Zercon marmarisensis, 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 : 94-95

Zercon marmarisensis sp. nov. ( Figures 7-10 )

Zoobank: https://zoobank.org/ FBA0E854-EA89-4BE0- AB5D-EC2339DA7C91

Type material. Holotype (female), soil and litter samples under Aleppo oak ( Quercus infectoria ), evergreen oak ( Q. ilex ) and pink rock-rose ( Cistus creticus ), 36°53.571' N, 28°18.312' E, 550 m a.s.l., vicinity of Beldibi neighborhood (Marmaris County, Muğla Province), 12 January 2021. Paratypes: Seven females and 15 males, same data as holotype. Six females: soil and litter samples under Sarcopoterium spinosum (thorny burnet), 36°47.459' N, 28°11.515' E, 140 m a.s.l., vicinity of Marmaris-İÇmeler road, 17 May 2020. 20 females and one male: soil, litter and moss samples under Turkish pine ( Pinus brutia ), pink rock-rose ( Cistus creticus ) and kermes oak ( Q. coccifera ), 36°47.437' N, 28°12.885' E, 27 m a.s.l., vicinity of İÇmeler neighborhood, 17 May 2020. 11 females: soil and litter samples under Turkish pine ( Pinus brutia ), carob ( Ceratonia siliqua ) and kermes oak ( Q. coccifera ), 36°48.933' N, 28°17.661' E, 84 m a.s.l., vicinity of Nimara cave (Cennet island), 24 October 2020. One female and two males: soil and litter samples under pink rock-rose ( Cistus creticus ) and oriental sweetgum ( Liquidambar orientalis ), 36°50.245' N, 28°20.292' E, 137 m a.s.l., vicinity of Aksaz military zone, 12 January 2021. One female and four males: soil and litter samples under evergreen oak ( Q. ilex ) and laurel ( Laurus nobilis ), 36°51.002' N, 28°17.208' E, 15 m a.s.l., vicinity of Aksaz military zone, 12 January 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 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 J5 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 7-8 ) (n=10). Lengths (without gnathosoma) 453–486 and widths 338–378.

Dorsal side. ( Fig. 7 ). 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, Z1, S1–2 and marginal setae). Setae J1 and Z1 short, smooth and needle-like. Setae S1–2 and R 1–6 finely barbed without hyaline endings. Setae J2–5, Z2–5 and S3–5 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 103–114, setae Z5 and JV5 29–36, respectively. Average lengths of the opisthonotal setae and distances between setal bases within longitudinal J, Z and S rows are given in Table 3 for female and male specimens.

Pores. ( Fig. 7 ). On podonotum, pores gdj2 located on the line connecting setae j3–s1, closer to s1. Pores gdj4 located on the line connecting setae j4–z4, closer to 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 between setae S5 and JV5.

Ventral side. ( Fig. 8 ). Posterolateral tips of peritrematal shield reaching the level of setae S1– R 1. Postanal seta as the longest on the ventrianal shield. Remaining all ventral characters as in female specimens of Zercon dogani sp. nov.

Male ( Figs 9-10 ) (n=10). Lengths (without gnathosoma) 355–373 and widths 233–251. Chaetotaxy of idiosoma, location of pores on idiosoma and ornamentation of dorsal shields similar to the females (except setae s2, r2 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. The intervals between setae Z5 and Z5 86–94, setae Z5 and JV5 18–23, respectively.

Immature stages. Not found.

Etymology. The specific epithet ‘ marmarisensis ’ refers to the Marmaris County (Muğla Province) where the new species was collected.

Remarks. Zercon marmarisensis sp. nov. is quite similar to Z. colligans Berlese, 1920 , Z. denizliensis Urhan, 2011 and Z. marinae Ivan & Călugăr, 2004 . The morphological distinguishing characters of these four species were given in Table 4.

Figures

Figures 7-10. Zercon marmarisensis sp. nov. 7. Dorsal view of female, 8. Ventral view of female, 9. Dorsal view of male, 10. Ventral view of male. Scale bar 100.