Catachela machaerii Keifer 1969

Catachela machaerii Keifer, 1969 (Fig. 4)

Catachela machaerii Keifer, 1969: 15 –16.

Keifer (1969), in the description of the genus Catachela and its type species, C. machaerii gives " Machaerium villosum Vogel (Leguminosae), a vine" as host plant. Actually, M. villosum is a tree. I collected a very similar mite on a tree of the genus Lonchocarpus (Leguminosae), in the same area, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. According to Dr. Ricardo Ribeiro Rodrigues and Dr. Vinicius Castro Souza, Botanists at the Campus of the University of São Paulo in Piracicaba, Machaerium and Lonchocarpus are rather close genera and some of their species could easily be taken one for another.

The main difference between Keifer's description and the present material is in the length of several setae, which may be due to better optical equipment. The "redescription" below is intended to integrate Keifer's description.

FEMALE (n = 6) — Body 183–251, 72–77 wide; colour in life yellowish­white. Gnathosoma projecting down; antapical seta not found in 30 specimens examined; basal seta 2–4; chelicera 11–14. Prodorsal shield semicircular,with a very short, broad frontal lobe; shield 185–251, 72–77 wide. Median line complete; admedian lines complete, curving out at rear; three transverse lines. A submedian line from admedian at nearly one fourth and a submedian line from admedian at nearly one half, both curving out and back towards dorsal tubercles. Shield laterally with short dashes. Shield tubercles on rear margin, 30–33 apart, directing scapular seta (sc) divergently to rear; sc 20–22. Legs with tibial I and femoral I setae missing. Leg I 26–31; femur 9–12, femoral seta (bv) missing; genu 3– 4, genual seta (l") 28 (28–32); tibia 3–4, tibial seta (l') missing; tarsus 6–7, dorsal seta (ft') 16–19, lateral seta (ft") 23–26, unguinal seta (u') angulated, 8–9, solenidion displaced downward below empodium, nearly straight and pointed, 5–6, empodium 8–11, 8–9­ rayed. Leg II 26–28; femur 10–11, bv 11–15; genu 3–4, l" 9–11; tibia 3–4; tarsus 6, ft' 9– 11, ft" 25–28, u' straight, 5–8, solenidion in normal dorsal position, 12–14, curved, empodium 9–10, 8–9­rayed. Coxigenital area: coxae I fused; coxae I and II granulated. Coxal seta I (1b) 10–12, 14–15 apart; coxal seta II (1a) 16–26, 9–11 apart; coxal seta III (2a) 36– 42, 24–27 apart. Genitalia 21–23 wide, 13–18 long; genital seta (3a) 22–36. Epigynum basally granulated and with 1–2 arched transverse lines parallel to and ahead of rear margin. Opisthosoma evenly arched in transverse section. Lateral seta (c2) 46–55, on annulus 6–8 counting from genitalia rear margin. Ventral seta I (d) 56–69, 40–44 apart, on annulus 19–21; ventral seta II (e) 53–58, 26–31 apart, on annulus 40–43; ventral seta III (f) 29–32, 18–22 apart, on annulus 63–68 or 7th from rear. Total ventral annuli 69–74, with beadlike microtubercles; total dorsal annuli 66–78, with elongate microtubercles produced into an acute angle to rear overlapping ring rear margin; microtubercles fading on caudal annuli. Caudal seta (h2) 77–97; accessory seta (h1) minute.

MALE (n = 2) — Smaller than female, 188–205, 66–69 wide. Gnathosoma: antapical seta not seen (in 5 specimens examined); basal seta 2–3; chelicera 12–13. Prodorsal shield 32–36, 55–57 wide; sc 17–18, 31–32 apart. Legs: leg I 26; femur 11–12, bv missing; genu 3, l" 28–31; tibia 3, l' missing; tarsus 6, ft' 18–19, ft" 25–26, u' 7, solenidion 5, empodium 9–10, 8–10­rayed. Leg II 25; femur 11, bv 10–11; genu 3, l" 9–10; tibia 2–3; tarsus 6, ft' 8–10, ft" 24–26, u' 6–7, solenidion 11–12, empodium 8–9, 8–10­rayed. Coxigenital area: 1b 10–12, 13–14 apart; 1a 19–22, 9–10 apart; 2a 36–37, 23–24 apart. Genitalia 16–17 wide, 14 long, with a few caudal granules; 3a 23. Opisthosoma: c2 39–41, on annulus 4–6; d 55–60, 34–35 apart, on annulus 14–15; e 49–50, 24–25 apart, on annulus 33–34; f 25–30, 20–21 apart, on annulus 57–59 or 7th from rear. Total ventral annuli 63– 65, terminal annulus with the five central microtubercles robust, spinelike. Total dorsal annuli 65–66. Caudal seta (h2) 61–75; h1 minute.

RELATION TO HOST — vagrant on lower leaf surface.

MATERIAL EXAMINED — 60 females, 6 males, from Lonchocarpus sp. (Leguminosae), Campus "Luiz de Queiroz", Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil (22° 42' 30" S, 47° 38' 00" W), 30 Jul 2002, coll. CHW Flechtmann, on 9 microscopic preparations.