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A New Species of Galendromus (Acari: Phytoseiidae): A Case of
Intraspecific Variation and Redefinition of carinulatus Species
Group
Author(s): Peterson R. Demite, Antonio C. Lofego, Reinaldo J. F. Feres
Source: Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 101(5):804-807. 2008.
Published By: Entomological Society of America
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/0013-8746(2008)101[804:ANSOGA]2.0.CO;2
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SYSTEMATICS

A New Species of Galendromus (Acari: Phytoseiidae): A Case of
Intraspecific Variation and Redefinition of carinulatus Species Group

PETERSON R. DEMITE,1 ANTONIO C. LOFEGO,2 AND REINALDO J. F. FERES1,3

Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 101(5): 804Ð807 (2008)

ABSTRACT A new species, Galendromus (Mugidromus) sulamericanus, is described from north-
western São Paulo state, Brazil, and it is included in the carinulatus species group Chant and
Yoshida-Shaul, which is herein redeÞned to accommodate this new species. A variation in the insertion
of ZV2 seta in the ventral shield was observed in individuals from the same population. A key is
provided for all known species of the subgenus Mugidromus Tuttle and Muma.

KEYWORDS Brazil, carinulatus species group,Galendromus (Mugidromus), predatory mites, South
America

Galendromus Muma is a genus of Metaseiulini Chant
and McMurtry, with 12 species currently known. The
majority of the species occur in Central America and
in southern USA, but they are also recorded in other
partsof theworld(ChantandMcMurtry1994).Before
this publication, only Galendromus (Galendromus)
annectensMuma,was recorded fromBrazil (deMoraes
et al. 2004).

The genusGalendromus is divided into two subgen-
era: Galendromus Muma and Mugidromus Tuttle and
Muma. The subgenus Mugidromus is separated into
two species groups, pinnatus and carinulatus.The spe-
cies in these groups were reviewed by Chant and
Yoshida-Shaul (1984) and included in the subgenus
Mugidromus by Chant and McMurtry (1994). The
former has two species recorded in North America,
whereas the latter species was based on a single spe-
cies, Galendromus (Mugidromus) carinulatus (De-
Leon), described from a holotype female collected on
Pithecollobium lanceolatum (HBK.) in La Tinaja, Ve-
racruz, Mexico. In this article, a second species of the
carinulatus group, Galendromus (Mugidromus) su-
lamericanus n. sp., is described and illustrated from
specimens collected in northwestern São Paulo state,
Brazil.

The locality where those mites were found is a
tropical warm and wet area, with dry season that
ranges from April to September (with only 15% of
annual precipitation) and wet season that ranges from
October to March. The annual precipitation ranges
from �1,100 mm to 1,250 mm. The annual mean tem-

perature is 25�C, with a minimum mean of 20�C and
maximum mean of 30�C (Barcha and Arid 1971, Arid
and Barcha 1973).

Materials and Methods

Dorsal and ventral setal nomenclature are those of
Rowell et al. (1978) and Chant and Yoshida-Shaul
(1991), respectively. All measurements are given in
micrometers. The holotype measurements are shown
in bold type followed by the mean and range in pa-
rentheses. The type specimens are deposited in the
collection of Acari, Departamento de Zoologia e Bo-
tânica, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), São
José do Rio Preto, State of São Paulo, Brazil (DZSJRP,
http//www.splink.cria.org.br).

Results

Galendromus (Mugidromus) sulamericanus n. sp.
(Figs. 1Ð7)

Diagnosis

This species differs principally from G. (M.) car-
inulatus by having most setae on central region of
dorsal shield slightly serrated; dorsal setae longer, with
exception of setae j1, S5, and J5 and by the shape of
cervix of spermatheca.

Description

Female(Figs. 1–5)(nine specimens).Dorsum.Dor-
sal shield 277: 278 (262Ð297) long, 135: 140 (130Ð149)
wide at level of s4; distinctly reticulated, with strong
sclerotization in the dorsocentral area which imparts
a ridged appearance; setae: j1 12: 13 (11Ð15), j3 20: 21
(20Ð23), j4 18: 18 (16Ð20), j5 15: 16 (15Ð19), j6 16: 18

1 Corresponding author: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia
Animal, UNESP-Universidade Estadual Paulista, R. Cristóvão Co-
lombo, 2265, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil (e-mail:
peterson_demite@yahoo.com.br).

2 Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica, UNESP-Universidade Es-
tadual Paulista, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.

3 CNPq-Brazil Researcher.

0013-8746/08/0804Ð0807$04.00/0 � 2008 Entomological Society of America


(16Ð20), J2 16: 19 (16Ð20), J5 7: nine (7Ð10), z2 22:
21 (19Ð22), z3 20: 22 (20Ð23), z4 28: 30 (28Ð32), z5 16:
18 (16Ð20), Z4 45: 49 (45Ð55), Z5 44: 47 (42Ð56), s4 30:
33 (30Ð36), s6 33: 36 (33Ð39), S2 34: 38 (34Ð42), S5
14: 15 (14Ð17), r3 22: 21 (19Ð23).

All setae squamous; z4, s4, s6, S2, and Z5 serrated,
and the other slightly serrated.
Peritreme. Extending forward to the level of j3, but

not reaching the level of j1.
Venter. Sternal shield slightly discernible, with

three pairs of setae and with only one visible pair of
lyriÞssures, posterior to st1; distance between st1-st3
52: 55 (52Ð57) and between st2-st2 51: 51 (48Ð54).
Genital shield smooth, distance between st5-st5 54: 54

(50Ð59). Ventri-anal shield smooth; with four pairs of
preanal setae and a pair of pores posteriormediad to
JV2; 85: 85 (81Ð89) long, 52: 49 (45Ð55) wide at level
of ZV2, 52: 49 (46Ð52) wide at level of anus. Setae ZV1
on integument surrounding ventri-anal shield. In some
specimens one or both setae of ZV2 pair are on in-
tegument surrounding ventri-anal shield. Setae JV5
smooth; 17: 17 (15Ð19) long.
Chelicera. Movable digit 19: 19 (18Ð19) with one

tooth, Þxed digit 20: 20 (19Ð21) with three teeth.
Spermatheca. Cervix tubular with a bending next to

the atrium; 19: 15 (13Ð19) long.
Legs. Without macrosetae. Chaetotactic formula of

genu II: 2-2/0-2/0-1 and genu III : 1-2/1-2/0-1.

Figs. 1–7. Galendromus (Mugidromus) sulamericanus n. sp. Female: dorsal shield (1), ventral idiosoma (2), chelicera (3),
spermatheca (4), and leg IV (genu, tibia, and tarsus) (5). Male: ventri-anal shield (6) and chelicera (7).

September 2008 DEMITE: NEW SPECIES OF Galendromus 805


Male (Figs. 6 and 7) (two specimens). Dorsum.
Dorsal shield 210 (207Ð212) long, 129 (126Ð132) wide
at level of s4; with reticulation sharp as the female;
setae: j1 11 (11), j3 16 (16Ð17), j4 14 (13Ð15), j5 13
(12Ð15), j6 16 (15Ð18), J2 16 (15Ð18), J5 eight (7Ð9),
z2 18 (18Ð19), z4 24 (23Ð26), z5 17 (16Ð18), Z4 29
(29), Z5 27 (26Ð28), s4 27 (27Ð28), s6 28 (28Ð29), S2
29 (29), S5 11 (11Ð12), r3 16 (16Ð17). All setae ser-
rated.
Peritreme. Extending forward to the level of j3, but

not reaching the level of j1.
Venter. Sternogenital shield smooth; ventri-anal

shield subtriangular, mostly smooth, striated from an-
terior extremity to level of JV1; 82 (80Ð84) long and
113 (111Ð115) wide, with Þve pairs of preanal setae,
one distinct pair of pores posterior and mediad to
bases of JV2, and two other smaller pairs of lyriÞssures.
Spermadactyl. Shaft 16 (16Ð17) long.
Legs. Without macrosetae. Chaetotactic formula of

genu II and genu III as in females.

Locality and Material Type

Holotype female, on Xylopia aromatica Lam.
Mart. (Annonaceae), 10-II-2007, Nova Granada,
State of São Paulo, Brazil, 20� 28�S 49� 22�W, F. M.
Nuvoloni coll. Paratypes: four females, two males,
same data, locality and collector as the holotype; 1
female, 17-III-2007, same locality as the holotype, V.
Russo coll.; one female, 29-VI-2007, same locality as
the holotype, V. Russo coll.; two females, 21-V-2002,
Barretos, state of São Paulo, Brazil, 20� 30�S, 48� 34�
W, R. Buosi coll. All paratypes from the same host
as the holotype.

Etymology

The name sulamericanus refers to the continent
of South America, because this is the Þrst species of
the subgenus Mugidromus recorded in the conti-
nent.

Discussion

Some specimens of Galendromus (M.) sulamerica-
nus n. sp. show a variation in the setae insertion ZV2

pair in the ventri-anal shield. This variation was ob-
served in specimens from the same population. Six
of nine females observed had the pair ZV2 on the
ventri-anal shield, two had only one setae of the pair
ZV2 in that shield, and one specimen had both setae
ZV2 on integument surrounding the ventri-anal
shield (Fig. 8).

Muma and Denmark (1962) recorded only three
preanal setae on the left side of the ventrianal shield
in specimens of Galendromus (Galendromus) annect-
ens (DeLeon), and the presence of three and/or four
preanal setae on the ventrianal shield in specimens of
G. (G.) occidentalis (Nesbitt). According to Hoy
(1985), it is not clear how much of this variation might
be genetically determined and how much is due to
phenotypic plasticity caused by developmental anom-
alies.

This new species possesses all of the characteristics
of the carinulatus species group, except by having
seven setae in genu III instead of six as in G. (M.)
carinulatus, and for possessing the setae z4 (30 �m), s4
(33 �m), s6 (36 �m), and S2 (38 �m) longer than
others on dorsal shield, beyond the setae Z4 and Z5.
Despite these differences, we believe that the simi-
larities are enough to include this new species in the
carinulatus species group. So, we propose a redeÞni-
tion of carinulatus species group to incorporate the
characters of the new species as follows: female idio-
soma pattern 12A:6A/JV-4:ZV-3, with 31 pairs of setae;
setae z3, s6, J2, S2, S5, JV2, and JV3 present; setae z3,
J1, Z1, Z3, S4, R1, JV4, and ZV3 absent; most setae on
central region of dorsal shield short, smooth or slightly
serrated, whereas on lateral region most setae are
longer and strongly serrate; S5 short (14Ð17 �m),
inserted closer to Z5 than to Z4; Ge II with seven setae;
Ge III with six or seven setae. Other characters as for
the subgenus.

This species is the second of the genusGalendromus
recorded in Brazil and the Þrst of the subgenus
Mugidromus recorded in South America, the known
species of this subgenus were recorded in North
America (United States and Mexico) (DeLeon 1959,
Schuster and Pritchard 1963, Tuttle and Muma 1973,
Chant and Yoshida-Shaul 1984.).

Fig. 8. Variation in the insertion of the ZV2 pair in the venter: holotype (A) and paratypes (B).

806 ANNALS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA Vol. 101, no. 5


Key to Species of Galendromus (Mugidromus) of
the World

1. Seta ZV3 absent; seta S5 inserted closer to Z5
than to Z4 . . . . carinulatus species group (2)

Seta ZV3 present; seta S5 inserted equidistant
between Z4 and Z5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . pinnatus species group (3)

2. Setae j4, j5, j6, J2, J5, and z5 slightly serrated . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . G. (M.) sulamericanus n. sp.

Setae j4, j5, j6, J2, J5, and z5 smooth . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . G. (M.) carinulatus (DeLeon)

3. Setae j4, j5, j6, and z5 smooth . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . G. (M.) reticulus (Tuttle and Muma)

Setae j4, j5, j6, and z5 serrated . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . G. (M.) pinnatus (Schuster and Pritchard)

Acknowledgments

We thank to Vimael Russo (Progr. Pós-grad. Biologia An-
imal, UNESPÐSão José do Rio Preto, São Paulo) and Felipe
Micali Nuvoloni (UNESP-São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo),
for helping in collecting and mounting the mites. This work
was supported by the state of São Paulo Research Foundation
(FAPESP) within the BIOTA/FAPESP-The Biodiversity Vir-
tual Institute Program (www.biota.org.br) (1998/7099-0 and
2006/55725-6) and Jovem Pesquisador Program (2006/
57868-9).

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Received 9 November 2007; accepted 25 April 2008.

September 2008 DEMITE: NEW SPECIES OF Galendromus 807