype female, 18 February 2013, same locality, host and collector as holotype. Deposited at the Invertebrates Collection of Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. Two paratype females and 1 paratype male, 18 December 2015, collected by E.S. de Figueiredo, other data same as holotype. Deposited at the mite reference collection of Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica da Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.

Etymology: This species is named in honour of the late James A. McMurtry, eminent acarologist, specialist on biological control of pests by phytoseiid mites, and leading phytoseiid taxonomist.

Modified characterisation of Honduriella . Taking into account the new species here described and our examination of the holotype of H. maxima , this genus is considered to have the following characteristics.

Adult female. Idiosomal setal pattern: 10A:9B/JV-3:ZV. Dorsal shield smooth, except for lateral striae anteriad of S2 –S4, over 400 µm long, with Z4 longer than Z5; s4 also long, seemingly longer than Z4; j1 much shorter, but longer than distance between its base and the base of the same seta on the opposite side; other dorsal shield setae shorter (less than half as long as distance to seta immediately behind); r3 about 3–4 times as long as R1, both on unsclerotised cuticle. Sternal and genital shields lightly reticulate over most of their extent, smooth centrally; sternal shield about as long as wide; st4 on metasternal plate; genital shield rounded behind insertion of st5; anal shield smooth, pyriform, bearing only circumanal setae; with seven pairs of opisthogastric setae (JV1, JV2, JV4, JV5, ZV1–ZV3) on integument surrounding anal shield; pre-anal pores distinct. All idiosomatic setae sharp tipped and smooth, except Z4 and Z5 are lightly serrate. Peritreme extending anteriorly beyond level j1. Fixed cheliceral digit with at least 17 teeth and setiform pilus dentilis; movable digit with 3–7 teeth, in addition to apical tooth. Genu II with nine and genu III with seven setae (respectively 2 2/1 2/1 1 and 1 2/1 2/0 1). Macrosetae smooth and sharp-tipped, present on genua of all legs, tibiae of legs III and IV and tarsus of leg IV. Spermatheca with calyx cup-shaped and atrium discrete.

Adult male. Setae r3 and R1 on dorsal shield. Sternogenital and ventrianal shields reticulate. Ventrianal shield with five pairs of pre-anal setae (JV1, JV2, JV4, ZV2 and ZV3) and one pair of pores. Spermatodactyl L-shaped. Other characteristics similar to adult female.

Figures

FIGURES 5–11. Honduriella mcmurtryi n. sp.. Female: 5. Dorsal idiosoma; 6. Ventral idiosoma; 7. Chelicera; 8. Spermatheca; 9. Genu, tibia and basitarsus of leg IV. Male: 10. Ventrianal shield; 11. Spermatodactyl.