Mites of the genus Typhlodromus (Acari: Phytoseiidae) from Southern France: combined morphological and molecular approaches for species identification
Author
Tixier, Marie-Stéphane
Author
Dennj, Principato
Author
Douin, Martial
Author
Kreiter, Serge
Author
Haralabos, Tsolakis
text
Zootaxa
2019
2019-05-14
4604
2
242
280
journal article
26834
10.11646/zootaxa.4604.2.2
943ac4e5-eee2-409e-a058-eb76866f102a
1175-5326
2806972
3B7FA7A1-3EFC-4AC2-B08C-0A8FD52247A1
Typhlodromus
(
Anthoseius
)
ilicis
Athias-Henriot, 1960
Typhlodromus ilicis
Athias-Henriot, 1960
: 95
.
Amblydromella ilicis
—
Moraes
et al
., 1986
: 164
.
Specimens collected.
Five females on
Quercus pubescens
Willdenow (Fagaceae)
,
12 females
on
Quercus ilex
L. (
Fagaceae
), one female on
Cedrus atlantica
(Manetti ex Endl) Carrière (Pinaceae)
in Parc des Cévennes,
France
(
44°05’17.2”N
,
3°34’51.9”E
;
44°04’54.6”N
,
3°37’12.0”E
;
44°05’17.2”N
,
3°34’51.9”E
), on
14/09/2017
.
Known distribution.
Algeria
,
France
,
Morocco
.
Measurements
(
6 females
)
Dorsum
.
Dorsal shield 309 (306–312) long, 150 (147–155) wide at level of
s4
and
S2
, 143 at level of waist, slightly reticulated, with three solenostomes (
gd2
,
gd6
,
gd9
); poroids and sigilla clearly visible; 18 pairs of dorsal setae and two pairs of sub-lateral setae:
j1
23 (19–27);
j3
27 (20–31);
j4
17 (16–18);
j5
18 (17–19);
j6
21 (20–23);
J2
24 (24–25);
J5
6 (5, 7);
z2
18 (15–20);
z3
22 (18–24);
z4
24 (22–26);
z5
16 (15–18);
Z4
33 (30–36);
Z5
55 (54–57);
s4
30
(28– 33);
s6
32
(29–35);
S2
35
(31–37);
S4
24
(22–27);
S5
10
(9–11);
r3
23 (21–24);
R1
20 (19–21). All setae smooth, except
Z5
, serrated. Peritreme extending forwards between the bases of setae
z2–z3
or
z3–z4
.
Ventral idiosoma
.
Sternal shield with two pairs of setae (
st1
,
st2
). Distances between setae
st1–st1
57 (55–59),
st2–st2
70 (67–71),
st1–st2
35 (33–37). Poroids
iv2
on the posterior margin of the sternal shield. Setae
st3
and
st4
tylochorous (on platelets). Genital shield smooth. Genital sigilla (1–3 pairs) visible. The 4
th
and 5
th
pairs of genital sigilla between or antero-paraxial to the bases of the setae
ZV1
. The 6
th
pair of sigilla thin, elongated, at level of the bases of the setae
JV1
. Ventrianal shield with two pairs of pre-anal setae (
JV2
,
JV3
) and a pair of
gv3
(in most of the specimens). We also observed specimens with three setae (one pair of
JV2
and a single
JV3
) and one pair of
gv3
on the ventrianal shield (one specimen measured), and specimens with three setae (one pair of
JV2
and a single
JV3
) and one
gv3
on the ventrianal shield (
1 specimen
measured). Setae
JV5
43 (42–44) long.
Chelicera
. Fixed digit 27 (27–28) long with three teeth between the
pilus dentilis
and the apical tooth. Movable digit 27 (26–28) long, with one tooth.
Legs
.
Genu II with eight setae, 2 2/0 2/0 2; Leg IV with a macroseta on the basitarsus,
StIV
42 (39–43).
Insemination apparatus
.
Major duct very short (5), calyx bell-shaped 16 long and 9 wide; atrium differentiated, included in the calyx. Embolus visible, as well as the minor duct.
Remarks
. As in other surveys,
T
. (
A
.)
ilicis
is herein reported on
Q
.
ilex
. However, it is the first time that this species is reported on
Q
.
pubescens
and
C
.
atlantica
.
Three morphotypes were observed among the specimens collected: (i) specimens bearing two pairs of setae (
JV2
and
JV3
) and one pair of
gv3
on the ventrianal shield, (ii) specimens with three setae (one pair of
JV2
and a single
JV3
) and one pair of
gv3
on the ventrianal shield, and (iii) specimens with three setae (one pair of
JV2
and a single
JV3
) and one
gv3
on the ventrianal shield. Because of this variability, we also examined the specimens identified as
T
. (
A
.)
ilicis
collected in
Morocco
(
Tixier
et al
., 2016
). Two kinds of specimens were found there, all identified as
T
. (
A
.)
ilicis
: (i) specimens with three setae (one pair of
JV2
and one
JV3
) and one
gv3
on the ventrianal shield and (ii) specimens with three setae and no
gv3
on the ventrianal shield. We thus question the identity of the specimens collected in this survey (
Table 2
). Except for the
gv3
pores (one, two or none) and the number of setae on the ventrianal shield (four or three), no difference was observed between the morphotypes (
Table 2
).
When performing the identification of the specimens herein collected, we compared them to the two species within the sub-genus
Typhlodromus
(
Anthoseius
)
having two pairs of setae on the ventrianal shield:
T
. (
A
.)
creticus
Stathakis & Papadoulis and
T
. (
A
.)
ilicis
. These two species are very similar and
Ferragut (2018)
suggested a potential synonymy.
Table 2
reports the seta measurements and other morphological features of
T
. (
A
.)
creticus
(retrieved from the original description) and of
T
. (
A
.)
ilicis
(re-description of
Ferragut, 2018
). In both publications, the specimens have two pairs of pre-anal setae and a pair of
gv3
always present. In the original description of
T
.
(
A
.)
ilicis
(in
Athias-Henriot, 1960
)
, the ventrianal shield bears two pre-anal setae but nothing is mentioned about the pores
gv
3
in the text or the drawings (
gv3
not drawn). At that stage, two hypotheses can be proposed: (i)
T
. (
A
.)
ilicis
and
T
. (
A
.)
creticus
are two valid species and the only diagnosic character is the presence or absence of
gv3
or (ii)
T
. (
A
.)
ilicis
and
T
. (
A
.)
creticus
are synonyms and the presence of
gv3
is variable within a same species. To test these two hypotheses, molecular experiments were carried out (see below).