Eotetranychus cumtiliarium Auger, Migeon & Flechtmann, 2003, n. sp.

Eotetranychus cumtiliarium n. sp.

(Figs. 1­13)

Diagnosis –Among members of willamettei group (Pritchard & Baker, 1955), the female of this species is distinctive in that there are six tactile setae on tibia II. The female of Eotetranychus cactorum Baker and Pritchard, (1960) also bear six tactile setae on tibia II and the empodium of tarsus I of the male resembles that of E. cumtiliarium, but the aedeagi of the two species are different.

Male – Holotype 405 µm long (including gnathosoma). Gnathosoma: palptarsus spinneret 3 times as long as broad. Peritreme hooked distally.

Dorsum ­ Dorsal body setae (lenght of holotype and variations of one paratype in parentheses): v2 49 (47); sc1 85 (80); sc2 55 (54); c1 71 (65); c2 76 (75); c3 64 (59); d1 67 (66); d2 75 (70); e1 66 (62); e2 72 (71); f1 53 (53); f2 45 (45); h1 38 (37); h2 23 (23). Lobes on opisthosomal striae rounded, broader than tall.

Legs – Empodium I with three pairs of hairs more or less equally strong and with ancillary setae, resembling that of female. Empodia II, III and IV bearing three pairs of hairs with proximal pair stronger and with ancillary setae. Leg chaetotaxy as follows (number of setae refers to tactile setae; sensory setae are given in parentheses):

I 2 – 1 – 10 – 5 – 9 + (3) – 13 + (3) + 2 duplexes;

II 2 – 1 – 7 – 5 – 8 – 13 + (1) + 1 duplex;

III 1 – 1 – 4 – 4 – 6 – 10 + (1);

IV 1 – 1 – 4 – 4 – 7 – 10 + (1).

Aedeagus – elongate, slightly sinuous in proximal part, distal part upturned.

Female – Measurements in micrometers (n=4). Idiosoma: length 384­420, gnathosoma 82­105, width 213­277. Gnathosoma: palptarsus with spinneret 2.5 as long as broad. Peritreme hooked distally.

Dorsum – All body setae linear, lanceolate, longer than distances between bases of consecutive setae. v2 58 ­62; sc1 98­103; sc2 65­69; c1 88­92; c2 89­91; c3 75­81; d1 87­93; d2 90­94; e1 80 ­88; e2 86 ­91; f1 76­80; f2 63­71; h1 59­68; h2 34­37. Hysterosomal striation entirely transverse. Lobes on striae rounded, broader than tall.

Venter – Striation transverse and smooth. Area immediately anterior to genital flap and genital flap with transverse striae typical to species­group willamettei (Pritchard and Baker, 1955). Two pairs of paranal setae.

Legs – Empodia split into three pairs of hairs with proximal pair stronger and with ancillary setae. Leg chaetotaxy as follows:

I 2 – 1 – 10 – 5 – 8 + (1) – 12 + (1) + 2 duplexes;

II 2 – 1 – 7 – 5 – 6 – 13 + (1) + 1 duplex;

III 1 – 1 – 4 – 4 – 6 – 10 + (1);

IV 1 – 1 – 4 – 4 – 6 – 10 + (1).

Remark – Pritchard and Baker (1955) stated that in Eotetranychus species the empodium I of the male sometimes resembles that of the female in having three pairs of hairs. However, they presented no drawing neither did they mention this character in the description of any of the species described in their book. We assume that their observation was based on E. cactorum which E. W. Baker collected in early 1955 and Baker & Pritchard described later, in 1960. This character is shared with E. cactorum Baker and Pritchard, 1960 (from the Democratic Republic of the Congo) and, E. greveanae Gutierrez, 1970 and E. botryanthae Gutierrez, 1970 (both from Madagascar).

Material examined – Male holotype, from Tilia platyphyllos (Tiliacae), Steenvoorde, Nord Pas­de­Calais, France, Sophie Bardoux, 10 September 2001; 1 male, 3 female paratypes, same data as for holotype. All material on 5 microscopic preparations deposited in the collection of Department of Zoology, ENSA­INRA, Montpellier (France).

Etymology –The specific designation, cumtiliarium, refers to the few individuals that were found on T. platyphyllos leaves with E. tiliarium. From the Latin, cum­, meaning together, with.