Africoseiulella flechtmanni Kreiter, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Kreiter, Serge
name: Tixier, Marie-Stéphane
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2006
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Mesostigmata
Phytoseiidae
Africoseiulella
Africoseiulella flechtmanni

description: Africoseiulella flechtmanni Kreiter sp. nov.
(Figs 1–9)
Diagnosis
See characteristics given for the genus.
Description
Adult Female (Figs 1–4) (n = 27). Dorsum (Fig. 1). Dorsal shield 245–302 long and 114–185 wide, with no solenostome, 8 pairs of poroids. Setae j1 5–8, j3 5–8, j4 6–8, j5 5, j6 8–9, J2 8–9, J5 5, z2 6–9, z 3 8–10, z4 6–9, z 5 7–10, Z 4 8–10, Z 5 8–10, s 4 8 –10, s 6 8 –10, S 2 8 –10, S 5 8 –10, r 3 8–10.
Peritreme (Fig. 1). Reaching only region between levels of setae r3 and s4.
Venter (Fig. 2). Distances between ST1–ST3 52–58, ST2–ST2 34–49, ST3–ST3 42–58. Metapodal shields 25–33 long, 2 wide. Ventri­anal shield 76–88 long, 42–58 wide at level of anterior corners and 38–48 wide at level of anus. Membrane surrounding ventrianal shield with 4 pairs of round to oblong poroids. Setae JV5 transversely aligned with anterior margin of anus.
Legs. Chaetotactic formula of genu II: 1–2/0, 2/0–1; genu III: 1–2/0, 2/0–1. Lengths of legs: I, 155–165; II, 145–150; III, 135–139; IV, 170–180.
Chelicera (Fig. 3). Fixed digit 15–18, movable digit 13–15, both edentate.
Gnathosoma elongate (Fig. 3), 162–170 from base to the top of devaginated chelicerae. Proximal segment of chelicera: 16, second median or intermediate segment: 50.
Spermatheca (Fig. 4). Cervix shallowly domed, 5–8 in diameter and 1 high; atrium difficult to see but discernible, 4 to 6 µm distant from base of calyx, to which it is linked by a neck; major duct flaring from the sperm induction pore toward calyx.
Adult Male (Figs 5–7) (n = 5). Dorsum (Fig. 5). Dorsal shield 225–247 long, 114–135 wide. Setae j1 6–9, j3 7–9, j4 5–6, j5 3–5, j6 6–8, J2 6–8, J5 4–5, z2 8–9, z3 8–9, z4 7–8, z5 5–8, Z4 8–9, Z5 7–8, s4 8 –9, s6 8 –9, S2 8, S5 8, r3 6.
Peritreme (Fig. 5). Reaching only region between levels of setae s4 and s6.
Venter (Fig. 6). Distances between ST1–ST5 47–55, ST2–ST2 36–38, ST5–ST 5 31–33. Ventri­anal shield: central section 73–88 long, width 45–59 at the widest point. Setae JV5 transversely aligned with posterior margin of anus.
Legs. Chaetotactic formula of genu II and III as in female. Lengths of legs: I, 145–150; II, 135–139; III, 135–138; IV, 170–180.
Chelicera. Spermatodactyl as shown in Fig. 7. Shaft 8 long.
Deutonymph (Figs 8–9) (n= 3). Dorsum (Fig. 8). Dorsal shield 240 long, 88 wide. Setae j1 5, j3 5, j4 5, j5 4, j6 5, J2 5, J5 3, z2 5, z3 5, z4 5, z5 5, Z4 5, Z5 5, s4 6, s6 6, S2 6, S5 6, r3 7.
Peritreme (Fig. 8). Shorter than in adults, reaching the level of s6.
Venter (Fig. 9). Sternal shield not visible. Ventri­anal shield with no pre­anal setae or pores. Membrane surrounding ventri­anal shield with 3 pairs of setae and 1 pair of oblong poroids; ventri­anal shield 50 long, 42 wide at level of anterior corners and 35 wide at level of anus. Setae JV5 transversely aligned with posterior margin of anus.
Locality and type material
Holotype female, 1 paratype female and 1 paratype male (on 3 preparations) collected on an unknown, low growing weed, Palmeraie de Chekmo, Tunisia, coll. Ph. Auger, VII­ 2000, deposited at Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris. Twenty­four paratype females (on 23 preparations), 2 paratype males (on 2 preparations) and 3 paratype deutonymphs (on 2 preparations) collected on an unknown, low growing weed, Palmeraie de Chekmo, coll. Ph. Auger, VII­2000, deposited at ENSA.M / INRA Acarology Laboratory Collection.
Note
The position of seta JV5 is very odd in the genus described here. In order to ascertain the identity of this seta, the immature stages were observed. JV5 is already present in the larval stage and JV4 only appears in the deutonymphal stage (Chant, 1993). Unfortunately, the available larvae and protonymphs were not in adequate condition to be evaluated, and it was not possible to discern whether JV5 was or was not present. In the deutonymph, a seta was clearly observed in the region normally occupied by JV4. Because JV5 is present in all known phytoseiid species, we conclude that JV5 is present in deutonymphs and adults of the new species here described and that JV4 is absent.
description: Published as part of Kreiter, Serge & Tixier, Marie-Stéphane, 2006, A new genus and species of phytoseiid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) from southern Tunisia, with discussion of its phylogenetic position, pp. 1-18 in Zootaxa 1237 on pages 6-12, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.172799