Zercon dogani, 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 : 92-94

Zercon dogani sp. nov. ( Figures 1-6 )

Zoobank: https://zoobank.org/ A1076749-388B-4640- 9D5A-69858E921E38

Type material. Holotype (female), soil and litter samples under pink rock-rose ( Cistus creticus ) under Turkish pine ( Pinus brutia ), 36°47.459' N, 28°11.515' E, 140 m a.s.l., vicinity of Marmaris-İÇmeler road (Marmaris County, Muğla Province), 17 May 2020. Paratypes: 41 females, 15 males, three DN and one PN, same data as holotype.

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 slightly elongated and finely barbed. Great majority of opisthonotal setae elongated, finely barbed with hyaline endings. Setae Z5 and S5 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 1-2 ) (n=10). Lengths (without gnathosoma) 395–419 and widths 269–284.

Dorsal side. ( Fig. 1 ). 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, s2–3, s6, r2 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 with hyaline endings (except setae J1–2, Z1–2, S2 and marginal setae). Setae J1–2, Z1–2 and S2 smooth and needle-like. Setae J3–5, Z3–5 and S2–5 elongated, finely barbed (two or three barbs apically) with hyaline endings. Setae Z5 and S5 longer than others, and reaching to beyond of opisthonotum. Setae Z4 and S4 reaching to margin of opisthonotum. Setae J3–4 and Z3 reaching 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 99–113, setae Z5 and JV5 29–35, respectively. Average lengths of the opisthonotal setae and distances between setal bases within longitudinal J, Z and S rows are given in Table 1 for female, male, DN and PN specimens.

Pores. ( Fig. 1 ). On podonotum, pores gdj2 located on the line connecting setae j2–s1, closer to s1. Pores gdj4 located on the line connecting setae j4–z4. 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. 2 ). Chaetotaxy and shape of the peritrematal shields normal for the genus Zercon . Posterolateral tips of peritrematal shield reaching the level of setae S1. Peritrematal shield with two pairs of setae (r1 and r3), seta r1 short, smooth and needle-like, seta r3 elongated and finely barbed apically. Peritremes similar to reverse comma. Sternal shield with three pairs of setae (st1–st3), epigynal shield with one pair of setae (st5), and one seta (st4) located between sternal and epigynal shields; all of them (st1–st5) short, smooth and needle-like. Glands gv2 present between posterior section of epigynal shield and anterior section of ventrianal shield. Ventrianal shield with nine pairs of setae (JV1–JV5, ZV2–ZV4 and Ad) and one single postanal seta (Pa); all of them short, smooth and needle-like (except seta JV5). Seta ZV1 absent. Anterior margin of ventrianal shield with one pair of setae (JV1).

Male ( Figs 3-4 ) (n=10). Lengths (without gnathosoma) 352–387 and widths 235–255. Chaetotaxy of idiosoma, location of pores on idiosoma and ornamentation of dorsal shields similar to the females (except setae s2, r2, J3–J5, S2, R 4–6 and JV5). Setae s2, r2, R 4–6 and JV5 are finely barbed without hyaline endings in female specimens, they are smooth and needle-like in male specimens. In addition, setae J3–J5 are finely barbed with hyaline endings in female specimens, they are smooth and needle-like in male specimens. Lastly, seta S2 is smooth and needle-like in female specimens, this is finely barbed without hyaline endings in male specimens. The intervals between setae Z5 and Z5 84–93, setae Z5 and JV5 14–19, respectively. Deutonymph ( Fig. 5 ) (n=3). Lengths 342–374, widths 233–254. On podonotum, setae j1, s3 and s6 slightly elongated and finely barbed. Remaining podonotal setae short, smooth and needle-like.

On opisthonotum, setae J1–5, Z1–2 and R 2–6 short, smooth and needle-like. Setae S1–2, R 1 and JV5 finely barbed without hyaline ending. Setae Z3–5 and S3–5 finely barbed with hyaline ending. Although seta Z4 reaching to margin of opisthonotum, setae Z5 and S4–5 reaching to beyond of opisthonotum. Location of idiosomal pores as in adults. The intervals between setae Z5 and Z5 89–94, setae Z5 and JV5 18–21, respectively.

Protonymph ( Fig. 6 ) (n=1). Length 292, width 181. On podonotum, setae j1 and s3 slightly elongated and finely barbed. Remaining podonotal setae short, smooth and needle-like. On opisthonotum, setae J1–5, Z1–2 R 1 and JV5 short, smooth and needle-like. Setae S2–3 finely barbed without hyaline ending. Setae Z3–5 and S4–5 finely barbed with hyaline ending. Although seta S3 reaching to margin of opisthonotum, setae Z4–5 and S4–5 reaching to beyond of opisthonotum. All idiosomal pores are invisible. The intervals between setae Z5 and Z5 70, setae Z5 and JV5 15, respectively.

Etymology. The name of the new species is dedicated in honour of the acarologist Prof. Dr. Salih Doğan (Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University, Turkey) for his valuable contributions to the Turkish acarofauna.

Remarks. Zercon dogani sp. nov. is quite similar to Z. colligans Berlese, 1920 , Z. cretensis Ujvári, 2008 and Z. turcicus Urhan & Ayyıldız, 1994 . The morphological distinguishing characters of these four species were given in Table 2.

Figures

Figures 1-4. Zercon dogani sp. nov. 1. Dorsal view of female, 2. Ventral view of female, 3. Dorsal view of male, 4. Ventral view of male. Scale bar 100.

Figures 5-6. Zercon dogani sp. nov. 5. Dorsal view of deutonymph, 6. Dorsal view of protonymph. Scale bar 100.