New genera, a new species, and a key to the genera of Ashieldophyinae (Acari, Eriophyoidea) from India

Abstract Two new genera, Brevishieldophyes Chakrabarti & Pandit, gen. n. and Mesoshieldophyes Chakrabarti & Pandit, gen. n., and a new species Mesoshieldophyesvarecae Chakrabarti & Pandit, sp. n. are described. These mites are leaf vagrants. The morphological characters of the afore-mentioned genera and those of Ashieldophyes Mohanasundaram are compared. A key for separating the genera within the subfamily Ashieldophyinae is provided. The diagnostic characters of the subfamily Ashieldophyinae are also revised.


Materials and methods
Eriophyoid mites were collected and studied as described by Chakrabarti et al. (2017). The terminology and classification given by Lindquist (1996) and Amrine et al. (2003), respectively are followed here. The specimens were examined with a phase contrast Leica DM3000 microscope and photographs were taken with Leica DFC295 camera. All measurements were made following Manson (1996) andde Lillo et al. (2010), and are given in micrometres (µm). Measurements and means are rounded off to the nearest integer and refer to the length of the morphological characters unless specified otherwise. Drawings were made following de Lillo et al. (2010) and Amrine et al. (2003). In the text, measurements of the holotype are followed by the range of measurements of the paratypes plus holotype given in parentheses. All type specimens are now deposited in the collection of the Post-Graduate Department of Zoology, Vidyasagar College, Kolkata 700006, India. After publication, holotypes and paratypes will be deposited in public institutions: one slide with paratypes of each species will be deposited to the National Pusa Collection, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi; the holotype and the remaining paratypes will be deposited in the National Zoological Collection, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata.
Type species. Ashieldophyes glochidionae Chakrabarti & Pandit, 2009. The genus is monotypic. Etymology. Brevi derived from the adjective Latin word brevis meaning short (in relation to prodorsal shield) and ophyes derived from eriophyes meaning erion = wool + phyes = a grower/maker. Gender. Masculine. ( Remarks. The original report of B. glochidionae from G. multiloculare needs further confirmation because this mite species and other two Ashieldophyinae have been collected subsequently from plants of the genus Casearia (Salicaceae).
Type species. Mesoshieldophyes varecae Chakrabarti & Pandit, sp. n. This genus is monotypic. Etymology. The genus name Mesoshieldophyes is derived from meso = middle, referring to the medium size of prodorsal shield and phyes derived from eriophyes meaning erion = wool + phyes, a grower/maker.

Gender. Masculine.
Remarks. The size of the prodorsal shield in this genus is larger than that in the other two genera of this subfamily.
Male  Subfamily Ashieldophyinae Mohanasundaram (1984) Diagnosis. Prodorsal shield poorly developed to moderately developed, lacking scapular tubercles, scapular setae sc absent but if present very short; sternal line absent; coxae widely separated anteriorly; legs with all segments, setae bv on leg I and genual setae lʺ on leg II may or may not be present; opisthosoma lacking setae d and e but c2 and f present; genitalia appressed to the coxae, genital cover flap triangular; genital apodeme curved and abbreviated and spermathecae globose with short spermathecal tubes.