Zercon muglaensis, Bilki & Urhan & Karaca, 2022

Bilki, Kamil, Urhan, Raşit & Karaca, Mehmet, 2022, Mites of the family Zerconidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) from Southwestern Turkey, with description of three new species, Acarological Studies 4 (2), pp. 89-103 : 98

Zercon muglaensis sp. nov. ( Figures 11-14 )

Zoobank: https://zoobank.org/ 3B901AE6-8AAF-4CD9- 8BD0-0DC80F8243C0

Type material. Holotype (female), soil, litter and moss samples under kermes oak ( Q. coccifera ), oriental sweetgum ( Liquidambar orientalis ) and olive ( Olea europaea ), 36°51.603' N, 28°13.259' E, 123 m a.s.l., vicinity of Yeşilbelde neighborhood (Marmaris County, Muğla Province), 13 March 2021. Paratypes: 16 females and five males, same data as holotype. Five females and two males: soil and litter samples under kermes oak ( Quercus coccifera ), Aleppo oak ( Q. infectoria ) and Turkish pine ( Pinus brutia ), 36°44.877' N, 28°14.700' E, 408 m a.s.l., vicinity of Kumlubük road, 13 March 2021. 11 females and one male: soil and litter samples under kermes oak ( Quercus coccifera ) and Turkish pine ( Pinus brutia ), 36°45.289' N, 28°15.735' E, 41 m a.s.l., vicinity of Kumlubük road, 13 March 2021. Five females and seven males: soil and litter samples under Turkish pine ( Pinus brutia ), 36°53.068' N, 28°18.912' E, 715 m a.s.l., vicinity of sawmill, 13 March 2021.

Diagnosis. Anterior margin of ventrianal shield with one pair of setae (JV1). All podonotal setae short, smooth and needle-like (except seta j1 and marginal setae). Seta j1, s3, s6 and r4–5 slightly elongated and finely barbed. Great majority of opisthonotal setae elongated, finely barbed without hyaline endings. Setae Z5 and S5 with hyaline endings, longer than other opisthonotal setae. Pores gdS2 located between setae Z2 and S3, gdZ3 located between setae J4 and Z4. Dorsal cavities distinct and strongly developed. Podonotum and anterior margin of opisthonotum covered with tile-like pattern, mid-area to posterior margin of opisthonotum covered by irregular punctate pattern.

Female ( Figs 11-12 ) (n=10). Lengths (without gnathosoma) 441–454 and widths 322–346.

Dorsal side. ( Fig. 11 ). Twenty pairs of setae present on podonotum: setae in j series with six pairs, z series with five pairs, s series with six pairs and r series with three pairs. Setae j1, s3, s6 and r4–5 slightly elongated and finely barbed. Remaining podonotal setae short, equal in size, smooth and needle-like. Twenty one pairs of setae present on opisthonotum: setae in J series with five pairs, Z series with five pairs, S series with five pairs and R series with six pairs. Most of opisthonotal setae elongated, finely barbed without hyaline endings (except setae J1, Z5 and S5). Setae J1 short, smooth and needle-like. Setae Z1, S1–2 and R 1–6 shorter than other opisthonotal setae, finely barbed without hyaline endings. Setae J2–5, Z2–4 and S3–4 elongated, finely barbed (two or three barbs apically) without hyaline endings. Setae Z5 and S5 longer than others, elongated, finely barbed (two barbs apically) with hyaline endings, and reaching to beyond of opisthonotum. Setae J5, Z4 and S4 reaching to margin of opisthonotum. Setae J2–4, Z2–3 and S2–3 reaching the bases of the following seta (Setae J3– 4 and Z3 reaching beyond the bases of the following seta). Seta JV5 similar in length and shape to marginal R setae. All marginal setae (S1 + R 1–6) finely barbed without hyaline endings. The intervals between setae Z5 and Z5 101–112, setae Z5 and JV5 28–34, respectively. Average lengths of the opisthonotal setae and distances between setal bases within longitudinal J, Z and S rows are given in Table 5 for female and male specimens.

Pores. ( Fig. 11 ). On podonotum, pores gdj2 located on the line connecting setae j2–s1, closer to s1. Pores gdj4 located on the line connecting setae j5–z3. Pores gds4 located on the line connecting setae z6–s4, closer to s4. On opisthonotum, pores gdZ1 located above the insertions of setae Z1. Pores gdS2 located on the line connecting setae Z2–S3. Pores gdZ3 located on the line connecting setae J4–Z4, closer to Z4. Pores gdS5 located below to the insertions of setae S5.

Ventral side. ( Fig. 12 ). Posterolateral tips of peritrematal shield reaching the level of setae S1. Postanal seta as the longest on the ventrianal shield. Remaining all ventral characters as in female specimens of Zercon dogani sp. nov. and Z. marmarisensis sp. nov.

Male ( Figs 13-14 ) (n=10). Lengths (without gnathosoma) 347–363 and widths 242–251. Chaetotaxy of idiosoma, location of pores on idiosoma and ornamentation of dorsal shields similar to the females (except setae s2, Z1, S2 and R 4–6). Although all of these setae are finely barbed without hyaline endings in female specimens, they are smooth and needle-like in male specimens. Additionally, seta J5 reaching to margin of opisthonotum in female specimens, it is not reaching to margin of opisthonotum in male specimens.

The intervals between setae Z5 and Z5 89–96, setae Z5 and JV5 14–20, respectively.

Immature stages. Not found.

Etymology. The specific epithet ‘ muglaensis ’ refers to the Muğla Province where the new species was collected.

Remarks. Zercon muglaensis sp. nov. is quite similar to Z. denizliensis Urhan, 2011 , Z. marinae Ivan & Călugăr, 2004 and Z. plumatopilus Athias-Henriot, 1961 . The morphological distinguishing characters of these four species were given in Table 6.

Figures

Figures 11-14. Zercon muglaensis sp. nov. 11. Dorsal view of female, 12. Ventral view of female, 13. Dorsal view of male, 14. Ventral view of male. Scale bar 100.