Description of two new species of Stigmaeopsis, Banks 1917 (Acari, Tetranychidae) inhabiting Miscanthus grasses (Poaceae)

Abstract

We provided a new diagnosis of the genus Stigmaeopsis. Then we described two new species that are very closely related to Stigmaeopsis miscanthi (Saito) from Miscanthus spp. in Japan and China. The Japanese species, named Stigmaeopsis sabelisi Saito and Sato n. sp., was previously referred to as Stigmaeopsis miscanthi low aggressiveness form , and is characterized by its low male-to-male aggression behavior. The other species, Stigmaeopsis continentalis Saito and Lin n. sp., was found in China (Fujian district). Thus four species could be discriminated from the species inhabiting Miscanthus and reed grasses. However, the two new species and S. miscanthi resemble each other very closely, thus they are considered to be sibling species. To identify them several naive characters, geographic distribution and genetic data are needed. An updated key to all known species of Stigmaeopsis is also proposed.