Description

Female (Figs. 10­15) (holotype and 10 paratypes): 243 (186­295) long, 72 (70­77) wide; body wormlike. Gnathosoma 24 (24­28) long, antapical seta d 5 (4­5) long. Chelicerae 23 (20­23) long, almost straight. Prodorsal shield 41 (41­45) long, 60 (60­68) wide, subrhomboid in shape and smooth, with lobe weakly expressed; dorsal tubercles sc setae ahead of rear shield margin, 22 (18­22) apart, scapular setae sc 13 (11­14) long, directed up and centrad.

Leg I 43 (40­46) long, tibia 11 (10­11) long with seta l’ 6 (5­6) long; tarsus 10 (10­12) long; solenidion 9 (9­10) long, unknobbed; empodium 10 (9­10) long 4 ­rayed. Leg II 40 (39­41) long; tibia 7 (7­9) long; tarsus 9 (9­11) long; solenidion 9 (9­10) long, unknobbed; empodium 10 (9­10) long. Coxae smooth; sternum 10 (9­10) long. First forecoxal tubercles 1 b 11 (11­13) apart, setae 8 (7­10) long; second tubercles 1a 7 (6­8) apart, setae 40 (30­49) long; hindcoxal tubercles 2a 25 (25­30) apart, setae 55 (43­66) long.

Opisthosoma of 59 (57­61) smooth dorsal annuli and 65 (62­67) ventral annuli, only the last 4­5 annuli with several ventral microstriate.

Lateral setae c 2 35 (30­36) long, on ventral annulus 11 (10­11); first ventral setae d 35 (32­37) long, on ventral annulus 24 (22­25); second ventral setae e 16 (14­17) long, on ventral annulus 41 (37­42); third ventral setae f 36 (34­38) long, on 6 th (5 th­ 6 th) annulus from the rear. Accessory h setae 4 (4­5) long.

Female genitalia between ventral annuli 4 (3­4) and 5 (4­5), 19 (15­20) long and 27 (26­28) wide; coverflap smooth; 3 a setae 18 (11­19) long, tubercles 17 (16­18) apart.

Male (Fig. 16) (1 specimen): (205) long; prodorsal shield (41) long, with obscure lines; median on rear half of shield, admedians almost complete, short submedians between dorsal tubercles and admedians; sides of shield granular; coxae ornamented with dots.

Opisthosoma of (55) dorsal and (70) ventral annuli, all microtuberculated.

Genitalia (25) wide; 3 a setae (14) long, tubercles (19) apart.

Nymph, larva: not studied

Etymology: the specific name is derived from host plant generic name.

Host plant: Bromus inermis Leyss. (Poaceae).

Relation to host plant: the mite causes galls on the plant leaves.

Type locality: Mongolia, Arkhangay Aymag, near Tsetserleg locality, valley near larch and birch forest; 15.07.2000; leg. A. Skoracka.

Material examined: holotype female, 10 female paratypes, 1 male allotype.

Differential diagnosis

The new species is close to Eriophyes cyperi (Channabasavanna, 1966), but it can be distinguished on the basis of differences in having smooth prodorsal shield, coxae, opisthosomal annuli and genital coverflap. In addition, the new species inhabits galls whilst E. cyperi lives underneath sheathing bracts on inflorescences.

Since the male has microtuberculated annuli, obscure shield pattern and ornamented coxae, those females may be deutogynes that differ somehow from protogynes.