Paracaphyllisa theacea, Han, Xiao, Zuo, Yun, Xue, Xiao-Feng & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2015

Han, Xiao, Zuo, Yun, Xue, Xiao-Feng & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2015, Eriophyoid mites (Acari, Eriophyoidea) associated with tea plants, with descriptions of a new genus and two new species, ZooKeys 534, pp. 1-16 : 5-7

Taxon classification Animalia Prostigmata Eriophyidae

Paracaphyllisa theacea sp. n. Fig. 2

Description.

FEMALE: (n = 8, ventral-dorsal position on slides). Body fusiform, 200 (190-200), 80 (75-80) wide; white. Gnathosoma 35 (32-35), projecting obliquely downwards, pedipalp coxal setae (ep) 3 (2-3), dorsal pedipalp genual setae (d) 9 (8-9), cheliceral stylets 40 (38-40). Prodorsal shield 50 (50-52), 75 (70-75) wide, median line absent, admedian and submedian lines sinuous; front shield lobe present 12 (11-12). Scapular tubercles ahead of rear shield margin, 37 (35-37) apart, scapular setae (sc) 4 (3-4), projecting anteriorly. Coxigenital region with 8 (8-9) semiannuli between coxae and genitalia, smooth. Coxal plates smooth, anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 10 (10-11), 14-15 apart, anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1a) 15 (13-15), 12 (11-12) apart, proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 40 (35-40), 30 (30-31) apart. Prosternal apodeme absent. Leg I 37 (37-40), femur 15 (14-15), basiventral femoral setae (bv) 15 (15-16); genu 5 (4-5), antaxial genual setae ( l’’) 43 (42-43); tibia 8 (7-8), paraxial tibial setae ( l’) 1, located at center; tarsus 8 (7-8), paraxial, fastigial, tarsal setae ( ft’) 30 (29-30), antaxial, fastigial, tarsal setae ( ft’’) 33 (33-34), paraxial, unguinal, tarsal setae ( u’) 6 (5-6); tarsal empodium (em) 5 (5-6), divided, 5-rayed, tarsal solenidion (ω) 12 (11-12), slightly knobbed. Leg II 34 (32-34), femur 12 (12-14), basiventral femoral setae (bv) 11 (10-11); genu 5 (4-5), antaxial genual setae ( l’’) absent; tibia 6 (5-6); tarsus 8 (7-8), paraxial, fastigial, tarsal setae ( ft’) 9 (9-10), antaxial, fastigial, tarsal setae ( ft’’) 26 (26-27), paraxial, unguinal, tarsal setae ( u’) 5 (4-5); tarsal empodium (em) 5 (5-6), divided, 5-rayed, tarsal solenidion (ω) 11 (11-12), slightly knobbed. Opisthosoma dorsally with 38 (37-38) semiannuli, smooth, with three ridges, ventrally with 62 (62-69) semiannuli, with rounded microtubercles. Setae c2 35 (33-35) on ventral semiannulus 15 (12-15), 60 (57-60) apart; setae d 70 (67-70) on ventral semiannulus 26 (25-27), 45 (43-45) apart; setae e 50 (50-52) on ventral semiannulus 41 (41-44), 20 (19-20) apart, setae f 23 (23-25) on 6 th– 7th ventral semiannulus from rear, 15 (15-16) apart. Setae h1 absent, h2 55 (52-55). Genital coverflap 15 (15-16), 30 (29-30) wide, coverflap with 23 (18-23) longitudinal ridges and dense short lines at base, setae 3a 14 (13-14), 20 (20-21) apart.

MALE: Unknown.

Type host plant.

Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze

Relation to the host plant.

Vagrant. No damage to the host plant was observed.

Type locality.

Pihe Village, Fugong County, Nujiang Lisu autonomous prefecture, Yunnan Province (26°33'05"N, 98°55'08"E), elevation 2,122 m, 26 June 2013, coll. Xiao Han, Qiong Wang and Jing-Feng Guo.

Type material.

Holotype, single female on a microscope slide (slide number NJAUAcariEriYN304C.1; marked Holotype). Paratypes 7 females mounted on separate microscope slides (slide number NJAUAcariEriYN304C.2-NJAUAcariEriYN304C.8).

Etymology.

The specific designation theacea is derived from the family name of the host plant; feminine in gender.

Differential diagnosis.

This new species is similar to Paracaphyllisa adinandrae Kuang & Luo, 2005, but can be differentiated from the latter by the design of prodorsal shield which is provided with admedian and submedian lines (prodorsal shield design of Paracaphyllisa adinandrae has median, admedian and submedian lines), smooth coxal plates (coxal plates have short lines in Paracaphyllisa adinandrae ) and coverflap with 23 (18-23) longitudinal ridges and dense short lines at its base (coverflap is smooth in Paracaphyllisa adinandrae ).

Remarks.

The new species is surrounded with white hairs around the body.