Zercon colligans Berlese, 1920

Urhan, Raşit & Karaca, Mehmet, 2023, Contributions to the Zerconidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) fauna of Dilek Peninsula-Büyük Menderes Delta National Park, Türkiye, Acarological Studies 5 (1), pp. 21-33 : 23-24

Zercon colligans Berlese, 1920

It was the most abundant species in terms of number of specimens in the study area.

Materials examined: 55 females: soil and litter samples under strawberry tree ( Arbutus unedo ), holm oak ( Quercus aucheri ), holly oak ( Q. ilex ) and black pine ( P. nigra ), 37°40.747' N, 27°3.498' E, 50 m a.s.l., vicinity of Dipburun and Kavaklıburun Guardhouses, 10 December 2018. 52 females: soil and litter samples under holly oak ( Q. ilex ) and black pine ( P. nigra ), 37°37.974' N, 27°7.588' E, 20 m a.s.l., vicinity of Doğanbey neighborhood, 10 December 2018. 159 females and 2 DN: soil and litter samples under sage-leaved rock-rose ( C. salviifolius ), thorny burnet ( Sarcopoterium spinosum ), Aleppo oak ( Quercus infectoria ), 37°43.534' N, 27°21.654' E, 482 m a.s.l., vicinity of Aydem wind power plant, 14 May 2019. 31 females, 2 males, 3 DN and 1 PN: soil, litter and moss samples under kermes oak ( Quercus coccifera ), black pine ( P. nigra ) and sage-leaved rock-rose ( C. salviifolius ), 37°42.964' N, 27°20.957' E, 639 m a.s.l., vicinity of Aydem wind power plant, 14 May 2019. 38 females, 11 males, 6 DN and 3 PN: soil, litter and moss samples under kermes oak ( Q. coccifera ), black pine ( P. nigra ), juniper ( Juniperus sp. ) and shrub ( Daphne gnidioides ), 37°41.425' N, 27°18.443' E, 861 m a.s.l., vicinity of Aydem wind power plant, 14 May 2019. 83 females, 21 males and 6 DN: soil, litter and moss samples under mastic tree ( Pistacia lentiscus ), carob tree ( Ceratonia siliqua ), juniper ( Juniperus sp. ), olive ( Olea europaea ), thorny burnet ( S. spinosum ), 37°37.283' N, 27°11.763' E, 12 m a.s.l., vicinity of Tuzburgazı and Doğanbey neighborhoods, 14 May 2019. 26 females, 19 males, 6 DN and 9 PN: soil, litter and moss samples under oleaster-leafed pear ( Pyrus elaeagrifolia ), Turkish oak ( Quercus cerris ), 37°40.863' N, 27°15.143' E, 900 m a.s.l., Dilek Mountain, 31 August 2019. 53 females and 14 males: soil and litter samples under Turkish oak ( Q. cerris ), kermes oak ( Q. coccifera ), kermes oak ( Q. coccifera ), Aleppo oak ( Q. infectoria ), Turkish pine ( Pinus brutia ) and black pine ( P. nigra ), 37°42.058' N, 27°17.231' E, 657 m a.s.l., vicinity of Kurşunlu monastery, 9 November 2019. 29 females and 14 males: soil, litter and moss samples under holly oak ( Q. ilex ) and Turkish pine ( P. brutia ), 37°41.385' N, 27°8.310' E, 34 m a.s.l., vicinity of Dipburun and Kavaklıburun Guardhouses, 3 February 2020. 73 females, 23 males, 7 DN and 2 PN: soil, litter and moss samples under Greek strawberry tree ( Arbutus andrachne ), 37°29.564' N, 27°15.705' E, 101 m a.s.l., vicinity of Akköy neighborhood, 8 April 2020.

Short description: On podonotum, seta j1 and marginal setae (s2–3, s6, r2 and r4–5) finely barbed, the remaining setae short, smooth and needle-like. On opisthonotum, setae J1–2, Z1–2 and S2 short, smooth and needle-like. Setae S3 and marginal setae (S1 and R1–6) finely barbed. The remaining opisthonotal setae elongated, finely barbed with hyaline endings. Only setae Z5 and S5 extend to beyond the opisthonotum. Pores gdS2 located between setae Z2 and S3, gdZ3 located between setae J4 and Z4. Dorsal cavities distinct and strongly developed. Anterior margin of ventrianal shield with 1 pair of setae (JV1), glands gv2 present. Posterolateral tips of peritrematal shield reach the level of setae S1 ( Bilki et al., 2022)

Distribution in Türkiye: Afyonkarahisar, Artvin, Aydın, Balıkesir, Çanakkale, Denizli, Edirne, Erzurum, Giresun, İstanbul, Kırklareli, Kütahya, Muğla, Tekirdağ, Uşak ( Bilki et al., 2022).

Known distribution: Austria, France, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Russia, Sweden, and Swiss ( Bilki et al., 2022).