Pak. Entomol. Vol. 27, No.
2, 2005
TWO NEW SPECIES OF GENUS AMBLYSEIUS FROM PUNJAB & SINDH (PAKISTAN)
Ahmad Saeed Khan and Muhammad Ashfaq*
Department of Continuing Education, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad.
*Department of Agri. Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad.
ABSTRACT
Two new species of genus Amblyseius i.e. A. dolium and A. melicardus has been described in this paper.
INTRODUCTION
Genus Amblyseius was erected by Berlese in 1914 and
designated Zercon obtusus Koch, 1839 as its type species.
Chant (1959) gave the status of subgenus to genus
Amblyseius in his work. Pirtchard and Baker (1962)
recognized Amblyseinus as a genus. They divided it into
groups and described 20 species in it. The research work
of Chant and Baker (1965), Chant and Hansell (1971),
Corpuz and Rimando (1966), DeLeon (1961, 1966),
Denmark (1965) Ehara (1959, 1996a, b), Gonzalez and
Schuster (1962), Muma and Denmark (1970), Schuster
and Pritchard (1963), Tuovinen (1993), Wainstein
(1962), Wainstein and Arutunjan (1970), on the genus
Amblyseius is worth mentioning.
From Pakistan Chaudhri (1968); Chaudhri et al. (1979);
Shahid et al. (1984); Ahmad and Chaudhri (1989) and
Khan et al. (1997); Khan et al. (2000), Kamran et al.
(2003) have described 6, 3, 9, 2, 5, 2 and 1 species,
respectively. Two new species have now been described
in this research paper, thus making a total of 30 species in
this genus. The authors have adopted the Evans system of
nomenclature (Rowell et al., 1978).
Amblyseius dolium, new species
(Fig. 1)
FEMALE:
Dorsal shield smooth, 312µm long, 195µm wide; concave
near seta S2; 17 pairs setae and 3 pairs rounded visible
pores (Fig. 1-A). Chelicera 39µm long, movable digit with
4 subapical teeth, fixed digit with 9 subapical teeth (Fig.
1-B). Dorsal shield setae smooth except Z5 and Z4 both
serrate. Dorsal shield setae: j1 20µm; j4 = j5 = j6 = j2
=10µm; J5 7µm; j3 52µm, z2 21µm, z4 31µm, s4 68µm, s2
31µm, S4 = S5 =10µm, Z5 94µm; z5 10µm, Z2 13µm, Z4
67µm; r3 = R1 =13µm (both on membrane). Seta j3 >
j3-z2, z2 <z2 –z4, z4 <z4-s4. Seta s4 anterior to seta S4.
Seta Z4 26µm and 28µm apart from setae S4 and S5,
respectively (Fig. 1-A). Peritreme reaching beyond seta V,
straight tip. Peritremal shield spatulate base rounded
posteriorly, pointed anteriorly (Fig.1-D). Sternal shield
smooth, 78µm long, 64µm wide; flat posteriorly, slightly
65
convex anteriorly; 3 pairs setae, St < St1 –St2, St2 <St2-St3
(Fig. 1-C). Metasternal setae 1 pair, 1 seta each on a
separate platelet. Genital shield smooth, 73µm wide, 1 pair
setae. Genital and ventrianal shields 26µm apart,
membranous fold absent between them. Genital shield not
wider than ventrianal shield width. Ventrianal shield
smooth, quadrate; 104µm long, 83µm wide; 3 pairs preanal
setae, 1 pair elliptical pores (Fig. 1-C). Four pairs setae
including JV5 52µm long and a pair of minute platelets on
membrane surrounding ventrianal shield. Metapodal
platelets, 2 pairs; primary 1 pair 24µm long, secondary 1
pair 10µm long (Fig. 1-C). Leg IV with 3 macrosetae, 1
seta each on genus, tibia and basitarsus measuring 42µm,
33µm and 60µm in length, respectively (Fig. 1-F).
Spermatheca: Cervix cup-shaped, 12µm wide; atrium
rounded, incorporated in mid cervix; major-duct tubular
(Fig. 1-E).
MALE: Not known.
TYPE: Holotype female, collected Daphar on 12.6.2000
(Saeed) from a wild plant. Paratype 2 females, same
collection data. Specimens deposited in Acarology
Research Laboratory, Department of Agri. Entomology,
U.A.F.
REMARKS: Amblyseius dolium, new species can be
separated from its closely related species A. melicardus,
new species due to following points:
1) Cheliceral movable digit with 2 teeth in
melicardus but 4 teeth in this new species.
2) Dorsal shield with 2 pairs pores in melicardus but
3 pairs pores in this new species.
3) Seta Z5 smooth in melicardus but serrate in this
new species.
4) Seta Z4 posterior to seta S4 in melicardus but
anterior in position in this new species.
5) Sternal shield seta St2 > St2 – St3 in melicardus
but St2 < St2-St3 in this new species.
6) Minute platelets on membrane surrounding
ventrianal shield absent in melicardus but 1 pair
present in this new species.
7) Shape of spermatheca varies in these species.

Fig. 1: Amblyseius dolium new species; A, dorsal side; B, chelicera; C, seternal, genital and ventrianal shields; D,
peritremal shield; E, spermatheca; F, leg IV.
Amblyseius melicardus, new species
(Fig. 2)
FEMALE:
Dorsal shield smooth; slightly concave near S2; 349µm
long, 219µm wide; 17 pairs setae and 2 pairs visible,
rounded pores (Fig. 2-A). Chelicera 40µm long; movable
digit with 2 teeth, fixed digit with 9 subapical teeth (Fig.
2-B). Dorsal shield setae smooth except M3 serrate. Dorsal
shield setae: j1 37µm; j4 = j5 = j6 = J2 =10µm; J5 5µm; j3
42µm, z2 = z4 =10µm, s4 90µm, s2 = S4 = S5 =10µm, Z5
220µm; Z5 10µm, Z1 13µm, Z4 80µm; r1 = r1 =10µm (both
on membrane). Seta j3 >j3-z2, z2<z2-z4, z4<z4-s4. Seta
M3 posterior to seta S4. Seta Z4 15µm and 20µm apart
from setae S4 and S5, respectively (Fig.7-A). Peritreme
reaching beyond seta V, straight tip. Peritremal shield
ribbon-like, base slightly concave dorsally, slightly convex
ventrally, pointed tip (Fig. 2-D). Sternal shield smooth, flat
posteriorly, slightly convex anteriorly; 80µm long, 70µm
wide; 3 pairs setae, 2 pairs pores, St1<St1-St2, St2>St2-St3
(Fig. 2-C). Metasternal setae 1 pair, 1 seta each on a
separate platelet. Genital shield smooth, 74µm wide, 1 pair
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Pak. Entomol. Vol. 27, No.2, 2005
setae. Genital and ventrianal shields 34µm apart with a
membranous fold inbetween. Genital shield wider than
ventrianal shield width. Ventrianal shield smooth; 112µm
long, 63µm wide; anterior corners rounded, a distinct waist
near preanal seta III; 3 pairs preanal setae and 1 pair
elliptical pores (Fig. 2-C). Four pairs setae including JV5
69µm long on membrane surrounding ventrianal shield.
Metapodal platelets 2 pairs; primary 1 pair, 24µm long;
secondary 1 pair 10µm long (Fig. 2-C). Leg IV with 3
macrosetae, 1 seta each on genu, tibia and basitarsus
measuring 132µm, 117µm and 82µm in length, respectively
(Fig. 2-F). Spermatheca: Cervix tube-like, parallel-sided,
slightly flared near vesicle base; atrium attached to cervix,
rounded (Fig. 2-E).
MALE: Not known.
TYPE: Holotype female, collected 1 Km. E. Thatta (Sind)
on 5.10.2000 from "Jaman" (Eugenia cumini) and
deposited in Acarology Research Laboratory, Department
of Agri. Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad.

Fig. 2: Amblyseius melicardus new species; A, dorsal side; B, chelicera; C, seternal, genital and ventrianal
shields; D, peritremal shield; E, spermatheca; F, leg IV.
REMARKS: Amblyseius melicardus, new species can
be separated from its closely related species A. dolium, new
species on the basis of following characters.
1) Cheliceral movable digit with 4 teeth in dolium
but 2 teeth in this new species.
2) Dorsal shield with 3 pairs visible pores in dolium
but 2 pairs visible pores in this new species.
3) Seta Z5 serrate in dolium but smooth in this new
species.
4) Seta Z4 anterior in position to S4 in dolium but
posterior in position in this new species.
5) Sternal shield seta St2 < St2 – St3 in dolium but
St2 > St2 – St3 in this new species.
6) One pair minute platelets on membrane
surrounding ventrianal shield in dolium but absent
in this new species.
7) Shape of spermatheca varies in these species.
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