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Fig. 1. Schizotetranychus russeus adult female - dorsal habitus.

Fig. 2. S. russeus adult female - detail of pattern of pregenital striae.

Fig. 3. S. russeus adult female - detail of peritreme (arrow indicates distal hook)

Fig. 4. S. russeus adult male - dorsal habitus.

Fig. 5. S. russeus adult male - lateral habitus.

Fig. 6. S. russeus adult male - detail of peritreme (arrow indicates distal hook).

Fig. 7. S. russeus adult male - detail of tarsus I, indicating number of proximal setae (d = duplex setae; s = solenidion).

Fig. 8. S. russeus adult male - detail of aedeagus.

Material examined

types

Taxonomy

Subfamily Tetranychinae

Tribe Tetranychini

Distribution

*Australia: south eastern Queensland

Taxonomy Changes

None

Diagnosis

Female (Fig. 1)

• empodia I-IV paired claws short, strongly curved, with a pair of fine hairs dorsally on each claw 
• pregenital striae transverse, without lobes, genital flap small (Fig. 2)
• peritreme strongly recurved = strong distal hook (Fig. 3)
• dorsal opisthosomal striae widely spaced and transverse (arched between setae f1-f1)
• slight indentation of body margin between prodorsum and opisthosoma (between setae sc2 & c3)
• stylophore twice as long as wide
• tarsus I short, stout
• tarsus I with the sockets of three tactile setae and one solenidion proximal to socket of the proximal duplex seta
  • OR the socket of one tactile seta proximal to, and the sockets of two tactile and one solenidion overlapping, the socket of the proximal duplex seta
• tarsus II with the sockets of two tactile setae and none to one solenidion proximal to the socket of the duplex seta
• tibiae I-IV 8-9(1+0), 5, 5, 5
• lobes absent on dorsal striae
• distinctly pink or reddish
• eggs globular, pink, with minute dorsal stipe

Male (Figs 4, 5)

• empodia I claw with some fine hairs on dorsal and ventral margins 
• empodia II-IV as in female
• peritreme recurved = ending in distal hook (Fig. 6)
• tarsus I short, stout (Fig. 7)
• tarsus I with the sockets of three tactile and one solenidion proximal to the socket of the proximal duplex seta
  • OR the sockets of one tactile seta and one solenidion proximal to, and two tactile setae adjacent to, the socket of the proximal duplex seta) (Fig. 8)
• tarsus II with the sockets of two tactile setae proximal or adjacent to the socket of the duplex seta
• tibiae I-IV 11(3+0), 5, 5, 5
• aedeagus dorsally directed; no anterior or posterior projection (extreme tip of dorsal projection is directed posteriorly); dorsal margin of shaft at approx. 10° angle to ventral margin, curving dorsally at right angle (to slightly obtuse angle) forming dorsal projection; dorsal projection thick basally, tapering gradually towards tip, with abrupt narrowing at extreme tip, which is curved posteriorly; ventral margin of shaft straight to weakly convex (Fig. 8)

Hosts

*Lomandra multiflora (Dasypogonaceae)

Similar Taxa

Schizotetranychus russeus is similar to S. eremophilus McGregor from USA on grasses but can be separated from this species by having different relative lengths of the dorsal setae, absence of characteristic sensory setae of male S. eremophilus, and different aedeagus.

Biology

Colonies of S. russeus produce moderate amounts of webbing on the slightly concave sides of the elongate leaves of the host plant.

References

*Davis, J.J. (1969)  Studies of Queensland Tetranychidae (Acarina: Prostigmata) 6.  A new gneus and five new species of spider mites from native plants.  Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 15: 165-183