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Description of a new relict eriophyoid mite, Loboquintus subsquamatus n. gen. & n. sp. (Eriophyoidea, Phytoptidae, Pentasetacini) based on confocal microscopy, SEM, COI barcoding and novel CLSM anatomy of internal genitalia

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Abstract

A new pentasetacine mite Loboquintus subsquamatus n. gen. & n. sp. was found living under scale-like leaves of 2–3 years old twigs of Cupressus sempervirens in Montenegro. This mite species possesses a number of morphological features (uncommon teardrop-shaped body, traits of prosoma, atypical primitive anatomy of the genital apparatus and morphological traits of immatures) which clearly distinguish it from all other known eriophyoids. Adults of L. subsquamatus have seta vi situated on the anterior margin of a uniquely elongate lingua-like thin frontal lobe, three pits on the posterior prodorsal shield margin, a remarkable tube-like structure in the basal part of gnathosoma, a complicated three-layered epigynium, spermathecae directed antero-laterad, short spermathecal tubes and setae eu suppressed in males and possibly expressed in females. External genitalia of males and females of L. subsquamatus are fundamentally similar. Hypothesized remnants of coxisterna III or IV (forming a postgenital plate) are remarkably distinct in males. Two new morphometrical variables are proposed to supplement the CLSM protocol for description of internal genitalia of eriophyoids proposed by Chetverikov et al. (Zootaxa 3560:41–60, 2012b): (a) the length of ventral projection of the transvers genital apodeme and (b) the length of the posterior (=postspermathecal) part of the longitudinal bridge which in L. subsquamatus is remarkably long, whereas in many other eriophyoids it is reduced.

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Notes

  1. Amrine et al. (2003) organized a separate monotypic phytoptid subfamily Prothricinae, including the phytoptid mite Prothrix aboula Keifer 1965 which has two pairs of setae on their prodorsal shield and presumably inhabits an unknown dicot host-plant (Chetverikov et al. 2012b). In agreement with E. Lindquist (pers. comm., June 2012), we think that the first pair of prodorsal shield setae of Prothrix mites are anteriorly placed setae sc, and not paired setae vi, as proposed by Amrine et al. (2003).

  2. Recently a description of another 5-setous mite Ampezzoa triassica Lindquist and Grimaldi, 2012 found in Triassic amber (probably produced by extinct Cheirolepidiaceae conifers) was published (Schmidt et al. 2012). The systematic position of these mites is still uncertain.

  3. This is not true dark field but a simulated “dark field”. This effect (similar to a true dark field and oblique lighting) can be achieved on a common phase contrast microscope if mites are observed using objectives with lower magnification (4×, 10×, 20×) while the phase contrast condenser ring is in the Ph3 position (which is normally used for the objective 100×). As per e-mail discussions, several eriophyidologists use this method as it provides excellent contrast of mite exoskeletons (bright contours of mites on a dark background) and allows to quickly locate mites on slides (C. Craemer, F. Beaulieu, E. de Lillo, J. Amrine pers. comm. 7–9 December 2011).

  4. The sputter-coating was done immediately after the gluing mites to adhesive disc since otherwise, mites could die and start decaying or collapse.

  5. After comparison of shield design of many females we concluded that the lines are the result of compression of the surface of the shield in the longitudinal direction. So, some observed variation in shield design is not due to intrinsic physical structural variation, but instead to slide-mounting artefact, e.g. the shield surface may be more flattened (with fewer lines) in more compressed specimens.

  6.  =suboral plate sensu Keifer (1975), =infracapitular ledge sensu Lindquist, pers. comm. May 2012.

  7. P.E. Chetverikov (2012a, b, p. 63, punctus 7, Fig. 5B) mentioned that spermatophores also can be observed within the male’s body in CLSM images. We suggest that the structure, he mentioned is the male ductus ejaculatorius and parts of the genital chamber rather than a spermatophore.

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Acknowledgments

We sincerely thank Prof. James W. Amrine (West Virginia University, Morgantown, USA), Dr. Evert E. Lindquist (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa) and Dr. Sogdiana I. Sukhareva (Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Saint-Petersburg State University, Russia) for their critical comments on earlier drafts of manuscript. We are grateful to Dr. H. Dastych (Zoologisches Museum of Universität Hamburg, Deutschland) for loaning syntypes of rare mites Pentasetacus araucariae and to Drs. Charnie Craemer (ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute, Pretoria, South Africa), Ronald Ochoa and Gary R. Bouchan (USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD, USA) for pertinent scientific on-line discussions on SEM techniques for studying eriophyoids and examples of colorized SEM images of mites. This work was partly supported by research grants of the Russian Foundation For Basic Research (RFBR research project # 12-04-31016_mol_a), Saint-Petersburg State University (Grant # 1.0.140.2010) and Ministry of Science and Environment of the Republic of Serbia (Grant # III 43001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Saint-Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab., 7/9, 199034, St. Petersburg, Russia

    Philipp E. Chetverikov

  2. Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya nab., 1, 199034, St. Petersburg, Russia

    Philipp E. Chetverikov

  3. Institute for Plant Protection and Environment Belgrade, Banatska 33, Zemun, Serbia

    Tatjana Cvrković

  4. Department of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture Belgrade, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080, Zemun, Serbia

    Biljana Vidović & Radmila U. Petanović

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  1. Philipp E. Chetverikov
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Correspondence to Philipp E. Chetverikov.

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Chetverikov, P.E., Cvrković, T., Vidović, B. et al. Description of a new relict eriophyoid mite, Loboquintus subsquamatus n. gen. & n. sp. (Eriophyoidea, Phytoptidae, Pentasetacini) based on confocal microscopy, SEM, COI barcoding and novel CLSM anatomy of internal genitalia. Exp Appl Acarol 61, 1–30 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-013-9685-7

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