Aculus cheilophilanus, Song, Zi-Wei, Xue, Xiao-Feng & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2009

Song, Zi-Wei, Xue, Xiao-Feng & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2009, Six new species of Aculus Keifer from Tibet Autonomous Region, China (Acari: Eriophyoidea: Eriophyidae: Phyllocoptinae), Zootaxa 2305, pp. 1-23 : 19-22

Aculus cheilophilanus sp. nov.

( Figs 11 & 12 )

Description. FEMALE: (n = 16) Body fusiform, 250 (245–255), 70 (68–71) wide, 68 (68–72) thick; light yellow. Gnathosoma 42 (42–44), projecting obliquely down, pedipalp coxal seta (ep) 5 (4–5), dorsal pedipalp genual seta (d) 12 (10–12), cheliceral stylets 40 (40–42). Prodorsal shield 48 (47–48), 59 (55–59) wide, prodorsal shield with lobe rounded; shield with incomplete median line, admedian and submedian lines complete, granules on these lines. Scapular tubercles on shield rear margin, 33 (33–36) apart, scapular setae (sc) 25 (20–25) projecting posteriorly. Coxal plates with short lines and granules; anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 8 (8–10), 14 (13–14) apart, proximal setae on coxisternum I (1a) 25 (22–25), 10 (9–10) apart, proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 50 (50–60), 26 (26–27) apart. Prosternal apodeme present. Legs with usual series of setae. Leg I 50 (48–50), femur 12 (11–12), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 14 (14–16); genu 7 (6–7), antaxial genual seta (l ʺ) 28 (25–28); tibia 12 (11–12), paraxial tibial seta (l ʹ) 11 (10–11), located 1/4 from dorsal base; tarsus 10 (9–10); paraxial fastigial tarsal seta (ft ʹ) 22 (19–22), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft ʺ) 23 (20–24), paraxial unguinal tarsal seta (u ʹ) 5 (4–5); tarsal empodium 8 (8–9), simple, 8-rayed, tarsal solenidion 8 (8–9), knobbed. Leg II 47 (44–47), femur 12 (11–12), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 12 (11–12); genu 7 (6–7), antaxial genual seta (l ʺ) 13 (13–15); tibia 10 (9–10); tarsus 8 (8–9); paraxial fastigial tarsal seta (ft ʹ) 9 (9–10), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft ʺ) 23 (20–25), paraxial unguinal tarsal seta (u ʹ) 5 (4–5); tarsal empodium 8 (8–9), simple, 8-rayed, tarsal solenidion 8 (8–9), knobbed. Opisthosoma dorsally with 50 (43– 50) annuli, with elliptical microtubercles on annular rear margins; ventrally with 76 (76–80) annuli, with round microtubercles. Setae c2 42 (40–42) on ventral annulus 13 (13–14); setae d 60 (55–60) on ventral annulus 27 (27–30), 43 (42–43) apart; setae e 40 (40–50) on ventral annulus 47 (47–49), 22 (21–22) apart; setae f 43 (40–43) on 6th ventral annulus from rear, 25 (25–26) apart. Setae h1 5 (5–6), setae h2 59 (58–60). Female genital coverflap 14 (12–14), 23 (20–23) wide, with 10 longitudinal ridges and two transverse lines at base, setae 3a 60 (60–65), 19 (18–19) apart.

MALE: Not seen.

Type material. Holotype, female (slide No. NJAUAcariEri994, marked holotype), from Salix cheilophila Schneid (Salicaceae) , Lhasa City, Tibet Autonomous Region, P. R. China, 23 August, 2007, coll. Zi-Wei Song, Xiao-Feng Xue & Zhen Wang. Paratypes, 15 females (slides No. NJAUAcariEri994) with the same data as holotype.

Relation to host. Vagrant on leaf undersurface. No damage to the host was observed.

Etymology. The specific designation cheilophilanus is from the host species name “ cheilophila ”.

Differential diagnosis. This species is similar to A. changbais Xue, Song & Hong, 2008 , but can be differentiated by the prodorsal shield with granulate lines (prodorsal shield with smooth lines in A. changbais ); paraxial tibial seta (l ʹ) located 1/4 from dorsal base (paraxial tibial seta (l ʹ) located 1/3 from dorsal base in A. changbais ); tarsal empodium 8-rayed and solenidion knobbed (tarsal empodium 6-rayed and solenidion tapered in A. changbais ).

Figures

FIGURE 11. Aculus cheilophilanus sp. nov. D, dorsal view of female; LO, enlarged lateral view of opisthosoma; CG, coxae and genitalia of female.

FIGURE 12. Aculus cheilophilanus sp. nov. L, lateral view of female; em, empodium; L 1, leg I; L 2, leg II.