Linotetranus iraniensis, Khanjani, Mohammad, Fayaz, Bahman Asali & Khanjani, Masoumeh, 2011

Khanjani, Mohammad, Fayaz, Bahman Asali & Khanjani, Masoumeh, 2011, Two new species of Linotetranus (Parasitiformes: Tetranychoidea: Linotetranidae) from Iran, Zootaxa 2834, pp. 47-56 : 48-52

Linotetranus iraniensis sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–8 )

Material examined. Holotype ♀, Hamedan (34º 45′ N, 48º 31′ E and altitude 2015 m a.s.l), Hamedan Province, Iran, 20.viii.2010, Masoumeh Khanjani, from soil under gum bushes, Astragalus gossypinus Fisch. (Fabaceae) . Paratypes. 4 ♀♀ same data as holotype. The holotype and three paratypes are deposited in the mite collection of the Acarology Laboratory of the Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran; one paratype is deposited in the mite collection of ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.

Diagnosis. Prodorsal setae v1 strongly ramose, coxisternal setae 2a serrate; pseudanal setae ps1-3 subequal in length.

Female (n = 5)

Dorsum ( Figs. 1, 2 ). Body measurements: total length 495–575 [530] (excluding gnathosoma 400–475 [450]); width 171–192 [177]. Distances between setae: sc2-sc2 119–148 [134], c3-c3 160–165 [153], c4-c4 39–45 [42], d3-d3 99–109 [105], v1-v1 5–6 [6], v1-v2 33 –36 [35], v2-v2 41 –48 [42], v2 -sc1 35–40 [38], v2 -sc2 63–66 [64], sc1-sc1 98–102 [101], c1-sc1 95–115 [97], c1-c1 62–71 [70], c2- c2 113–120 [130], c2- c 3 22–30 [24], c3-c3 160– 165 [153], c4-c4 125–135 [133], c3-c4 39–45 [42], c1-d1 90–107 [100], d1-d 1 19–25 [22], d1-d 2 30–38 [34], d2- d2 77–93 [84], d2-d 3 6–11 [11], d3-d3 98–109 [105], d3- e3 40–47 [45], e1-d1 50–61 [57], e1- e 1 23–33 [30], e1- e 2 30–35 [34], e2- e2 95–92 [96], e2- e3 5–9 [6], e3-e3 103–106 [103], e3- e 4 15–20 [21], e4- e4 95–100 [95], e1-f1 37– 45 [42], f1-f1 43–44 [40], f1-f 2 10–13 [13], f2-f2 60–63 [60], f2-f3 5–8 [6], f3-f3 74–76 [75], f1-h1 33–37 [38], h1- h 1 12–18 [12], h1-h2 6–8 [7], h2-h 2 21–23 [23], h2-h3 4–5 [3], h3-h 3 28–31 [30], h4-h4 45–48 [46]. Dorsal integument reticulate-areolate and posterior dorsal opisthosoma weakly striated. Dorsal idiosoma with 22 pairs of setae; all dorsal setae serrate; v1 ramose with long branches ( Fig. 2 ). Prodorsum with four pairs of setae: v 1 14–20 [20], v2 60 –84 [78], sc1 101–110 [103], sc2 103–128 [118]; hysterosoma with 18 pairs of setae: c1 35–45 [45], c2 96– 115 [120], c3 103–135 [124], c4 120–132 [131], d1 34–46 [36], d2 91–115 [125], d3 101–135 [125], e 1 15 –18 [16], e2 95 –116 [104], e3 105–120 [118], e4 91 –98 [96], f 1 20–25 [22], f2 35–45 [45], f3 175–201 [197], h1 60–95 [74], h2 185–215 [223], h3 83–98 [80]; h4 58–75 [75]; f3 and h2 is the longest seta; v1 and e1 is the shortest seta.

Venter ( Fig. 4 ). Ventral cuticle reticulate-areolate. Four pairs of intercoxal setae (1a, 2a, 3a, 4a) present; setae 1a elongate; 2a serrate; two pairs aggential setae (ag1–2); genital shields with three pairs of setae (g1–3); three pairs of pseudanal setae (ps1–3). Measurements of setae: 1a 93–110 [110], 2a 85–103 [94], 3a 44–50 [43], 4a 37– 46 [37], ag1 36–46 [35, ag 2 22–31 [30], g 1 18–20 [19], g 2 11–13 [11], g 3 10–12 [13], ps 3 16–22 [19], ps 2 20–24 [22], ps 1 19–22 [19]. Distances between setae: 1a -1a 24–26 [26], 1a -2a 38–42 [41], 2a -2a 80–85 [86], 2a -3a 94– 117 [104], 3a -3a 60–64 [64], 3a -4a 114–137 [127], 4a -4a 21–24 [24], ag1-ag 1 31–33 [31], ag2-ag 2 30–46 [46], g1-g 1 12–18 [18], g1-g 2 5–12 [10], g3-g 3 10–21 [21], g2-g3 3–5 [4], g2-g 2 19–28 [28], ps1-ps1 32–33 [30], ps2- ps2 37–44 [35], ps3-ps3 32–39 [32], ps1-ps2 5–6 [6], ps3-ps2 5–8 [6].

Gnathosoma ( Figs. 3, 4 ). Palp five segmented; palp coxa longer than other segments; setal formula fe-ta 1, 1, 2, 4(1e + 1s). Setal measurements: tarsus solenidion 4–5 [5], tarsus eupathidion 5–7 [6]; tibia 9–10 [11], 6–7 [6]; genu 7–10 [8]; femur 6–9 [7]; supracoxal setae 3–4 [3]; preoral setae or 5–7 [8]; hypostomal setae m 16–20 [19] ( Figs. 3, 4 ). Length of chelicerae from the base to their tips 140–160 [138], stylophore capsule 65–90 [90].

Legs ( Figs. 5–8 ). Setal formulae for legs I–IV: coxae 2-1-1-1; trochanters 1-1-1-0; femora 5-3-2-1; genua 5-2- 1-0; tibiae 5(1φ)-4-3-4; tarsi 11(2ω)-7(1ω)-4-4. Genu I with one modified seta (5–6 [5]); solenidia on tarsus I–II and tibia I spindle shape (ta I 7–9 [8]; ta II 5–6 [5]; ti I 3–4 [4]) ( Figs. 5–8 ). Length of legs as follows (base of coxa to distal tip of tarsus; pretarsus included): leg I (140–190) [183]; leg II (110–130) [125]; leg III (100–117) [108]; leg IV (94–112) [110]. Coxa I with one pair of supracoxal setae 3–4 [3].

Colour. Pale cream when alive.

Male and immature stages. Not known.

Distribution. Hamedan, Hamedan Province, Iran.

Remarks. The new species is very similar to Linotetranus anatolicus Doġan & Dönel, 2010 , by having the same leg setal formula and dorsal idiosomal reticulations, however L. iranensis sp. nov. differs from L. anatolicus by: setae f3 and h2 are the longest dorsal setae in the former whereas setae h3 are the longest in L. anatolicus ; dorsal setae c1 are about half the length of the distance between c1-c2 vs c1 longer than distance between the bases in the latter; pattern on ventral cuticle between setae 2a -3a with regular rectangular reticulations arranged in transverse rows vs transverse linear pattern in the latter; dorsal setae e2 three times longer than distance between setae e1-e 2 in L. iranensis vs e2 shorter than e1-e 2 in L. anatolicus ; palp tarsus with four simple setae + one eupathidium + one solenidion in the new species vs two simple setae and four eupathidia in the latter; ventral cuticle irregularly reticulate in the new species vs ventral cuticle smooth between 4a -ag 1 in L. anatolicus and differences in the length of dorsal setae: c2 96–115 [120] vs 60–73 [68]; e3 105–120 [118] vs 80–85 [85]; e4 91 –98 [96] vs 50–56 [53]; h2 185–215 [223] vs 50–65 [53], h3 83–98 [80] vs 150–158 [138]. Also the new species closely resembles Linotetranus niknami Bagheri & Haddad, 2008 from Iran, in having the same leg setal formula and cuticular pattern; however it differs from L. niknami by: posterior dorsal opisthosoma is weakly striated in the former but smooth in the latter; ventral cuticle between setae 3a -4a with small reticulations in the new species whereas the reticulations are large and more elongate on L. niknami ; setae 2a are serrate in L. iraniensis while they are smooth on L. niknami ; setae ps1-3 about equal in length in the former versus ps2-3 about half length of ps 1 in latter; palp tarsus with one eupathidium and four smooth setae in the new species whereas the latter has palp tarsus with four eupathidia and two smooth setae; genu I with one modified seta in the former opposed to genu I without modified seta in the latter; and there are some dorsal setae length differences: c4 120–132 [131] vs. 103–104 [103]; e2 95 –116 [104] vs. 54–66 [54].

Etymology. This species is named after the country where it was collected, Iran.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Linotetranus iraniensis sp. nov., adult female: 1. dorsal idiosoma; 2. detail prodorsal seta v 1; 3. palp; 4. ventral idiosoma.

FIGURES 5 – 7. Linotetranus iraniensis sp. nov., adult female: 5. leg I; 6. leg II; 7. leg III.

FIGURE 8. Linotetranus iraniensis sp. nov., leg IV.