Cenaca paula, Flechtmann, Carlos H. W., 2004

Flechtmann, Carlos H. W., 2004, New genus and seven new species of Brazilian eriophyoid mites and redescription of Catachela machaerii Keifer (Acari: Prostigmata: Eriophyoidea), Zootaxa 611, pp. 1-20 : 11-13

Cenaca paula n.sp. ( Fig. 5 )

DIAGNOSIS — Prodorsal shield smooth; empodia 4­rayed; sternal line absent; ventral opisthosomal seta II (e) one seventh the length of ventral opisthosomal seta I (d); accessory seta present, minute.

FEMALE (n = 6) — Wormlike, 101 (97–130), 46 (44–50) wide. Gnathosoma: basal seta 3 (2–3); antapical seta missing in 12 specimens examined; chelicera 17 (15–18). Prodorsal shield broad, anterior outline slightly concave, no frontal lobe, 25 (20–25), 32 (30– 34) wide. Shield without design; some granules and short dashes at lateral rear angle. Shield setiferous tubercles near rear shield margin, 24 (23–25) apart, directing seta backwards. Scapular seta (sc) 29 (26–29). Legs missing femur I and tibia I setae. Leg I 20 (18– 21); femur 7 (7–8), femoral seta (bv) missing; genu 2 (2–3), genual seta (l") 19 (18–20); tibia 3 (3–4), tibial seta missing; tarsus 4 (4–5), dorsal seta (ft') 10 (9–11), lateral seta (ft") 13 (13–15), unguinal seta (u') 3 (3–4), solenidion 4 (4), empodium 4 (4–5), 4­rayed. Leg II 16 (16–18); femur 7 (6–8), bv 4 (4–5); genu 2 (2), l" 5 (5–9); tibia 2 (2–3); tarsus 4 (4–5), ft' 3 (3–4), ft" 14 (14–16), u' 2 (2), solenidion 10 (9–11), empodium 4 (4–5), 4­rayed. Coxigenital area: coxae I fused centrally, no sternal line. Near coxal ventrodistal border a line of pointed granules; coxae I and II with a few scattered granules. Coxal seta I (1b) missing; coxal seta II (1a) 11 (10–13), 9 (8–9) apart; coxal seta III (2a) 20 (19–22), 19 (19–22) apart. Coxigenital area granulate. Genitalia 21 (19–21) wide, 16 (13–17) long; epigynum granulate. Genital seta (3a) 5 (5). Opisthosoma evenly arched in cross section; annuli continuous dorsoventrally. Lateral seta (c2) 20 (19–22), on annulus 3 (2–3) from genitalia rear margin. Ventral seta I (d) 35 (33–43), 31 (30–32) apart, on annulus 12 (12); ventral seta II (e) short, 5 (5), 16 (15–17) apart, on annulus 23 (23–25); ventral seta III (f) 12 (11– 13), 13 (13–15) apart, on annulus 38 (37–40) or 6th from rear. Total ventral annuli 43 (42– 45), with oval microtubercles except caudal annuli with elongate microtubercles; total dorsal annuli 51 (47–52), with elongate microtubercles except in the caudal 10–12 anuli. Caudal seta (h2) 32 (32–38); accessory seta (h1) present, minute.

MALE (n = 3) — Smaller than female, 97–99, 40–50 wide. Gnathosoma: basal seta 3; chelicera 16–17. Prodorsal shield 21–22, 27–30 wide; sc 21–23, 22–23 apart. Legs: leg I 18–19; femur 5–6, bv missing; genu 2–3, l" 17–18; tibia 3, l' missing; tarsus 3–4, ft' 5–9, ft" 10–13, u' 2, solenidion 4, empodium 4, 4­rayed. Leg II 14–16; femur 4–6, bv 3–5; genu 2, l" 5–8; tibia 2; tarsus 4–5, ft' 3–4, ft" 13–14, u' 2, solenidion 9–10, empodium 4–5, 4– rayed. Coxigenital area: 1a 10–12, 6–7 apart; 2a 18–19, 17–18 apart. Genitalia 13–14 wide, 9–10 long; coxigenital area with two faint, smooth annuli. Genital seta (3a) 4–5. Opisthosoma: c 2 17–18, on annulus 2–3; d 37–38, 24–26 apart, on annulus 9–11; e 3–4, 12–13 apart, on annulus 19–22; f 10–12, 12 apart, on annulus 33–36 or 6th from rear. Caudal seta (h2) 26–28; h1 minute.

RELATION TO HOST — Vagrant on lower leaf surface, under debris along midrib and near to petiole.

TYPE MATERIAL — Holotype female, 17 female and 12 male paratypes, from Chrysophyllum gonocarpum (Mart. & Eichl.) Engl. (Sapotaceae) , "guatambu­de­sapo", Fazenda Capoava, Itú, São Paulo, Brazil (23° 12' 36" S, 47° 10' 50" W), coll. CHW Flechtmann, 31 Jul 2002, on 7 microscopic preparations.

ETYMOLOGY — The specific designation is derived from the Latin paulus, little, and refers to the small body size of this species.

REMARKS — Cenaca exigua n.sp. is the fourth known species in the genus and is the smallest one (average length of 6 females 114; 127 in C. syzygioides Keifer, 1972 , 146 in C. decora Flechtmann & Etienne, 2002 and 180 in C. dorestei Boczek & Oleczek, 1988 ). It shares the 4­rayed empodium with C. syzygioides and C. decora (6­rayed in C. dorestei ), the smooth prodorsal shield with C. syzygioides (broken admedian lines in C. dorestei and complete median and admedian in C. decora ), the presence of accessory seta with C. decora (absent in C. syzygioides and apparently absent in C. dorestei ). It is unique in presenting very short opisthosomal ventral seta II (e), about one­seventh the length of opisthosomal seta I (d) (d and e subequal in length in the other known species).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Cenaca exigua n. sp. D, dorsal aspect of female; E, empodium (enlarged); GM, male genitalia (enlarged); L 1, leg I (enlarged); L 2, leg II (enlarged); V, ventral aspect of female.