Amblyseius rishyapensis, Molla & Karmakar, 2021

Molla, Md. Iftiar Hossain & Karmakar, Krishna, 2021, Description of five new species of Amblyseiinae (Acari: Phytoseiidae) associated with medicinal plants from the Northern Himalayan Zone of West Bengal, India, Zootaxa 5057 (3), pp. 364-384 : 368-371

Amblyseius rishyapensis sp. nov.

( Figs 7–11 ; 29–33 ).

Diagnosis. Dorsal shield smooth with marks of sigilla on the podosomal area, with seven pairs of solenostomes; both setae r3 and R1 off shield. Setae j4, j5, j6, J2, J5, z2, z4, z5, Z1, S2, S4, S5, r3, and R1 short and smooth while j1, j3, s4, Z4 and Z5 relatively long and smooth with pointed tip. Peritreme extending beyond the bases of j1. Sternal shield with three pairs of setae and posterior margin of sternal shield slightly concave with lateral notch. Ventrianal shield pentagonal, gv3 circular, just below JV2 on ventrianal shield. Fixed digit of chelicera with eight teeth and movable digit with three backwardly-directed teeth. Calyx of spermatheca V-shaped. Leg IV with three macrosetae on genu, tibia and basitarsus, while leg III with two macrosetae on genu and tibia; genu of leg II and leg I each with one macro setae, genu II with seven setae.

Female (n =7). Dorsum ( Fig.7 ). Idiosomal setal pattern 10A:9B/ JV –3: ZV.

Dorsal shield 361 (356–367) long and 198 (195–203) wide, smooth, with marks of sigilla mostly on prodorsal area, with seven pairs of solenostomes (gd1, gd2, gd4, gd5, gd6, gd8 and gd9); 17 pairs of setae on the dorsal shield and two pairs of setae on the unsclerotised cuticle: j1 27 (26–29), j3 40 (38–41), j4 9 (8–10), j5 8 (7–9), j6 8 (7–9), J2 16 (14–17), J5 8 (7–8), z2 6 (5–7), z4 11 (10–13), z5 8 (7–9), Z1 18 (16–19), Z4 49 (47–51), Z5 80 (78–83), s4 63 (61–65), S2 9 (8–10), S4 9 (8–10), S5 8 (7–9), r3 16 (14–17), R1 11 (10–12). All setae smooth with pointed tips,setae s4, Z4, longer and setae Z5 the longest.

Peritreme ( Fig. 7 ). Extending beyond the bases of j1.

Venter ( Fig. 8 ). All shields smooth. Sternal shield 58 (56–60) long and 72 (69–74) wide at level of setae ST1–ST3 and ST3–ST3 respectively, with three pairs of setae and two pairs of lyrifissures; one pair of setae ST4 24 (23–26) on metasternal plate; posterior margin of sternal shield slightly concave with lateral notch and clearly outlined in all specimens. Distances between ST1–ST1 55 (53–57), ST2–ST2 62 (60–65), ST5–ST5 58 (55–60). Genital shield smooth, broad at base, indented laterally with one pair of setae ST5 26 (24–27) long. Ventrianal shield pentagonal, lateral and anterior margins of ventrianal shield wavy, 101 (98–105) long, 62 (60–64) wide at level of ZV2 and 63 (61–65) at anus level with three pairs of pre-anal setae JV1 25 (23–26), JV2 19 (17–20), ZV2 21 (19–22). Setae JV1 and ZV2 located on anterior and lateral margins of ventrianal shield respectively; one pair of pre-anal pores (gv3) circular in shape, situated immediately posterior to setae JV2. Distance between pre-anal pores 42 (40–44). Membrane surrounding ventrianal shield with four pairs of setae ZV1 23 (21–24), ZV3 17 (16–19), JV4 19 (17–20) and JV5 38 (36–40), seta JV5 long, smooth with pointed tip. Two pairs of metapodal shields present, primary shield 19 (18–20) long and secondary shield 17 (17–18) long.

Chelicera ( Fig. 9 ). Fixed digit 30 (29–32) long with eight teeth and a distinct pilus dentilis, movable digit tridentate 33 (32–35) long.

Spermatheca ( Fig. 10 ). Calyx V-shaped 16 (14–17) long, wider at base of vesicle. Atrium relatively elongated at conjunction with major duct, minor duct distinct.

Legs ( Fig. 11 ). All leg setae smooth with pointed tips. Length of macrosetae on legs: Sge IV 67 (65–70), Sti IV 44 (42– 46), St IV 74 (72–77), Sge III 43 (42–45), Sti III 34 (33–35), Sge II 42 (41–43) and Sge I 35 (34–36). Chaetotactic formula of genu II: 12/1 2/01 and genu III: 12/1 2/01. Length of leg I 335 (331–338), leg II 272 (268–276), leg III 270 (267–275) and leg IV 360 (356–366).

Type-specimens. Holotype: female (Acarol.lab/BCKV/8504/2021) deposited in the NZC, collected from Datura plant ( Datura metel L.: Solanaceae ), at Rishyap: 27 o 10’2”N, 88 o 39’29”E, 2097 m a.s.l., Kalimpong, West Bengal on 14 Nov 2020; five paratype females (Acarol.lab/BCKV/8505–8509/2021) deposited in the NZC with same collection data as holotype; one paratype female (Acarol.lab/BCKV/8510/2021), deposited in the BCKV, collected from Cinchona plant ( Cinchona officinalis L.: Rubiaceae ) at Ramdhura: 27 o 7’17”N, 88 o 34’1”E, 1514 m a.s.l., Kalimpong, West Bengal on 18 Nov 2020.

Etymology. The specific name rishyapensis refers to the type locality “Rishyap” a village of Kalimpong district in the state of West Bengal.

Remarks. This new species Amblyseius rishyapensis belongs to the obtusus species group as the female ventrianal shield is not vase-shaped or not wider at level of anus than at level of setae ZV2 and is grouped with the andersoni species subgroup by possessing bell or V-shaped calyx of spermatheca and ratio of length: width at midpoint of calyx <3.0:1.0 ( Chant & McMurtry, 2004). The new species is close to A. boina Blommers, 1976 , A. tennesseensis De Leon, 1962 , A. saurus De Leon, 1962 , A. andersoni ( Chant, 1957) , and A. crotolariae Gupta, 1977 . However, the new species differs widely from these close species by the length of dorsal shield setae J2, Z4, Z5, r3 and s4; shape of ventrianal shield and narrow tubular atrium. All the differences between the new species and the close species are provided in Table 2 .

Figures

FIGURES 7–11. Amblyseius rishyapensis (female). 7. Dorsal view of idiosoma; 8. Ventral view of idiosoma; 9. Chelicera; 10. Spermatheca; 11. Genu, tibia and basitarsus of leg IV.

FIGURES 29–41. 29–33. Amblyseius rishyapensis (female). 29. Dorsal view; 30. Ventrianal shield; 31. Spermatheca; 32. Chelicera; 33. Genu, tibia and basitarsus of leg IV; 34–37. Amblyseiulella tibouchina (female). 34. Dorsal shield; 35. Genu, tibia and basitarsus of leg IV; 36. Chelicera; 37. Spermatheca; 38–41. Okiseius roseus (female). 38. Dorsal view of idiosoma; 39. Spermatheca; 40. Genu, tibia and basitarsus of leg IV; 41. Chelicera.