Tetra simonia, Li, Hao-Sen, Xue, Xiao-Feng & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2012

Li, Hao-Sen, Xue, Xiao-Feng & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2012, Eriophyoid mites from Qinghai Province, northwestern China with descriptions of nine new species (Acari, Eriophyoidea), ZooKeys 196, pp. 47-107 : 62-63

Tetra simonia sp. n. Figures 23-26

Description.

Female. (n = 14) Body fusiform, light yellow, 196 (196-224), 72 (72-77) wide, 78 (78) thick. Gnathosoma 22 (20-22), projecting obliquely down, pedipalp coxal seta (ep) 3 (3-4), dorsal pedipalp genual seta (d) 12 (10-12), cheliceral stylets 19 (19-20). Prodorsal shield 46 (42-46), 72 (72-77) wide, subtriangular; frontal lobe 11 (11-12); median, admedian and submedian lines robust and connected, forming an “M” shape in the middle and two “H” shapes anterior to the “M”. Scapular tubercles on rear shield margin, 3 (3-4), 46 (44-46) apart, scapular setae (sc) 14 (14-15), projecting posteriorly. Coxigenital region with 14 (14-15) smooth annuli. Coxisternal plates smooth, anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 11 (11-12), 14 (14-19) apart, proximal setae on coxisternum I (1a) 17 (17-23), 12 (12-13) apart, proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 53 (53-58), 28 (27-31) apart, tubercles 1b and 1a 8 (8-9) apart, tubercles 1a and 2a 9 (9-10) apart. Prosternal apodeme combined, 6 (6-8). Leg I 34 (34-37), femur 12 (11-12), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 12 (12-13); genu 8 (8-9), antaxial genual seta (l") 24 (22-24); tibia 13 (11-13), paraxial tibial seta ( l’) 7 (6-7), located at 1/3 from dorsal base; tarsus 7 (7-8), seta ft’ 22 (21-22), seta ft" 23 (22-23), seta u’ 6 (6-7); tarsal empodium (em) 6 (6-7), simple, 4-rayed, tarsal solenidion (ω) 6 (6-7), knobbed. Leg II 30 (30-34), femur 11 (11-12), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 13 (12-13); genu 6 (6-7), antaxial genual seta (l") 11 (11-13); tibia 9 (7-9); tarsus 7 (6-7), seta ft’ 5 (5-6), seta ft" 22 (22-24), seta u’ 6 (6-7); tarsal empodium (em) 6 (6-7), simple, 4-rayed, tarsal solenidion (ω) 6 (6-7), knobbed. Opisthosoma dorsally with 31 (30-31) annuli, with dark shading on rear annular margins, ventrally with 58 (58-65) annuli, with round microtubercles. Setae c2 36 (36-42) on ventral annulus 11 (11-13), 52 (52-56) apart; setae d 77 (71-77) on ventral annulus 21 (21-23), 33 (33-38) apart; setae e 23 (20-23) on ventral annulus 37 (37-39), 18 (18-19) apart; setae f 40 (36-40) on ventral annulus 51 (51-54), 30 (30-32) apart. Setae h1 5 (4-5), h2 150 (135-150). Female genitalia 20 (18-22), 25 (24-25) wide, coverflap with 10 (10-13) longitudinal ridges, setae 3a 17 (17-18), 18 (17-18) apart.

Male. (n = 1) Body fusiform, light yellow, 188, 74 wide. Gnathosoma 21, projecting obliquely downwards, pedipalp coxal seta (ep) 3, dorsal pedipalp genual seta (d) 11, cheliceral stylets 19. Prodorsal shield has the same design as female, 42, 74 wide, subtriangular; frontal lobe 11. Scapular tubercles on rear shield margin, 44 apart, scapular setae (sc) 13, projecting posteriorly. Coxigenital region with 14 smooth annuli. Coxisternal plates smooth, anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 13), 14 apart, proximal setae on coxisternum I (1a) 23, 12 apart, proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 49, 30 apart, tubercles 1b and 1a apart 8, tubercles 1a and 2a 10 apart. Prosternal apodeme combined, 6. Leg I 35, femur 11, basiventral femoral seta (bv) 12; genu 8, antaxial genual seta (l") 26; tibia 12, paraxial tibial seta ( l’) 6, located at 1/3 from dorsal base; tarsus 7, seta ft’ 21, seta ft" 24, seta u’ 6; tarsal empodium (em) 6, simple, 4-rayed, tarsal solenidion (ω) 6, knobbed. Leg II 32, femur 10, basiventral femoral seta (bv) 14; genu 6, antaxial genual seta (l") 11; tibia 8; tarsus 8, seta ft’ 5, seta ft" 18, seta u’ 6; tarsal empodium (em) 6, simple, 4-rayed, tarsal solenidion (ω) 6, knobbed. Opisthosoma dorsally with 31 annuli, with dark shading on rear annular margins, ventrally with 67 annuli, with round microtubercles. Setae c2 42 on ventral annulus 13, 58 apart; setae d 70 on ventral annulus 27, 40 apart; setae e 25 on ventral annulus 47, 20 apart; setae f 40 on ventral annulus 63, 30 apart. Setae h1 5, h2 130. Male genitalia 15, 25 wide, setae 3a 18, 19 apart.

Type material.

Holotype, female (slide number NJAUEri799, marked Holotype), from Populus simonii Carr. ( Salicaceae ), Xining, Qinghai Province, P. R. China, 36°38'18"N, 101°45'27"E, elevation 2241m, 21 July 2007, coll. Xiao-Feng Xue. Paratypes, 13 females and 1 male (slide number NJAUEri799), with the same data as holotype.

Additional material.

4 females (slide number NJAUEri789A), from Populus simonii Carr. ( Salicaceae ), Xining, Qinghai Province, P. R. China, 36°38'18"N, 101°45'27"E, elevation 2241m, 21 July 2007, coll. Xiao-Feng Xue. 4 females and 2 males (slide number NJAUEri823), from Populus simonii Carr. ( Salicaceae ), Beishan National Forest Park, Huzhu County, Qinghai Province, P. R. China, 36°53'35"N, 102°25'56"E, elevation 2610m, 22 July 2007, coll. Xiao-Feng Xue.

Relation to host.

Vagrant on leaf lower surface. No damage to the host was observed.

Etymology.

The specific designation simonia is from the species name of host plant, simonii; feminine in gender.

Differential diagnosis.

This species is similar to Tetra smilaxis Xue, Song & Hong, 2006a, but can be differentiated from the latter by opisthosoma with dark shading on rear annular margins (dark shading absent in Tetra smilaxis ), prodorsal shield as wide as opisthosoma (opisthosoma wider than prodorsal shield in Tetra smilaxis ), admedian lines connected at basal 1/3 but separate at basal 2/3 of prodorsal shield (admedian lines connected at basal 1/3 and basal 2/3 of prodorsal shield in Tetra smilaxis ).