The genus Brevinychus Meyer (Acari: Tetranychidae) with the description of a new species from Tanzania

Abstract

A new spider mite species Brevinychus meshacki Toroitich and Ueckermann n. sp., collected on Philonoptera eriocalyx Harms (Schrire) from Sangasanga in Mvomero district of Tanzania, is described and illustrated. This species is distinct from the other species of this genus by having only one pair of dorsocentral setae d1 being of similar length to the dorsolateral setae, whereas the other dorsocentrals are much shorter than the dorsolateral setae. Brief notes on the two other known species Brevinychus mbandu and Brevinychus parvulus are also given. The genus characteristics of Brevinychus Meyer and a key to the species are also provided.