Aceria granulata Carmona, 1972

(Figs 6–7)

Type data: Verbascum sinuatum (Scrophulariaceae)

Relation to the host: vagrant, not seen to cause damage to leaves.

Geographic distribution. Spain (Carmona, 1972) and Iran (here).

Distribution and host plants in Iran. 5 females and 2 males from Aliabad-e Katul (36°54'N - 54°53'E), Golestan Province, on Verbascum spp. (Scrophulariaceae), coll. A. Gol, 0 3 August 2013 and 9 females, 1 male, 0 3 July 2014 mounted on 17 separate microscope slides, which have been stored in the collection of the DVOPP, INHORT, Skierniewice, Poland, and 4 females and 1 male, 0 3 July 2014 mounted on 5 separate slides have been deposited in the DPPFA, FUM, Mashhad, Iran.

Remarks. This is the first record of A. granulata from Iran. The morphological features of females appear to match the original description by Carmona (1972). However females representative of Iranian populations of A. granulata differ from females in Spanish populations by the length and width of their bodies, width of the prodorsal shield and the number of opisthosomal annuli (Table 3). Carmona (1972) didn't find males in Spanish populations of A. granulata. The presence of male specimens in Iranian populations has allowed their description, and this description is presented below.

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MALE (n=2). Body fusiform, 148–204, 44–55 wide. Gnathosoma projecting obliquely down, 18, cheliceral stylets 16, setae d 4–5, simple, ep 3. Prodorsal shield 32–33 length, 40–45 wide, ornamentation: median line broken, admedian lines complete, running parallel to each other from anterior of shield along half of its length and diverging towards rear of shield. On side area of shield and below and between tubercles are a number of short lines and granules. Tubercles sc on rear shield margin, 21–24 apart; setae sc 16–20. Legs – with all usual segments and setae present. Leg I 30–33, femur 9–10, basiventral femoral seta bv 7–8; genu 4–5, antaxial genual seta l ″ 8–10; tibia 7, paraxial tibial seta l ′ 5–6; tarsus 9–10, paraxial fastigial seta ft ′ 23–24, antaxial fastigial seta ft ″ 15–16; paraxial unguinal tarsal seta u ′ 3–5; tarsal solenidion ω 8–9; empodium simple, 4-rayed. Leg II 22–26, femur 7–8, seta bv 12–13; genu 4, seta l ″ 10–11; tibia 4–5; tarsus 5–6, seta ft ′ 16–17, seta ft ″ 10–13; seta u ′ 4; tarsal solenidion ω 10–11; empodium simple 6, 4-rayed. Coxisternal plates with short lines. Anterolateral setae on coxisternum I 1 b 9–10, 11–12 apart; proximal setae on coxisternum I 1a 16–24, 9–10 apart; proximal setae on coxisternum II 2 a 32–42, 21–23 apart; distance between setae 1b and 1a 6–7 apart; distance between setae 1a and 2a 7–8 apart. External genitalia 17–19 wide. Setae 3a 13–15, 14–17 apart. Coxigenital region with 7 annuli. Opisthosoma with 45–46 dorsal annuli, 58–64 ventral annuli. Setae c 2 19–24, on annulus 10–11, 50–51 apart; setae d 37–52, on annulus 20–21, 33–36 apart; setae e 13–19, on annulus 33–37, 16–23 apart; setae f 18–20, on annulus 53–59, 18–19 apart, 5 from rear. Setae h2 45–69, 8–12 apart; setae h1 7–8, 8–9 apart.