Diptilomiopus ligustri, Wang, Guo-Quan, Wei, Sui-Gai & Yang, Ding, 2009

Wang, Guo-Quan, Wei, Sui-Gai & Yang, Ding, 2009, Five new species of the genus Diptilomiopus Nalepa, 1916 from China (Acari: Diptilomiopidae: Diptilomiopinae), Zootaxa 2107, pp. 53-64 : 58-60

Diptilomiopus ligustri sp. nov.

( Fig. 3 )

Female (n=24). Body spindleform, yellowish, 181 (148–238), 82 (76–93) wide, 75 (63–93) thick. Gnathosoma— 53 (50–56), abruptly curved downward; dorsal pedipalp genual setae (d) 11 (7–13), pedipalp coxal setae (ep) 3 (3–4), palp tarsal ventral setae (v) 6 (5–7); cheliceral stylets 64 (56–75). Prodorsal shield— 31 (25–38), 72 (63–82) wide; frontal lobe absent; shield designs four rows of cells, first 12 cells along anterolateral shield margin, second 6 cells, third 2 cells, and fourth 2 cells at base. Scapular tubercles and setae absent. Coxae— Sternal line present, coxae sculpted with short lines and granules; anterolateral setae on coxisternum І (1b) absent; proximal setae on coxisternum І (1a) 35 (30–43), 10 (8–12) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum І (2a) 53 (40–65), 32 (32–33) apart. Coxigenital annuli 5. Legs— Genu absent. Legs І 43 (37–47), femur 18 (15–20), basiventral femoral setae (bv) absent; tibia 9 (8–10), paraxial tibial setae (l ʹ) absent; tarsus 13 (11–14), paraxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft') 39 (30–45), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft'') 38 (32–45), paraxial unguinal tarsal setae (u') 6 (5–8); tarsal empodium 12 (10–14), divided, each branch 7-rayed, tarsal solenidion 7 (6–8), knobbed. Legs І 38 (33–42), femur 16 (13–18), basiventral femoral setae (bv) absent; tibia 8 (8–9); tarsus 12 (10–13), paraxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft') 35 (28–40), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft'') absent, paraxial unguinal tarsal setae (u') 6 (5–8); tarsal empodium 11 (10–13), divided, each branch 7-rayed, tarsal solenidion 7 (6–8), knobbed. Opisthosoma— Dorsum with median and admedian ridges, dorsal annuli 64 (60–71), smooth; ventral annuli 83 (81–85), with round microtubercles; setae c2 absent; setae d 42 (35–55), 51 (48–62) apart, on ventral annulus 32; setae e 19 (15–23), 22 (22–23) apart, on ventral annulus 48; setae f 56 (38–75), 31 (29–33) apart, on 13th ventral annulus from rear; setae h1 2 (1–2), setae h2 81 (70–90). Female genitalia— Coverflap sculpted with basal short lines, 24 (23–24), 32 (31–34) wide, proximal setae on coxisternum ІІ (3a) 8 (6–10), 23 (21–25) apart.

Male (n=2). Body 168–175, 72–76 wide. Male genitalia— 19–20 wide, proximal setae on coxisternum ІІ (3a) 7–8, 17–18 apart.

Type data. Holotype female, from Ligustrum quihoui Carr. (Oleaceae) , Kunming (25°02´N, 102°42´E), Yunnan Province, China, 4-Dec.-2007, collected by Guo-Quan Wang. Paratypes, 7 females and 2 males from L. quihoui, Kunming (25°02´N, 102°42´E), Yunnan, 4-Dec.-2007; 8 females from Ligustrum lucidum Ait., Kunming (25°02´N, 102°42´E), Yunnan, 5-Dec.-2007; 8 females from L. lucidum, Tianmushan National Nature Reserve (30°22´N, 119°28´E), Lin’an county, Zhejiang Province, 18-Jul.-2007, were mounted on 25 slides, with the same data as holotype.

Relation to host. The mites are vagrant on the undersurfaces of the leaves, no visible damage seen.

Etymology. The specific designation is derived from the generic name of the type host plant.

Notes. The species is close to D. combreti Wei & Lu, 2001 , but can be separated from the latter by the prodorsal shield with a row of 12 cells along the anterolateral shield margin and 6 cells present at middle, and the tarsal empodium with each branch 7-rayed. In D. combreti , the prodorsal shield design with a row of 8 cells along the anterolateral shield margin and 5 cells present at the middle, and the tarsal empodium with each branch 6-rayed ( Wei & Lu 2001). The new species is also similar to D. ambromae sp. nov., but can be differentiated from the latter by the tarsal empodium with each branch 7-rayed, and the prodorsal shield with 6 cells in the 2nd row. In D. ambromae sp. nov., the tarsal empodium has each branch 6-rayed, the prodorsal shield with 8 cells in the second row and occurs on Ambroma augusta (Linn.) Linn.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Diptilomiopus ligustri sp. nov. CGF — coxigenital area of female; D — dorsal aspect of female; E — empodium; GM — male genitalia; IG — internal genitalia, female; L — lateral view of female; L 1 — Legs І; L 2 — Legs І (Scale bar: CGF — 56; D, L — 77; E — 50; GM — 35; L 1, L 2 — 42).