Phyllocoptacus aporusae, Wei & Wang & Qin, 2009

Wei, Suigai, Wang, Guoquan & Qin, Aizhi, 2009, One new genus and four new species of Tegonotini (Acari: Eriophyidae) from Guangxi, South China, Zootaxa 2312, pp. 60-68 : 63-64

Phyllocoptacus aporusae sp. nov.

( Fig. 2)

Description. Female (n=14). Body fusiform, white, 165 (153−174), 56 (53−58) wide, 66 (63−74) thick. Gnathosoma— Curved obliquely downward, 20 (19−21); dorsal pedipalp genual setae (d) 5 (5−6), pedipalp coxal setae (ep) 3 (2−3), cheliceral stylets 19 (18−20). Prodorsal shield— Frontal lobe present, 59 (57−64), 67 (63−70) wide, median line absent, admedian lines complete, submedian lines incomplete; shield sculptured with irregular short lines. Scapular tubercles placed ahead of rear shield margin, 13 (13−14) apart, scapular setae (sc) 6 (6−7), directed centrally. Coxae— Sternal line present, coxal area smooth; anterolateral setae on coxisternum І (1b) 6 (5−7), 11 (10−12) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum І (1a) 11 (10−14), 6 (5−7) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum І (2a) 15 (13−17), 19 (19−20) apart. Coxi-genital annuli 6. Legs— Segments normal. Legs І 24 (22−27), femur 9 (8−10), basiventral femoral setae (bv) 5 (4−6); genu 4 (3−4), antaxial genual setae (l'') 27 (26−28); tibia 5 (5−6), paraxial tibial setae (l ΄) located apically and longer than normal, 20 (19−23); tarsus 4 (4−5), paraxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft') 14 (13−15), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft'') 22 (20−23), paraxial unguinal tarsal setae (u') 4 (4−5); tarsal empodium 7 (7−8), 5-rayed, tarsal solenidion 5 (5−6), knobbed. Legs І 20 (19−21), femur 9 (8−9), basiventral femoral setae (bv) 15 (13−16); genu 2 (2−3), antaxial genual setae (l'') absent; tibia 3 (2−3); tarsus 5 (4−5), paraxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft') 7 (6−8), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft'') 28 (25−30), paraxial unguinal tarsal setae (u') 4 (3−4); tarsal empodium 7 (7−8), 5-rayed, tarsal solenidion 12 (11−13), knobbed. Opisthosoma— Dorsum with median and admedian ridges, anterior two or three annuli fused forming a broad plate, dorsal annuli 31, with filamentous microtubercles present on the ridges; ventral annuli 66, with elongated microtubercles; setae c2 14 (13−16), on 11th ventral annulus; setae d 44 (39−47), 22 (20−24) apart, on ventral annulus 25th; setae e absent; setae f 19 (18−22), 12 (10−13) apart, on 6th ventral annulus from rear; setae h1 2 (2−3), setae h2 60 (55−65). Female genitalia— Coverflap sculptured with twenty basal longitudinal ridges, 20 (19−21), 25 (23−27) wide, proximal setae on coxisternum ІІ (3a) 9 (8−9), 16 (15−17) apart.

Male. Not seen.

Type data. Holotype, female, Dongzhong town, 70 km west of Fangcheng City (21°46'N, 108°21'E), Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, 24-May-2006, from Aporusa chinensis (Champ.) Merr. (Euphorbiaceae) , collected by GuoYing Shi, DeWei Li and GuoQuan Wang. Paratypes, 13 females, were mounted on individual slide, with the same data as holotype.

Relation to host. The mites are vagrant on the undersurfaces of the leaves, no visible damage seen.

Etymology. The specific designation is derived from the generic name of the type host plant.

Remarks. Three species of the genus Phyllocoptacus ( P. barringtoniae Mohanasundaram, 1984 , P. camelliae Kuang & Lin, 2005 and P. nandinae Lin, Jin & Kuang, 1997 ) have been reported worldwide. This new species is differentiated from the other species of the genus by the prodorsal shield sculptured with numerous short lines and setae h1 present.