Calepitrimerus liuanense, Xue & Liu, 2022

Xue, Xiao-Feng & Liu, Xin-Yu, 2022, Three new species of Calepitrimerus (Acari: Eriophyidae) from China, Zootaxa 5133 (2), pp. 279-292 : 280-283

Calepitrimerus liuanense sp. nov.

( Figs 1–2 )

Diagnosis (female). Body fusiform; prodorsal shield with a broad frontal lobe, median line absent; admedian and submedian lines connected by a transverse line at anterior 1/3, forming a quadrangle at center; legs each with a 4- rayed simple tarsal empodium, and a rod-like tarsal solenidion; opisthosoma dorsally with smooth semiannuli, except posterior 5 annuli with elliptical microtubercles, while ventrally with elliptical to linear microtubercles; female genital coverflap with many dashes at base and 10 striae.

Female (n = 5, dorsal view): Body fusiform ( Figure 2A ), 168 (155–168) long, 78 (77–80) wide; light yellow in colour. Gnathosoma 25 (23–26) long, projecting obliquely downwards, cheliceral stylets 19 (19–20), pedipalp coxal seta (ep) 2 (2–3), dorsal pedipalp genual setae (d) 9 (9–10), palp tarsal ventral setae (v) absent. Prodorsal shield ( Figures 1 AD, 2B) 53 (51–53), including the frontal lobe, 70 (68–70) wide, frontal lobe broad; median line absent, admedian and submedian lines connected by a transverse line at anterior 1/3, forming a quadrangle at center, two parallel lines extend from the quadrangle to the posterior margin and slightly concaved, four roughly parallel submedian lines connected by a transverse line. Scapular tubercles ahead of rear shield margin, setae sc 6 (6–7), 25 (25–26) apart, projecting centered ( Figures 1 AD, 2B). Coxigenital region ( Figures 1 CG, 2C) with 4* semiannuli between coxae and genitalia, smooth; coxal plates with short lines, anterolateral setae on coxisternum І (1b) 5 (5–6), 18 (18–19) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum І (1a) 15 (15–16), 10* apart; proximal setae on coxisternum ІІ (2a) 26 (26–28), 32 (32–33) apart. Prosternal apodeme absent. Leg І ( Figure 1L1 ) 30 (30–32), femur 11 (10–11), basiventral femoral setae (bv) 15 (14–15); genu 4*, antaxial genual setae (l'') 31 (31–33); tibia 7*, paraxial tibial setae (l') 8 (7–8), located at center; tarsus 5*, paraxial fastigial tarsal setae ft’ 19 (19–20), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae ft’’ 20 (20–21), setae u' 4 (4–5); tarsal empodium (em) 5 (5–6), simple, 4-rayed, tarsal solenidion (ω) 9 (8–9), rod-like. Leg ІІ ( Figure 1L 2 ) 28 (28–30), femur 10 (9–10), basiventral femoral setae (bv) 8 (8–9); genu 4*, antaxial genual setae (l'') 11 (11–12); tibia 6*; tarsus 5*, paraxial fastigial tarsal setae ft’ 10 (10–11), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae ft’’ 22 (22–24), setae u' 4*; tarsal empodium (em) 6*, simple, 4-rayed, tarsal solenidion (ω) 8*, rod-like. Opisthosoma dorsally with 39 (39–41) semiannuli, smooth except posterior 5* annuli with elliptical microtubercles, with three ridges, middorsal ridge ended on 22–23 annuli, in a broad furrow; ventrally with 70 (70–71) semiannuli, with elliptical to linear microtubercles. Setae c2 12 (12–13), on ventral semiannulus 10 (10–11), 56 (56–58) apart; setae d 30 (30–32), on ventral semiannulus 24 (24–25), 35 (35–36) apart; setae e 22 (22–24), on ventral semiannulus 40 (40–42), 19 (19–20) apart; setae f 20 (20–22), 24 (24–25) apart, on 5th ventral semiannulus from rear; setae h1 4 (4–5), setae h2 35 (35–38). Female genitalia 18 (18–19), 25 (25–27) wide, coverflap ( Figure 1 CG) with many dashes at base and 10 striae, setae 3a 13 (13–14), 17 (17–18) apart. Internal genitalia: spermathecae ovoid, oriented posterolaterad; spermathecal tubes relatively short; transverse genital apodeme trapezoidal ( Figure 1 IG).

Male (n = 4, dorsal view): Body fusiform, 148–159 long, 65–70 wide; light yellow in colour. Gnathosoma 18– 22 long, projecting obliquely downwards, cheliceral stylets 20*, pedipalp coxal seta (ep) 2*, dorsal pedipalp genual setae (d) 9–10, palp tarsal ventral setae (v) absent. Prodorsal shield 50*, including the frontal lobe, 64–70 wide. Scapular tubercles ahead of rear shield margin, setae sc 6*, 18–20 apart, projecting centrad. Coxigenital region with 4 semiannuli between coxae and genitalia, smooth; coxal plates with short lines, anterolateral setae on coxisternum І (1b) 5–7, 12–15 apart; proximal setae on coxisternum І (1a) 12–15, 9–10 apart; proximal setae on coxisternum ІІ (2a) 17–22, 23–29 apart. Prosternal apodeme absent. Leg І 28–30, femur 10*, basiventral femoral setae (bv) 11–13; genu 4*, antaxial genual setae (l'') 29–30; tibia 6–7, paraxial tibial setae (l') 7–8, located at center; tarsus 5*, paraxial fastigial tarsal setae ft’ 18–22, antaxial fastigial tarsal setae ft’’ 24–25, setae u' 5*; tarsal empodium (em) 7*, simple, 4-rayed, tarsal solenidion (ω) 8*, rod-like. Leg ІІ 25–28, femur 10*, basiventral femoral setae (bv) 8–9; genu 4*, antaxial genual setae (l'') 11–12; tibia 5*; tarsus 5*, paraxial fastigial tarsal setae ft’ 8–9, antaxial fastigial tarsal setae ft’’ 22–24, setae u' 4*; tarsal empodium (em) 5*, simple, 4-rayed, tarsal solenidion (ω) 8*, rod-like. Opisthosoma dorsally with 38–39 semiannuli, smooth, with three ridges, middorsal ridge ended on 22–23 annuli, in a broad furrow; ventrally with 61–63 semiannuli, with elliptical to linear microtubercles. Setae c2 13–15, on ventral semiannulus 9–10, 52–53 apart; setae d 32–45, on ventral semiannulus 20–22, 33* apart; setae e 21–25, on ventral semiannulus 34–36, 17–18 apart; setae f 20–25, 24–25 apart, on 5th ventral semiannulus from rear; setae h1 5*, setae h2 32–40. Male genitalia 11* in length, 22* wide, setae 3a 11–15, 18–19 apart ( Figures 1 GM, 2F).

Type material. Holotype, female ( NJAUAH2.1 ), found on Cryptomeria japonica (Thunb. ex L.f.) D.Don ( Cupressaceae ), Tiantangzhai , Liuan city, Anhui province, China, 31°19′69″N, 115°80′35″E, elevation 600 m, 18 September 2015, coll. Yun Zuo . Paratypes, 4 females and 4 males (NJAUAH2.2–9), from Cryptomeria japonica (Thunb. ex L.f.) D.Don ( Cupressaceae ), same details as holotype .

Relation to the host plant. Vagrant on lower leaf surface with no apparent symptom to the host.

Etymology. The specific designation liuanense is derived from the name of location, Liuan city, where the new species was collected, adding a postfix - ense; neuter in gender.

Deferential diagnosis. The new species is morphologically similar to C. sabinae Kuang, 1991 by body shape and prodorsal shield design, which infest Juniperus chinensis L. ( Cupressaceae ), but can be differentiated by prodorsal shield with admedian and submedian lines (prodorsal shield smooth in C. sabinae ), and empodium 4- rayed (empodium 6-rayed in C. sabinae ). The new species is also similar to Leipothrix juniperensis Xue & Yin, 2020 (infesting J. chinensis ; Yin et al. 2020) by body shape and prodorsal shield design, but can be differentiated by pedipalp genual setae (d) uniform (pedipalp genual setae d bifurcated in L. juniperensis ), middorsal ridge ended in a broad furrow (middorsal ridge as long as subdorsal ridges in L. juniperensis ). Furthermore, the new specie is similar to Epitrimerus sabinae Xue & Hong, 2005 (infesting J. chinensis ) by body shape and prodorsal shield design, but can be differentiated by middorsal ridge ended in a broad furrow (middorsal ridge as long as subdorsal ridges in E. sabinae ), dorsal annuli smooth (dorsal annuli with microtubercles in E. sabinae ), and empodium 4-rayed (empodium 6-rayed in E. sabinae ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Calepitrimerus liuanense sp. nov. AD, prodorsal shield; CG, female coxigenital area; em, empodium; GM, male external genitalia; IG, female internal genitalia; L1, leg І; L2, leg II; DM, dorsal view of telosoma; VM, ventral view of telo- soma. Scale bar: 15 μm for AD, CG, DM, GM, IG, L1, L2, VM; 5 μm for em.

FIGURE 2. Calepitrimerus liuanense sp. nov. A, dorsal view of male; B, prodorsal shield; C, female coxigenital area; D, female internal genitalia; E, tarsus and empodium; F, male coxigenital area. Scale bar: 20 μm for A, D; 10 μm for B, C, F; 5 μm for D, E.