Neoseiulus demitei

Lofego, Antonio Carlos, Barbosa, Marina Ferraz De Camargo, Demite, Peterson Rodrigo & Moraes, Gilberto José De, 2024, Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) of the subfamily Amblyseiinae from Brazil, Zootaxa 5439 (1), pp. 1-306 : 202

Neoseiulus demitei Rocha, Silva & Ferla ( Figure 141)

Neoseiulus demitei Rocha et al., 2014: 271.

Specimens examined. Holotype and two of the paratypes deposited at Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz”.

According to Rocha et al. (2014), dorsal shield of female mostly smooth, with scant anterolateral striae, 363 (355– 370) long and 224 (215–230) wide. Setal lengths: j1 29 (28–32), j3 41 (38–44), j4 39 (35–43), j5 26 (24–27), j6 34 (32–38), J2 30 (28–32), J5 11 (10–12), z2 34 (33–35), z4 54 (50–59), z5 31 (28–35), Z1 42 (39–45), Z4 51 (47–55), Z5 62 (57–67), s4 63 (60–66), S2 46 (43–50), S4 23 (19–26), S5 21 (18–24), r3 48 (45–50) and R1 30 (29–31). Peritreme extending forward almost to level of j1. Distances between st1–st3 64 (61–67), st2–st2 66 (65–67), st5– st5 60 (56–63). Ventrianal shield 126 (120–130) long, 86 (80–91) wide at level of Zv2 and 79 (75–82) wide at anus level. Spermathecal calyx saccular, 15 (14–17) long; atrium bifurcate at junction with major duct. Fixed cheliceral digit 29 (28–30) long, with 6–8 teeth; movable digit 29 (27–31) long, with two teeth. Macrosetae only on leg IV, sharp-tipped; SgeIV 41 (38–45), StiIV 31 (30–33) and StIV 47 (43–50) .

Distribution in Brazil. Rio Grande do Sul ( Rocha et al., 2014).

Distribution elsewhere. Not reported.

Remarks. Species described from Brazil and known only from the type specimens. In the original description of N. demitei , the authors refer basically to differences in the shape of the atrium, mentioning it to be bifurcate in N. demitei instead of nodular, as shown in the original description of N. melinis . However, our examination of the holotypes of N. melinis and N. demitei showed that the spermatheca of these species are very similar, both with atrium bifurcate, as discussed in remarks of N. melinis in the present publication. Additionally, the examination of the types of N. demitei showed them to have two pairs of metapodal plates, instead of only one pair, indicated in its original description. This species is very similar to N. melinis , but while the dorsal shield is of about the same length in both species, most setae of the j–J series are slightly longer in N. demitei , whereas Z1–Z5 and S2 –S5 are slightly longer in N. melinis . In the key presented in this publication, these species are distinguished taking into account the relative ratios between j4, j5, j6 and J2.