Hypoaspisella asperatus (Berlese), new combination

Figures 34–37.

Laelaps (Hypoaspis) asperatus Berlese, 1904a: 17 .

Hypoaspis (Hypoaspisella) procerus Karg, 1965: 277 (synonymy by Bregetova, 1977: 506).

Hypoaspis asperatus .— Costa, 1968: 3.

Hypoaspis (Geolaelaps) asperatus .— Bregetova, 1977: 506

Hypoaspis (Pneumolaelaps) asperata .— Karg, 1979: 90; Karg, 1982: 245; Karg, 1993: 149; Faraji et al., 2008: 208. Pneumolaelaps asperatus .— Kazemi & Rajaei, 2013: 93.

Specimens examined. Two females; 27°11’ N, 31°09’ E, Assiut University, Assiut; 18 July 2016; coll. M.W. Negm; ex. soil under pomegranate.

Remarks. Hypoaspisella asperatus was described from Italy (Berlese, 1904a). It has been found from litter and is now recorded from Egypt for the first time, from the soil. Many authors have been considered this species as a member of Hypoaspis (Pneumolaelaps) or Pneumolaelaps . We consider this species as a member of Hypoaspisella based on the most significant morphological character states of the genus: (1) dorsal shield sub-oval, completely covering dorsal idiosoma, bearing 39 pairs of smooth setae (including two pairs of Zx setae between J and Z setae, without unpaired supernumerary seta Jx between J series) (Fig. 34); (2) presternal platelets present, both sternal and genital shields faintly reticulated (Fig. 35); (3) peritremes long extending to coxa I; (4) epistome curved and smooth (Fig. 36); (5) hypostomal groove with five transverse rows of denticles, each row with about 3–5 small teeth (Fig. 37), (6) lateral branches of the internal malae absent (Fig. 37); (7) genu IV with nine setae (2 2/1 3/0 1). Our specimens agree very well with the description given by Costa (1968).