Three new species from the subfamily Phyllocoptinae (Acari, Trombidiformes, Eriophyidae) in Iran

Abstract Three new eriophyid species (Phyllocoptinae), Shevtchenkella denticulata sp. n., Notallus pestehae sp. n. and Echinacrus ruthenicus sp. n., were described from Eryngium thyrsoideum Boiss. (Apiaceae), Pistacia vera L. (Anacardiaceae) and Lycium ruthenicum Murray (Solanaceae), respectively. All the three new species were collected from southwest of the East Azerbaijan province, Iran in 2011. It is the first record of an eriophyoid mite collected from E. thyrsoideum and L. ruthenicum and the first record of Notallus from Anacardiaceae plant family.


Material and methods
The eriophyoid mite fauna of E. thyrsoideum, P. vera and L. ruthenicum was surveyed in the southwest of East Azerbaijan, Iran, during 2011. Mites were recovered from plant materials according to the modified washing method based on the protocol developed by Monfreda et al. (2007) and mounted on slides according to the protocol reported in Baker et al. (1996). The terminology and setal notation in the morphological descriptions follow mainly Lindquist (1996). The number of measured specimens (n) is given within parentheses in the description. All measurements were made with a phase contrast microscope Olympus BX50 according to Manson (1996) and, and are given in micrometres. Measurements and means are rounded off to the nearest integer when required, and refer to the length of the morphological characters unless specified otherwise. Since some measurements of the holotype could not be taken, due to the mounting position, the mean measurements of the paratypes are reported. Range values are given in parentheses except in case of constant value or unless specified otherwise. Drawings were made according to  and abbreviations follow Amrine et al. (2003). The genus classification follows Amrine et al. (2003) and comparisons were also made with the new genera described since that publication.
Type material. Holotype: single female on a microscope slide (ET-IEA-AJ11L-1) (deposited at the Acarology Laboratory, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran). Paratypes: 12 females, 1 male and 2 nymphs mounted on separate microscope slides.
Other material. Mites preserved in Oudemans' fluid and extracted from the sample collected in the same locality on the same date above mentioned.
Etymology. This species is named based on the denticulate shape of the female genital coverflap.
Remarks. This is the first record of a species belonging to the genus Shevtchenkella collected on a plant of the family Apiaceae and the first record of an eriophyoid mite on E. thyrsoideum. Differential diagnosis. The new species herein described does not show any similarity with any known Shevtchenkella spp. whereas shows some similarities with Aculus pimpinellae (Liro, 1941) collected from Pimpinella saxifraga L. (Apiaceae) in Hollola, Hatsina, Tavastia australis Natural Province, Finland. Differences between these two species, other than those related to the fact they belong to two different genera, are: the ratio between the prodorsal shield length and the length of sc setae (5.5 in Iranian species versus 2 in Liro's species); number of dorsal annuli (21-24 in Iranian species versus 28 in Liro's species); size and shape of the female genital coverflap (15×23 with denticulate rear margin in Iranian species versus 15×16 with smooth margin in Liro's species).
Type material. Holotype: single female on a microscope slide (LR-IEA-II11L-1) (at the Acarology Laboratory, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran). Paratypes: 9 females, 2 males and 1 nymph mounted on separate microscope slides.
Other material. Mites preserved in Oudemans' fluid as extracted from the same sample as the type specimens.
Etymology. The specific epithet is coming from the host plant name ruthenicum, deleting "m" and adding "s" as suffix.
Remarks. This is the first record of the genus Echinacrus on plants of family Solanaceae, first record of this genus in Iran and the first record of eriophyoid mites on L. ruthenicum.
Differential diagnosis. The new species herein described was compared with all Echinacrus species and similarities along with E. septemcarinatus (Liro, 1941), collected on Frangula dodonei Ard. (the synonym Rhamnus frangula L. was originally listed by Liro) in Lintula, Isthmus karelicus, Finland, were observed. The empodial rays (4 of the Iranian species versus 5 of Liro's species), shape, number and density of dorsal microtubercles (denser and more numerous in the Iranian species than those of Liro's description) and prodorsal shield pattern (22 cells in the Iranian species versus a lower number of cells in part differently arranged) are the main differences between the two species.
Other material. Mites preserved in Oudemans' fluid as extracted from the same sample as the type specimens.
Etymology. The specific epithet is coming from the Persian common name pesteh given to pistachio.
Remarks. This is the first record of a species belonging to the genus Notallus on plants of the Anacardiaceae family.
Differential diagnosis. The genus Notallus is characterized by both lateral and middorsal ridges beginning on the forth dorsal semiannulus (Amrine et al. 2003) while the Iranian mite is provided with lateral ridges beginning since the first dorsal semiannulus. In addition, N. nerii Keifer, 1975 has more dorsal semiannuli (about 26) and less ventral semiannuli (about 49) in respect to N. pestheae (about 22 and 59, respectively), its prodorsal shield is provided with a narrower frontal lobe and an almost "obsolete" pattern composed of faint admedian and converging submedian lines (N. pesthae displays a clear pattern). Finally, N. pterocaryae Kuang, Luo & Wang, 2005, has smooth prodorsal shield and coxae (both areas are provided with ornamentations in N. pestheae) and empodium 7-rayed (4-rayed in N. pestheae).