Daidalotarsonemus tesselatus De Leon

Lofego, A. C., Ochoa, R. & Moraes, G. J., 2005, “ Cerrado ” vegetation, with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 823, pp. 1-27 : 6-7

Daidalotarsonemus tesselatus De Leon

Daidalotarsonemus tesselatus De Leon, 1956:163 ; Smiley, 1972:91.

Material examined: São Carlos: Campomanesia pubescens (DC.) Berg, V­2000 (14), VII­2000 (5); Myrcia guianensis (Aubl.) DC., V­2000 (3), VII­2000 (2); Myrcia venulosa DC., I­2000 (1), V­2000 (1), X­2000 (2). Pirassununga: C. pubescens , I­2000 (1), V­2000 (7); M. guianensis , I­2000 (3); M. venulosa , I­2000 (3); Psidium guajava L., I­2000 (4); Psidium guineense Sw. , I­2000 (1), V­2000 (12), VII­2000 (1). Luiz Antonio: C. pubescens , V­2000 (16), VII­2000 (2); M. guianensis , V­2000 (1), VII­2000 (3); Myrcia bella Cambess , I­2000 (1), VII­2000 (1); P. cinereum , I­2000 (1), V­2000 (2), VII­2000 (1).

Previous records ( Lin & Zhang, 2002): Japan and USA.

Remarks: most of measurements of 5 adult females collected in this study agree with those given in the original description, except for the following structures: gnathosoma (length and width), 3a and 3b, 15% longer; 2a and distance f–f, 30% longer; and tc’’, twice longer. The average measurements of the specimens collected are given subsequently. Gnathosoma: length 32 (30–35), maximum width 30, ch 15 (15–16), vm 9 (9–10) and pp 20 (20–21), pharynx 18 (17–18) long and 10 wide at widest region. Idiosoma: length 195 (185–195) (excluding gnathosoma), maximum width 114 (105–120). Dorsal setae: v1 26 (25–28), sc1 17, sc2 27 (24–29), c1 16 (15–17), c2 17 (15–19), d 34 (30–36), e 21 (20–23), f 36 (30–40), h 16 (13–18). Distances between setae: v1–v1 28 (27–30), sc2–sc2 54 (50– 57), v1 –sc2 30 (28–31), c1–c1 59 (58–60), c2–c2 117 (115–122), c1–c2 37 (36–38), d–d 42 (41–45), f–f 15 (14–17), e–f 14 (13–15), h–h 21 (20–23). Ventral setae: 1a 5 (5–6), 2a 11 (10–13), 3a 16 (15–18), 3b 10 (10–12). Tegula, 4 (4–5) long and 16 (15–17) wide. Setae of legs: leg I: 5 (5–6), 1 3 (2–5), 2 3 (2–3), k 5 (5–6), d of tibia 27 (25–28); leg II: 4 (4–5), d of tibia 18 (16–20); leg IV: v’ F 11 (9–12), v’G 22 (19–23), v’Ti 29 (25– 32), tc’’ 65 (55–70).

Note: the feeding habit of D. tesselatus is not adequately known. Lindquist (1986) suggested that it might feed on lichens, algae or plant leaves. In this study, specimens of this species were maintained for a week in a laboratory on leaves of M. guianensis and C. pubescens . During that period, the mites were observed feeding on those leaves on several occasions. Males and females were reared to adults, and became progressively more intensively green, suggesting the ingestion of leaf cell contents.