Diptacus maddenis Song, Xue & Hong, 2007, sp. nov.

Diptacus maddenis sp. nov.

(Fig. 3)

Description. FEMALE: (n = 12) Body fusiform, 326 (315–340), 96 (90–98) wide, 88 (85–93) thick; light yellow. Gnathosoma 68 (65–70), pedipalp coxal setae (ep) 3 (3–4), dorsal pedipalp genual setae (d) 10 (9–12), gnathosoma projecting downwards. Prodorsal shield 40 (39–40), 66 (60–70) wide; prodorsal shield with frontal lobe broad; prodorsal shield design with complete median and admedian lines, incomplete submedian lines; the median line connected at anterior 1/3 and 2/3 of shield with sinuous admedian lines by transverse lines; median, admedian and submedian lines connected anteriorly by a sinuous transverse line forming celllike network. Scapular tubercles ahead of rear margin, 22 (20–23) apart, scapular setae (sc) 4 (3–4), projecting mediad. Coxal area I with granules, coxal area II smooth; anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 17 (16– 18), proximal setae on basal coxisternum I (1a) 21 (20–23), proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 53 (50–55). Prosternal apodeme absent. Legs I 48 (46–50), femur 14 (14–15), basiventral femoral setae (bv) absent; genu 6 (5–6), antaxial genual setae (l'') 49 (48–50); tibia 15 (15–16), paraxial tibial setae (l') 10 (10–11), setae located 2/3 from dorsal base; tarsus 9 (8–9), tarsal setae (u') 4 (4–5), tarsal empodium divided, each empodial branch four-rayed, tarsal solenidion knobbed. Legs II 43 (41–45), femur 12 (12–13), basiventral femoral setae (bv) absent; genu 6 (5–6), antaxial genual setae (l'') 12 (11–13); tibia 12 (12–13); tarsus 9 (8–9), tarsal setae (u') 4 (4–5), tarsal empodium divided, each empodial branch four-rayed, tarsal solenidion knobbed. Opisthosoma: dorsal opisthosoma with 57 (56–59) annuli, with elongated microtubercles on rear annular margins, dorsum of opisthosoma evenly rounded; ventrally with 69 (69–73) annuli with round microtubercles. Setae c2 36 (35–38) on ventral annulus 17 (16–17); setae d 76 (72–78) on ventral annulus 34 (33–35); setae e 52 (50– 55) on ventral annulus 54 (53–55); setae f 43 (41–45) on 11th ventral annulus from rear. Setae h1 minute. Female genitalia 18 (18–19), 34 (33–35) wide, coverflap with granules on base, proximal setae on coxisternum III (3a) 10 (10–11).

MALE: Unknown.

Types. Holotype, female, from Maddenia hypoleuca Koehne (Rosaceae), Cuihua Mountain, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China, 32°59’40’’N, 109°00’04’’E, August 14, 2005, collected by Zi-Wei Song and Xiao- Feng Xue. Paratypes, 11 females, with the same date as holotype.

Relation to host. Mites are vagrant on the undersurface of leaves, causing no apparent damage.

Etymology. The specific designation maddenis is from the generic name of the host plant, Maddenia.

Note. This species is similar to Diptacus persicae Xue, Song & Hong, 2006, but can be differentiated by dorsal shield with median continuous and frontal lobe broad (dorsal shield with median discontinuous and frontal lobe absent in D. persicae), empodium divided, each empodial branch four-rayed (three-rayed in D. persicae), dorsal annuli with elongated microtubercles (dorsal annuli with spiny microtubercles in D. persicae).