Typhlodromus sandrae Ragusa & Tsolakis

Tsolakis, Haralabos & Ragusa, Salvatore, 2015, Considerations on systematics of the Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata), with definition of a new species group and description of a new species, Zootaxa 3926 (2), pp. 229-243 : 234

Typhlodromus sandrae Ragusa & Tsolakis sp. nov.

( Figs 2–7 )

Female. Insemination apparatus ( Fig. 5 ). Calyx short, narrow (10-11 µm deep, 2–3 µm wide) tubular, without neck; thin-walled at the part closer to atrium; an annular thickening of the wall of the calyx is present in the part closer to vesicle occuping about 2/3 of the calyx. Atrium bulbous, as large as the basis of the calyx or slightly wider. Embolus well visible. Minor duct thin, not clearly visible. Major duct thin-walled, long (23 µm), narrow, flaring slightly distally.

Dorsum ( Fig. 2 ). Dorsal shield oval with a waist at level of setae R1. Reticulation and sigilla clearly visible. Five pairs of solenostomes are present: gd2 posteroantiaxial to j4, gd4 posteroantiaxial to s4, gd6 posteroparaxial to s6, gd8 anteroantiaxial to Z4 and gd9 paraxial to S5. Poroids are not visible on the dorsal shield. Dorsal setae short, most of similar length, and smooth, except S4, S5, Z4 and Z5 which are serrated. Setae Z5 thicker and capitate ( Fig. 7 ). Setae r3 and R1 on interscutal membrane. Length of dorsal shield 376, width 169 (166–172). Measurements of dorsal setae in µm [in brackets the upper and lower limits around the mean of each seta length, calculated using method proposed by Tixier (2012)]: j1 21 (16–26); j3 20 (15–25); j4 14 (11–18); j5 14 (11–18); j6 16 (12–20); J2 18 (13–22); J5 10 (8–13); z2 16 (12–20); z3 18 (14–22); z4 19 (14–24); z5 15 (11–19); s4 20 (15–25); s6 21 (16–26); Z4 24 (18–30); Z5 38 (30–45); S2 26 (20–32); S4 30 (24–36); S5 31 (24–38); r3 22 (17–27); R1 22 (17–27).

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 3 ). Sternal shield lightly sclerotised and smooth. Posterior margin and poroids pst1 and pst2 are not visible. Setae ST1, ST2 and ST3 inserted on sternal shield. Setae ST4 tylochorous; poroid pst3 not visible. Length of sternal shield 96 µm, width 70 µm. Genital sigilla clearly visible. Lateral margin of genital shield with pronounced indentation posterior to ST5. Ventrianal shield (VAS) subpentagonal (length 120 µm, width at level of ZV2 98 µm), slightly constricted at level of JV3 (width 88 µm). Setae JV1, JV2, JV3 and ZV2 on VAS. Setae ZV1, ZV3, JV4 and JV5 on unsclerotised membrane. Solenostome gv3 punctiform and posteroparaxial to JV3. Setae JV5 40 (30–47) long, smooth and slightly spatulate ( Fig. 7 ). Sigilla sgpa (6th pair) on interscutal membrane. Inguinal sigilla (metapodal plates) thick (width 8 µm), 20 µm long ( Fig. 3 ).

Legs ( Fig. 4 ). Leg IV. Four spatulate setae are present on genu: ad 1 18 (14–22), ad 2 15 (12–20), pd 1 17 (12–20), pd 2 18 (14–22) (1-2/0-2/1-1). Three capitate setae are present on tibia: ad 1 19 (14–24), pd 1 20 (14–24), pd 2 21 (16–26) (1-1/0-2/1-1). Tarsus: one capitate macroseta pd 33 (24–38) (1-1/0-1/0-1).

Chelicerae ( Fig. 6 ). Fixed digit with three teeth plus apical tooth. Pilus dentilis evident, long (19 µm), with a large base. Movable digit with six teeth in addition to apical tooth.

Peritreme ( Fig. 2 ). Apex of peritreme between bases of j1 and j3, closer to the former.

Diagnostic notes. Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) sandrae belongs to the new porathi species group. This species is similar to T. (A.) porathi , T. (A.) betulae , T. (A.) krimbasi , T. (A.) wainsteini and T. (A.) dactyliocalyx . The six teeth on the movable digit, the long and thick pilus dentilis, the indentation on genital shield, the primitive condition of the solenostome gv3 and the eight spatulate setae present on leg IV, easily distinguish the new species from the others belonging to the same species group. For the evolution of the solenostome gv3 see Athias-Henriot (1978) and Tsolakis & Ragusa (2010). The characters that separate these species are summarised in Table 1 .

Location of types. Holotype female (No. 2710C) and one paratype (No. 2710A) collected on Vitis vinifera L. at Ruvo di Puglia, Bari ( Italy), 9th May 1997. Type material deposited in the Acari collection of the Laboratory of Applied Acarology "Eliahu Swirski", Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo ( Italy).

Etymology. The species is named after Sandra Ragusa, granddaughter of the senior author.

Figures

FIGURES 2 – 7. Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) sandrae Ragusa & Tsolakis sp. nov., Holotype female collected on Vitis vinifera L. at Ruvo di Puglia, Bari (Italy), 9 th May 1997. 2. Dorsal shield; 3. Ventral idiosoma; 4. Genu, tibia and tarsus of leg IV; 5. Insemination apparatus; 6. Chelicera; 7. Setae Z 5 and JV 5.