Paragigagnathus insuetus (Livshitz and Kuznetsov)

Alatawi, Fahad J., Kamran, M. & Basahih, J., 2015, First record of the genus Paragigagnathus Amitai and Grinberg, 1971 (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) from Saudi Arabia with description of a new species, Journal of Natural History 50, pp. 701-709 : 707-708

Paragigagnathus insuetus (Livshitz and Kuznetsov)

Amblyseius insuetus Livshitz and Kuznetsov 1972: 27 .

Pamoroseius insuetus Kolodochka 1989: 227 .

Paragigagnathus insuetus (Livshitz and Kuznetsov) , Kolodochka 1994: 3; Chant and McMurtry 2007: 31 – 33.

Female. (n = 3), the measurements of Saudi Arabian specimens in range.

Dorsal idiosoma

Dorsal shield 338 – 345 long and 228 – 235 wide at the level of setae R 1 , strongly sclerotized, ornamented with rugose lines/ patches; with 19 pairs of setae including setae r 3 and R 1 . All dorsal setae thick, only posterior setae set on prominent tubercles. Dorsal shield setal length: j 1 14 – 15, j 3 15 – 16, j 4 14 – 15, j 5 14, j 6 16 – 17, J 2 16 – 17, J 5 10 – 11, z 2 16 – 17, z 4 17 – 18, z 5 14 – 15, Z 1 16 – 18, Z 4 17 – 19, Z 5 25 – 27, s 4 16 – 18, S 2 18 – 19, S 4 22 – 23, S 5 25 – 26 and lateral setae r 3 16 – 17, R 1 14 – 15 . Peritreme extending up to setae j 1.

Ventral idiosoma

Sternal shield smooth, 76 – 78 long, 65 – 67 wide at the level of setae ST 2; with two pairs of setae and one pair of pores. ST 3 present on soft cuticle, ST 4 present on metasternal platelets. Genital shield truncate posteriorly, wider than ventrianal shield, with one pair of setae. One pair of pores present lateral to genital shield on soft cuticle. Ventrianal shield smooth, elongate, sole shaped, with marked waist, 45 – 48 wide at preanals, 65 – 67 wide (at anal setae), 106 – 109 long. L/W ratio at narrowest point 2.78, with three pairs of preanal setae, three circumanal setae and one pair of pores. Four pairs of setae, six pairs of pores and two pairs of metapodal platelets present on the membrane surrounding the ventrianal shield. ZV 1 = ZV 3 = 10 – 11, JV 4 12, JV 5 17 – 18, primary metapodal platelet 45 – 46, secondary 15 – 16.

Spermatheca

Vesicle is saccular, calyx, dish shaped, thick, atrium not adjacent to the calyx, major duct long, thick, minor duct not prominent.

Chelicerae

Fixed digit with one tooth and a pilis dentilis; the movable digit with tooth.

Leg IV

One macroseta on basitarsus 20 – 21.

Material examined

Three females, Tamarix sp. ( Tamaricaceae ), Wadi-e-Turba, Al-baha, Saudi Arabia, 19.4957 ºN, 041.4734ºE, alt. 1798 m, 24 Feb., 2013, coll. M. Kamran.

Distribution and hosts

Ukraine, Crimea ex ( Livshitz and Kuznetsov 1972); Greece and Turkmanestan ( Kolodochka 1989; Papadoulis and Emmanouel 1991); Iran ( Hajizadeh et al. 2010); ex Tamarix sp., Thuja occidentalis L. (Cuspressaceae); Populus sp. (Saliaceae).