| abstract | The present paper deals with four species of the largoensis group of Amblyseius Berlese from China, namely A. herbicolus (Chant), A. largoensis (Muma), A. eharai Amitai et Swirski, and A. subpassiflorae Wu et Lan. Among them the latter species is described as new to science. The characters of largoensis group are defined as follows: In the female dorsal shield with 17 pairs setae, 4 pairs prolateral, 5 pairs postlateral setae; all setae minute except D1, L1, L4, M2, L8 which are usually of progressively increasing in length (L4 sometimes longer than M2). Ventrianal shield vase-like in shape, with lateral margins constricted near level of preanal pore, and then flaring on the opposite side of the anus. Anterior portion of ventrianal shield narrower than posterior portion (or equal). Spermatheca variable in shape. Leg IV with three macrosetae.
Measurements are in µm. The type specimens are deposited in the Guangdong Institute of Entomology.
Amblyseius subpassiflorae nov. sp. (figs. 13-19)
This species differs from Amblyseius passiflorae Blommers, 1974 by the shape of spermatheca which is bell-shape, and by the ratio of length to width of the ventrianal shield.
Holotype female, allotype male, 1. VIII. 1986, Yadong (27.5° N, 89° E) Xizang, 2800m, on Cryptomeria japonica; paratypes 5 females, 1 male, VII-VIII. 1986, Yadong, 2300-2800 m, on Pinus griffithii, Artemisia sp., by Wu Wei-nan. |