Tegolophus spathaceae, Xue & Song & Hong, 2010

Xue, Xiao-Feng, Song, Zi-Wei & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2010, Five new species of Anthocoptini from China (Acari: Eriophyidae), Zootaxa 2666 (1), pp. 29-44 : 41

Tegolophus spathaceae sp. nov.

( Figs 9 & 10 )

Description. FEMALE: (n = 8) Body fusiform, 186 (172–189), 49 (45–53) wide, 60 (58–63) thick; light yellow. Gnathosoma 17 (16–18), projecting obliquely down, pedipalp coxal seta (ep) 3 (3–4), dorsal pedipalp genual seta (d) 5 (5–6), cheliceral stylets 15 (15–16). Prodorsal shield 42 (41–43), 47 (46–49) wide, median and admedian lines connected and forming eight central “cells”, submedian lines complete and composed with three lines, frontal lobe broad. Scapular tubercles on rear shield margin, 30 (30–31) apart, scapular setae (sc) 12 (12–13), projecting posterior. Coxal plates with short lines, anterolateral setae on coxisternum І (1b) 11 (11–12), 13 (12–13) apart, proximal setae on coxisternum І (1a) 20 (19–22), 11 (10–11) apart, proximal setae on coxisternum І (2a) 41 (38–43), 28 (27–28) apart. Prosternal apodeme 8 (7–8). Legs with usual series of setae. Leg І 36 (35–36), femur 10 (9–10), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 12 (11–13); genu 5 (4–5), antaxial genual seta (l'') 18 (18–20); tibia 6 (6–7), paraxial tibial seta (l') 7 (7–8), located at center, tarsus 6 (5–6), seta ft' 22 (21–22), seta ft'' 23 (21–23), seta u' 6 (5–6), tarsal empodium (em) 7 (7–8), simple, 9-rayed, tarsal solenidion (ω) 9 (9–10), rod-like. Leg І 33 (30–33), femur 8 (7–8), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 20 (19–20); genu 4 (4–5), antaxial genual seta (l'') 7 (7–8); tibia 6 (5–6); tarsus 6 (5–6), seta ft' 9 (8–9), seta ft'' 23 (22–23), seta u' 6 (5–6), tarsal empodium (em) 7 (7–8), simple, 9-rayed, tarsal solenidion (ω) 9 (9–10), rod-like. Opisthosoma: opisthosoma dorsally with 54 (51–55) annuli, with spiny microtubercles projecting ahead of rear annular margin, ventrally with 62 (62–63) annuli, with round microtubercles on rear annular margin. Setae c2 40 (35–42) on ventral annulus 9 (8–9), 55 (54–55) apart; setae d 58 (56–62) on ventral annulus 20 (20–21), 40 (38–41) apart; setae e 56 (52–61) on ventral annulus 36 (36–38), 22 (22–23) apart, setae f 32 (30– 33) on 5th ventral annulus from rear, 21 (20–22) apart. Setae h1 5 (4–5), h2 58 (55–59). Female genitalia 13 (13–14), 22 (21–23) wide, coverflap with 12 longitudinal ridges, setae 3a 21 (20–22), 20 (19–20) apart.

MALE: Unknown.

Type material. Holotype, female (slide number NJAUAcariEri199, marked Holotype), from Fargesia spathacea Franch. ( Poaceae , Bambuseae ), Zhouzhi County, Shaanxi Province, P. R. China, 34°03ʹ54ʹʹN, 108°19ʹ22ʹʹE, elevation 500m, 31 August 2004, coll. Xiao-Feng Xue and Zi-Wei Song. Paratypes, 7 females (slide number NJAUAcariEri199), with the same data as holotype.

Relation to host. Vagrant on leaf surface. No damage to the host was observed.

Etymology. The specific designation spathaceae is from the species name of the host plant, spathacea .

Differential diagnosis. This species is similar to T. fargesiae Xue, Song, Amrine & Hong, 2006 , but can be differentiated from the latter by prodorsal shield with median and admedian lines connected, forming 8 central “cells”, submedian lines complete (median line obscure, submedian lines absent in T. fargesiae ), empodium 9-rayed (empodium 8-rayed in T. fargesiae ), and frontal lobe broad (frontal lobe acuminate in T. fargesiae ).

Figures

FIGURE 9. Tegolophus spathaceae sp. nov. D, dorsal view of female; L1, leg І; L2, leg І; em, empodium.

FIGURE 10. Tegolophus spathaceae sp. nov. L, lateral view of female; CG, coxae and female genitalia; LO, lateral microtubercles.