Cosella ceratopudenda Flechtmann

Flechtmann, Carlos H. W., De, Gilberto J. & Moraes, 2002, New Brazilian eriophyid mites (Acari: Eriophyidae), Zootaxa 75, pp. 1-12 : 7-11

Cosella ceratopudenda Flechtmann , n. sp. ( Fig. 4 , 5 )

DIAGNOSIS ­ The presence of an anterolateral prominent pointed projection on the female genitalia border is distinct for this new species, as well as the most complex prodorsal shield design of the 15 known species.

FEMALE ­ (n = 6). Body fusiform, 201 (187­209), 72 (69­75) wide. Gnathosoma projecting down, (18); basal seta (ep) 3 (2­4); antapical seta (d) 6 (6­7); chelicera 16 (14­ 17). Prodorsal shield 40 (37­42), 64 (62­65) wide, declivitous anteriorly to first transversal line. Shield design a complex network; median and admedian lines complete, slightly sinuose, many longitudinal and transverse irregular lines forming a pattern of geometric figures (fig. 4 AD); laterally granulated. Tubercles anterior to rear shield margin, 26 (25­ 28) apart, directing scapular seta (sc) divergently backwards; sc 13 (13­15). Legs: leg I 24 (23­26); femur 8 (8­10), femoral seta (bv) 7 (7­11); genu 4 (4), genual seta (l") 26 (25­29); tibia absent; tarsus 8 (7­8), solenidion slightly knobbed, 5 (5­6), projecting inwardly from side of tarsus, empodium 5 (5­6), 4­rayed, dorsal seta (ft') 18 (18­19), lateral seta (ft") 26 (25­29), unguinal seta (u') 5 (5­6). Leg II 19 (19­24); femur 8 (7­9), bv 8 (8­11); genu 3 (3), l" 10 (10­11); tibia absent; tarsus 7 (7­8), solenidion in normal dorsal position, 7 (7), empodium 6 (5­7), 4­rayed, ft' 4 (4­7), ft" 20 (20­26), u' 4 (4­5). Coxigenital area: coxae I fused medially; sternal line absent; coxae with numerous pointed granules. Coxal seta I (1b) absent; coxal seta II (1a) 13 (12­17), 9 (9­11) apart; coxal seta III (2a) 28 (25­32), 22 (22­26) apart. Coxigenital area with a few faint curved longitudinal lines. Genitalia 22 (22­23) wide, 13 (13­18), with a lateral prominent pointed projection directed anterolaterally. Genital seta (3a) 17 (17­26). Epigynium with pointed granules. Opisthosoma: annuli subequal dorsoventrally; microtubercles present only laterally and ventral anteriorly; rear dorsal annuli with a few microtubercles, these are elongate streaks, becoming longer caudoventrally. Lateral seta (c2) 44 (43­48), on annulus 4 (4­5) from genitalia rear margin. Ventral seta I (d) 57 (54­66), 40 (38­42) apart, on annulus 14 (12­15); ventral seta II (e) 14 (14­22), 23 (19­23) apart, on annulus 26 (24­26); ventral seta III (f) 18 (17­19), 21 (21­23) apart, on annulus 42 (41­45) or 7 (7­8) from rear. Total ventral annuli 48 (44­52); total dorsal annuli 48 (44­50), the anterior 28 (28­34) smooth and the posterior 16 (15­17) with a few microtubercles. Caudal seta (h2) 53 (52­60); accessory seta (h1) minute.

MALE ­ (n = 4). Smaller than female, 134­150, 53­57 wide. Gnathosoma: ep 2­3; d 5­6; chelicera 13­14. Prodorsal shield: 31­35, 48­53 wide; sc 9­11, 18­25 apart. Legs: leg I 20­21; femur 8, bv 7­9; genu 3, l" 22­23; tarsus 5­7, solenidion 5­6, projecting inwardly, empodium 5­6, 4­rayed, ft' 15­16, ft" 19­22, u' 5­6. Leg II 19­21; femur 7­9, bv 6­8; genu 3, l" 7­10; tarsus 7, solenidion 5­7, empodium 5­6, 4­rayed, ft' 4­5, ft" 18­20, u' 3­5. Coxigenital area: 1a 9­11, 7­9 apart; 2a 24­27, 18­21 apart. Coxisternal area smooth. Genitalia 15­17 wide, 7­10 long, smooth; 3a 13­15. Opisthosoma: c 2 31­32, on annulus 4­7; d 45­49, 28­33 apart, on annulus 11­13; e 12­13, 15­17 apart, on annulus 20­23; f 13­16, 17­ 18 apart, on annulus 36­41 or 7th from rear. Total ventral annuli 42­47, microtuberculate; total dorsal annuli 38­43, the anterior 21­27 smooth, the caudal 15­19 with a few microtubercles; h2 40­41; h1 minute.

NYMPH ­ (n = 4). Body 98­123, 51­55 wide. Prodorsal shield 30­35 long. Shield design consisting of incomplete median line (posterior two­thirds), complete admedian lines, sinuose; incomplete submedian line, anteriorly to shield tubercles, and one transverse, semicircular line extending between tubercle bases. Laterally with pointed granules. Scapular seta (sc) 7­11, 17­18 apart. Legs: leg I 15; leg II 14. Coxae: 1a 11­12, 7­9 apart; 2a 16­18, 16­18 apart. Genital seta (3a) 11­12. Anteriorly to genital seta basis, 3 ventral annuli, evenly microtuberculate. Opisthosoma: annuli subequal dorso­ventrally and evenly microtuberculate, dorsally and ventrally. Lateral seta (c2) 19­38, on annulus 2­3 counting from annulus bearing seta 3a. Ventral setae: d 31­36, 26­28 apart, on annulus 8­ 10; e 9­11, 12­17 apart, on annulus 15­18; f 12­18, 17­18 apart, on annulus 27­31, or 5­6 from rear. Total ventral annuli: 3 annuli anterior to basis of seta 3a plus 28­32 annuli; total dorsal annuli 38­43; h2 32­33; h1 minute.

LARVA ­ (n = 4). Body 87­102, 37­44 wide. Prodorsal shield 25­27; median line complete; admedian lines complete; 2 short anterior submedian lines. Laterally with pointed microtubercles. Seta sc 6­9, 13­15 apart. Legs: leg I 15; leg II 14. Coxae: 1a 6­9, 7­8 apart; 2a 13­15, 15­17 apart. Genital seta (3a) 6­8; anteriorly to genital seta basis 3 ventral annuli, evenly microtuberculate. Opisthosoma: annuli evenly microtuberculate dorsally and ventrally. First 2­3 dorsal annuli only discernible laterally; medially the corresponding area is randomly beset with microtubercles. Lateral seta (c2) 12­18, on annulus 1 counting from annulus bearing seta 3a. Ventral setae: d 16­23, on annulus 6; e 8, on annulus 10­11; f 11­13, on annulus 19 or 4th from rear. Total dorsal annuli 32­35; total ventral annuli: 3 anterior to bases of 3a plus 22­27 annuli; h 2 22­26; h1 minute.

TYPE MATERIAL ­ Female holotype, 153 female, 37 male, 7 nymph and 8 larva paratypes, from Piptadenia gonoacantha (Mart.) Macbr. (Leguminosae, Mimosaceae ), "páu­jacaré", Piracicaba, SP, Brazil (22o 42' 30" S, 47o 38' 00" W), coll. C.H.W Flechtmann, May­July 2002, on 26 microscopic preparations in the collection of Departamento de Entomologia, Fitopatologia e Zoologia Agrícola, Universidade de São Paulo/ ESALQ, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.

RELATION TO HOST PLANT ­ Vagrant on undersurface of leaflets; no visible damage. Eggs are laid in domatia where the mite molts. The domatia are shared with eggs and moulting stages of mites of the families Tydeidae and Stigmaeidae . The same leaves also bore small populations of a spider mite, O ligonychus propete s Pritchard & Baker, 1955 ( Tetranychidae ).

ETYMOLOGY ­ The specific designation ceratopudenda is composed of the Greek keras, keratos, horn, and the Latin pudenda, external female genitalia, refering to hornlike projection on the rim of the female genitalia.

REMARKS ­ Mites alive are pearly­white. The new species is somewhat similar to Cosella cissi Keifer, 1978 in the prodorsal shield design. It shares the lateral, inward pointed solenidion on tarsus I with C. cissi , and C. deleoni ( Keifer, 1956) (solenidion in normal dorsal position in the other known species). The presence of a pointed, prominent, lateral structure on the female genitalia rim is the most distinctive morphological feature of the new species. Manson's (1984) figure 149 of Cosella simplicis Manson suggests the presence of a similar, much smaller, structure, although it is not mentioned in his description.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Cosella ceratopudenda Flechtmann, n. sp. AD, anterior dorsal aspect; CD, caudal dorsal aspect; CGF, coxigenital area of female, with detail of coxal pointed granules; E, empodium (enlarged); GF, genitalia of female, sp spinelike projection on genitalia rim; GM, genitalia of male; L, lateral aspect of female; L 1, leg I; L 2, leg II.

FIGURE 5. Cosella ceratopudenda Flechtmann, n. sp. L­AD, anterior dorsal aspect of larva; L­V, ventral aspect of larval " genital " area; PN­AD, anterior dorsal aspect of protonymph; PN­V, ventral aspect of nymphal " genital " area.