Epicriopsis horridus (Kramer, 1876)

Masan, Peter, 2017, A revision of the family Ameroseiidae (Acari, Mesostigmata), with some data on Slovak fauna, ZooKeys 704, pp. 1-228 : 1

Epicriopsis horridus (Kramer, 1876)

Plate 29

Gamasus horridus Kramer, 1876: 82.

Epicrius mollis . - Haller 1881: 190 (misidentification by Berlese 1916a); Berlese 1887a: 40/9 (misidentification by Berlese 1916a); Oudemans 1903: 87 (misidentification by Oudemans 1939a); George 1906: 265 (misidentification by Evans 1955a); Turk 1943: 856 (misidentification by Evans 1955a).

Hypoaspis mollis . - Oudemans 1903: 87, and Oudemans 1904: 84 (both misidentification by Oudemans 1939a); Turk 1943: 856 (misidentification by Evans 1955a).

Epicriopsis horrida . - Berlese 1916a: 48.

Epicriopsis berlesei Oudemans, 1939a: 198 (new name for Epicrius mollis sensu Berlese, 1887). Synonymy by Karg (1971a, 1971b).

Epicriopsis horridus . - Karg 1971a: 225; 1971b: VI/7; Bregetova 1977: 169; Kandil 1978: 170; Lapiņa 1988: 38, 176; Karg 1993: 221; Hajizadeh et al. 2013a: 150; Kazemi and Rajaei 2013: 66; Nemati et al. 2013: 20; Khalili-Moghadam and Saboori 2014: 674; Narita and Moraes 2016: 482. not Epicriopsis horridus . - Evans and Till 1979: 230 (misidentification of Epicriopsis palustris ); Iavorschi 1995: 61 (misidentification of Epicriopsis palustris ); Kalúz 2005: Pl. 2, and Kalúz 2007: fig. 6 (plagiarism of original figure of Epicriopsis langei , a species considered here to be conspecific with Epicriopsis palustris ).

Type depository.

Of Gamasus horridus - not stated; of Epicriopsis berlesei - National Museum of Natural History, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, Netherlands.

Type locality and habitat.

Of Gamasus horridus - Germany, Thuringia, Scheusingen, in litter; of Epicriopsis berlesei - locality not specified (Germany, Borkum Island; Italy, San Remo; France, Sucy-en-Brie), in rotting leaves.

Comparative material.

Germany: 1 ♀ (RMNH: ACA.P.4063) - Aug. 1900, Eil. Borkum, leg. Prof. Oskar Schneider (labelled Nph II, Epicriopsis berlesei ) ; 1 ♀ (IZSAV) - 25. 4. 2007, Bavarian Prealps Mts. , Flintsbach am Inn, altitude 800 m, spruce forest, wet soil detritus, leg. P. Mašán.

Published material from Slovakia.

Borská Nížina Lowland: Brodské Village ( Kalúz and Majzlan 2009). Jakubov Village, Jakubovské Rybníky Fishponds ( Fenďa 2005, Fenďa and Schniererová 2005). Bukovské Vrchy Hills: Nová Sedlica Village, Dolina Zbojského Potoka Valley; Ruský Potok Village, Veľký Bukovec Mt., Borsučina Forest ( Fenďa and Mašán 2003). Cerová Vrchovina Highland: Chrámec Village, Teplá Dolina Valley; Chrámec Village, Vinohrady Area; Gemerský Jablonec Village, Petrovce Reservoir; Janice Village, Hadia Stráň Meadow; Petrovce Village, Fenek Forest; Šiatorská Bukovinka Village, Dolina Bukovinského Potoka Valley; Šiatorská Bukovinka Village, Rybník Pond; Šurice Village ( Fenďa and Mašán 2009). Podunajská Rovina Flatland: Bratislava Capital, Podunajské Biskupice Settlement, Ostrov Kopáč Steppe ( Kalúz 2007). Svätý Jur Town, Šúr Forest, Šúrsky Rybník Pond ( Fenďa et al. 1998, Fenďa 2005). Trstená Na Ostrove Village, Kráľovská Lúka Forest ( Kalúz 1994c). Jurová Village, Jurovský Les Forest ( Čarnogurský et al. 1994). Slovenský Kras Karst: Silica Village, Silická Ľadnica Abyss ( Kalúz 1993). Silica Village, Pod Fabiankou Forest ( Kalúz 1992).

Dubious published material from Slovakia.

Malé Karpaty Mts.: Bratislava Capital, Devín Settlement, Devínska Lesostep Forest ( Kalúz 2005). [Notes: Epicriopsis horridus belongs to the common species in Slovakia but the published specimens from Malé Karpaty Mountains are excluded from the list of valid findings of Epicrius horridus because accompanying „original“ figure available in Kalúz (2005) is obviously not belonging to this species, and it is only a true copy of illustration of Epicriopsis langei given to the original description of the new species from Central Asia by Livshitz and Mitrofanov (1975). Moreover, in a previous paper on mites collected in the Abrod Meadows by Kalúz (2003), the same illustration was used although no record of any Epicriopsis species from that locality is reported by the author.

New material from Slovakia.

Biele Karpaty Mts.: 1 ♀ - 3. 10. 1999, Nova Bosaca Village , broad-leaved deciduous forest ( Fagus sylvatica , Acer sp., Tilia sp., Carpinus betulus , Ulmus sp.), leaf litter and soil detritus with nest of Clethrionomys glareolus ( Mammalia), 450 m, leg. P. Mašán. Borská Nížina Lowland : 1 ♀ - 18. 5. 1992, Vysoka Pri Morave Village , littoral reed stand ( Phragmition ), nest of Anas platyrhynchos ( Aves), altitude 145 m, leg. J. Krištofík and A. Darolová ; 1 ♀ - 8. 4. 1998, Suchohrad Village , broad-leaved deciduous forest (mostly with Ulmus sp., Carpinus betulus and Quercus sp.), leaf litter and soil detritus, altitude 150 m, leg. P. Mašán ; 1 ♀ - 24. 7. 1998, Stupava Town , littoral reed stand ( Phragmition ), leaf litter and soil detritus, altitude 180 m, leg. P. Mašán ; 1 ♀ - 27. 6. 2002, Male Levare Village , Morava River (alluvium), wet willow-poplar flood plain forest ( Salici-Populetum ), leaf litter and soil detritus, altitude 160 m, leg. P. Mašán ; 19 ♀♀ - 10. 4. 2004, Tomky Village , Dolná Studená Voda Reservoir, littoral alder forest ( Alnus sp.), wet leaf litter and soil detritus, altitude 175 m, leg. P. Mašán ; 1 ♀ - 29. 10. 2005, Borsky Svaety Jur Village , agrocoenose, heap of decaying herbaceous vegetation, altitude 170 m, leg. P. Mašán. Burda Hills : 5 ♀♀ - Kamenica Nad Hronom Village , Kováčovské Kopce-juh Forest, oak forest ( Quercetum cerris ), leaf litter and soil detritus, altitude 330 m, leg. P. Mašán. Horehronské Podolie Basin : 1 ♂ - 20. 6. 2006, Zlatno Village , Zlatnianske Skalky Forest, pine forest ( Pinus sylvestris ), soil and detritus from ant-hill of Formica sp. ( Hymenoptera , Formicidae ), altitude 755 m, leg. P. Mašán. Ipeľská Kotlina Basin : 1 DN - 23. 6. 1997, Ipeľské Predmostie Village, Ryžovisko Forest, willow-poplar flood-plain forest ( Salici-Populetum ), growth of Carex sp., leaf litter and soil detritus, altitude 130 m, leg. P. Mašán. Kozie Chrbty Mts. : 1 ♀, 1 ♂ - 9. 7. 2003, Svit Town , Lopušná Dolina Valley, Tabličky Saddleback, glade in spruce forest ( Piceetum abietinum ) with solitary beeches ( Fagus sylvatica ), leaf litter and soil detritus, altitude 1,080 m, leg. P. Mašán. Malé Karpaty Mts. : 2 ♀♀ - 25. 7. 1990, Bratislava Capital , Železná Studienka Forest, broad-leaved deciduous forest, nest of Erithacus rubecula ( Aves), altitude 250 m, leg. J. Krištofík and A. Darolová ; 3 ♀♀ - 17. 4. 2006, Bratislava Capital , Devín Settlement, Devínska Kobyla Hill, forest steppe, moss, altitude 370 m, leg. P. Mašán. Muránska Planina Plateau : 1 ♀ - 8. 10. 2002, Zavadka Nad Hronom Village , Veľká Stožka Mt., Birčiareň Forest, meadow, hay-loft, heterogeneous organic detritus under haystack, altitude 950 m, leg. P. Mašán. Podunajská Rovina Flatland : 1 ♀ - 6. 6. 1989, Veľké Blahovo Village , fish-ponds, shore reed stand ( Phragmition ), nest of Fulica atra ( Aves), altitude 120 m, leg. J. Krištofík and A. Darolová ; 1 ♀ - 26. 9. 2000, Veľký Meder Town , littoral reed stand ( Phragmition ), leaf litter and soil detritus, altitude 110 m, leg. P. Mašán ; 1 ♀ - 9. 6. 2002, Bratislava Capital , Petržalka Settlement, Starý Háj Wood, hard-wood flood-plain forest ( Fraxino-Ulmetum carpinetosum ) with oak ( Quercus sp.), leaf litter and soil detritus, altitude 135 m, leg. P. Mašán ; 1 ♀ - 14. 9. 2002, Svaety Jur Town , Šúr Forest, wet alder forest ( Alnion glutinosae ), leaf litter and soil detritus, altitude 130 m, leg. P. Mašán ; 1 ♀ - 19. 5. 2004, Bratislava Capital , Rusovce Settlement, park, growth of plane ( Platanus orientalis ) and lime ( Tilia sp.), leaf litter and soil detritus, altitude 135 m, leg. P. Mašán. Pohronský Inovec Mts. : 1 ♀ - 2. 7. 2002, Stara Huta Village , Drozdovo Forest, beech forest ( Fagion sylvaticae ), leaf litter and soil detritus, altitude 650 m, leg. P. Mašán. Považský Inovec Mts. : 1 ♀ - 1. 4. 2000, Luka Village , forest steppe with juniper ( Juniperus communis ), individual collecting under bark, stones and pieces of wood, altitude 250 m, leg. P. Mašán ; 1 ♀ - 5. 7. 2004, Luka Village , Tematínska Lesostep Forest, xerothermic oak forest ( Quercetum ) with pine ( Pinus nigra ), leaf litter and soil detritus, altitude 340 m, leg. P. Mašán ; 1 ♀ - 9. 7. 2006, Luka Village , Srnia Dolina Valley, xero-thermophilous edge of oak forest ( Quercetum ) with juniper ( Juniperus communis ), moss and soil detritus, altitude 250 m, leg. P. Mašán ; 4 ♀♀ - 1. 11. 2013, Hradok Village , Hrádocká Dolina Valley, meadow in broad-leaved deciduous forest, soil detritus with rotting plant remnants, altitude 280 m, leg. P. Mašán. Veľká Fatra Mts.: 2 ♀♀ - 29. 8. 2003, Necpaly Village , Necpalská Dolina Valley, Kýšky Mt., beech forest ( Fagion sylvaticae ), leaf litter and soil detritus, altitude 1,360 m, leg. P. Mašán ; 16 ♀♀, 3 ♂♂ - 21. 7. 2004, Liptovske Revuce Village , Veľká Rakytová Dolina Valley, beech forest ( Fagion sylvaticae ), rocky canyon, moss, altitude 780 m, leg. P. Mašán. Veporské Vrchy Hills : 1 ♀ - 8. 10. 2002, Zavadka Nad Hronom Village , Hronec Valley, Pod Pätinou, alluvium of brook with Petasites hybridus , soil detritus, altitude 780 m, leg. P. Mašán. Volovské Vrchy Hills : 4 ♀♀ - 24. 7. 2003, Betliar Village , park, park with Quercus palustris , Fagus sylvatica , Ulmus laevis , Tilia spp., Abies alba and Picea abies , leaf litter, soil detritus amd decaying plant remnants, altitude 350 m, leg. P. Mašán. Vtáčnik Mts. : 2 ♀♀ - 4. 11. 2003, Ostry Grun Village , Hlboká Dolina Valley, Pokuty, alluvium of brook with Petasites sp., mixed forest ( Ulmus sp., Fagus sylvatica and Abies alba ), moist soil detritus and moss, altitude 650 m, leg. P. Mašán ; 2 ♀♀ - 4. 11. 2003, Ostry Grun Village , Hlboká Dolina Valley, Pavlova Lúka Meadow, meadow with juniper ( Juniperus communis ) and solitary elms ( Ulmus laevis ), soil detritus and leaf litter, altitude 850 m, leg. P. Mašán. Východoslovenská Rovina Plain : 3 ♀♀, 1 ♂ - 1. 6. 2004, Botany Village , Latorický Luh I. Forest, hard-wood flood-plain forest ( Fraxino-Ulmetum carpinetosum ) with oak ( Quercus sp.), wet leaf litter, altitude 100 m, leg. P. Mašán.

Remarks.

A new name, Epicriopsis berlesei , was proposed by Oudemans (1939a), namely for Italian specimens of Epicriopsis horridus first published by Berlese (1887a) under the name Epicrius mollis . There are three slides with the apparently original specimens of Oudemans labelled E. berlesei in the collection in Leiden (4061-4063), all with no type designation. The revised specimens belong at least to the two different species: (1) a deutonymph from San Remo, labelled 4061, is weakly sclerotised and unidentifiable, (2) a female from Sucy-en-Brie, labelled 4062, is hardly observable and very similar if not identical with Epicriopsis palustris , (3) a “deutonymph” from Borkum Island, labelled 4063, is a female of E. horridus . Karg (1971a, 1971b) considered E. berlesei to be a junior synonym of E. horridus giving no supporting information. Here I have adopted his synonymy although I have not examined the Italian specimens of E. horridus deposited in Berlese Collection in Firenze.

In addition, there are two further slides of the genus Epicriopsis in the Oudemans Collection (4064, 4065), labelled Epicriopsis horridus : (1) a “deutonymph” from Delden, labelled P4064, is male of Epicriopsis rivus , (2) a “female” from Delden, labelled P4065, was not found on that empty slide.

Figures

Plate 29. Epicriopsis horridus, female, dorsal idiosoma.