Typhlodromus auratus Ueckermann & Loots

El-Banhawy, E. M. & Knapp, M., 2011, Mites of the family Phytoseiidae Berlese from Kenya (Acari: Mesostigmata) 2945, Zootaxa 2945 (1), pp. 1-176 : 53

Typhlodromus auratus Ueckermann & Loots

( Fig. 84 )

Typhlodromus auratus Ueckermann & Loots, 1988: 28 .

Material examined. Kenya, 4 females, salient main road, Mt . Kenya, Mutubia gate, altitude 2400 m, July 13, 2004 (El-Banhawy); 2 females, Taita Hills, Coast Province , altitude 1631 m, July 2, 2006 (El-Banhawy) .

Female: Dorsal shield reticulated, 285 long, 130 wide. Measurements of dorsal setae: j1 16, j3 21, j4, j5 14, j6 18, J2 24, J5 9, z2 16, z3 21, z4 23, z5 16, Z4 32, Z5 50, s4 15, s6 25, S2, S4 30, S5 25, r3, R1 23, JV5 40. Setae Z 4, Z5, serrated, Z5 knobbed, remaining setae smooth. Peritrematal shield fused anteriorly with dorsal shield, reaching level of j1. Sternal shield, distances between St I-St III 58 , St II-St II 52 , St III off shield, St IV on platelets. Genital shield 55 wide. Ventri-anal shield 97 long, 70 wide, with a pair of round pre-anal pores close to each other and four pairs of pre-anal setae (JV1, JV2, JV3, ZV2). Two pairs of metapodal platelets, two pairs of sigillar sclerites and four pairs of setae surrounding ventri-anal shield. Fixed digit of chelicera with six teeth, movable digit with three teeth. Spermatheca calyx broad, parallel sides, 12 long, 5 wide, atrium conspicuous, 4 long. Macroseta knobbed, St IV 37 . Chaetotaxy : genu II 2 , 2 / 0, 2/1, 1, genu III 1 , 2 /1, 2/0, 1.

Remarks. The female holotype and male paratype were collected from Golden Gate Highlands National Park, Orange Free State, South Africa, 11 February, 1982 ( Ueckermann & Loots, 1988). In the Kenyan specimens, St III is free on the integument, the fixed digit of chelicera has six teeth and the pre-anal pores are close to each other.

Figures

FIGURE 84. Typhlodromus auratus Ueckermann & Loots (Female). A. Dorsal shield; B. Ventral shields; C. Chelicera; D. Spermatheca; E. Leg IV.