Phytoseius balcanicus Wainstein

Abo-Shnaf, Reham I. A. & De, Gilberto J., 2014, Phytoseiid mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) from Egypt, with new records, descriptions of new species, and a key to species, Zootaxa 3865 (1), pp. 1-71 : 34-35

Phytoseius balcanicus Wainstein

Phytoseius ( Phytoseius) balcanicus Wainstein, 1969: 1743 .

Phytoseius ( Pannaseius) balcanicus .— Moraes et al., 1986: 210.

Phytoseius balcanicus .— Moraes et al., 2004: 232.

Suspected junior synonym of Phytoseius finitimus Ribaga, 1904: 178 . (Swirski & Ragusa, 1976: 120).

Female (five specimens).

Dorsal shield mostly smooth, with few lateral striae anterolateral to Z 4 and sparse median reticulation anterior to j 2; 272 ( 262–279) long and 144 ( 133–156) wide, with 16 pairs of setae. Setae j 1 27 ( 23–29), j 3 59 ( 54–62), j 4 15 ( 15–16), j 5 14 ( 13–16), j 6 19 ( 17–21), J 2 21 ( 20–23), J 5 11 ( 11–12), z 2 21 ( 17–24), z 3 43 ( 38–49), z 4 24 ( 22–28), z 5 14 ( 12–16), Z 4 60 ( 56–65), Z 5 89 ( 83–104), s 4 88 ( 76–101), s 6 99 ( 90–115), r 3 48 ( 46–51), R 1 26 ( 24–29). Dorsal setae serrate. Peritreme extending to level of z 3.

Venter. Sternal shield smooth, with three pairs of setae and two pairs of lyrifissures. Distances between st 1 –st 1 53 ( 52–56), st 2 –st 2 64 ( 63–66), st 3 –st 3 73 ( 70–77), st 4 –st 4 88 ( 86–90). Genital shield smooth; distance between st 5 –st 5 60 ( 51–64). Ventrianal shield vase-shaped, smooth; 98 ( 92–101) long, 54 ( 51–57) wide at ZV 2 level and 54 ( 51–56) wide at level of anus; with three pairs of pre-anal setae and no pores. Seta JV 5 66 ( 60–74). Ventral setae smooth, except JV 5, serrate. One pair of metapodal plate.

Spermatheca. Calyx of spermatheca tubular, 16 ( 16–17) long; atrium distinct.

Gnathosoma. Corniculi slightly distally convergent; basal width of corniculus 3, distance between bases of corniculi 8. Movable cheliceral digit 23 ( 22–24) long, with one tooth; fixed digit 23 ( 23–24) long, with 1–2 teeth.

Legs. Macroseta with tiny distal knob: St IV 34 ( 33–35); chaetotaxy of genu II 2, 2/ 0, 2 / 0, 1; genu III 1, 2/ 0, 2 / 0, 1.

Male (two specimens).

Dorsal shield pattern as in female; 205, 207 long and 118, 125 wide. Setae j 1 15, 20; j 3 42; j 4 14; j 5 14; j 6 16; J 2 19, 21; J 5 9, 10; z 2 13, 17; z 3 30, 36; z 4 21, 22; z 5 12, 14; Z 4 36, 37; Z 5 39, 48; s 4 56, 57; s 6 63, 67; r 3 33, 37; R 1 16. Dorsal setae serrate. Peritreme extending to level of s 4.

Venter. Distances between st 1 –st 1 46, 48; st 2 –st 2 50, 51; st 3 –st 3 55, 60; st 4 –st 4 48, 53; st 5 –st 5 39, 42. Ventrianal shield subtriangular, with transverse striae in the anterior two thirds; 82, 86 long and 94, 128 wide at anterior corners; with three pairs of pre-anal setae and no pores. Seta JV 5 31, 34.

Gnathosoma. Movable cheliceral digit 18 long, with one tooth; fixed digit 18, 19 long, with two teeth. Shaft of spermatodactyl 14, 16; foot 12 long.

Legs. Macroseta with tiny distal knob: St IV 25, 27; chaetotaxy of genua II and III as in female.

Specimens examined. Two females from E. crassipes leaves, at Damietta governorate, February 2001 (coll. A.K. Nasr); six females and two males from fig leaves, at Senuris, Fayoum governorate, June–August 2012 (coll. R.I.A. Abo-Shnaf); three females from apple leaves, at same locality, June and November 2012 (coll. R.I.A. Abo- Shnaf); one female from same substrate, at the Faculty of Agriculture Farm, Cairo University, Giza governorate, June 2012 (coll. R.I.A. Abo-Shnaf); one female from soil, at Dokii, Giza governorate, September 2012 (coll. R.I.A. Abo-Shnaf); two females from Rumex vesicarius L. ( Polygonaceae ) soil and leaves, at Qualyubia governorate, July 2004 (coll. A.K. Nasr); one female from manure, at same locality, February 2006 (coll. A.K. Nasr); one female from eggplant leaves, at same locality, August 2006 (coll. M.A. El-Borolossy).

Remarks. This is the first report of this species from Egypt. It was originally described from the holotype female, a paratype female and two paratype males collected in Greece. The original description was brief, but with illustrations and setal measurements. Measurements of the female examined are close to the original description, which mention the presence of macrosetae on genu and tibia of leg IV. Setae of similar measurements were also observed on genu and tibia of leg IV of the specimens collected, but we do not consider them to be macrosetae. This species is probably a senior synonym of Phytoseius ( Pennaseius) tropicalis Daneshvar, 1987 , which was compared only with P. plumifer in the original description.