Myrmozercon

Joharchi, Omid, Babaeian, Esmaeil & Seeman, Owen D., 2015, Review of the genus Myrmozercon Berlese (Acari: Laelapidae), with description of a new species from Iran, Zootaxa 3955 (4), pp. 549-560 : 555-556

Key to species of the genus Myrmozercon (females)

1. Leg setation hypotrichous: leg I femur, genu and tibia 8-8-8; leg II 8-8 -7; leg III genu and tibia 8-7; leg IV genu with seven or eight setae, tibia with seven setae; legs short (ca. 250-320 long). Palp trochanter with one seta; palpcoxal seta sometimes absent; corniculi membranous. Dorsal shield smooth. Sternal shield an inverted U-shape, setae st4 usually absent. Anal shield usually with anterolateral extensions............................................. Myrmozercon sensu stricto … 2

- Leg setation holo- or hypertrichous: leg I femur, genu and tibia at least 11-11-10; leg II at least 9-10-9; leg III genu and tibia at least 9-8; leg IV genu and tibia at least 9-9; legs often long (300–1300 long). Palp trochanter with one or two setae; palpcoxal seta present; corniculi membranous or well-sclerotised. Dorsal shield smooth or reticulate. Sternal shield entire, eroded, Ushaped or an inverted U-shape; setae st4 usually present. Anal shield without anterolateral extensions................................................................................................. M yrmozercon sensu lato … 7

2. Dorsum with well over 200 setae; legs I much smaller in width and length than other legs; rows of subcapitular groove without denticles; chelicerae without fixed digit; femur III–IV with eight setae; anal shield longer than it is wide, without anterolateral extensions...................................................................... M. brevipes Berlese, 1902

- Dorsum with 33–38 pairs of setae; legs I similar in size or longer than other legs; rows of subcapitular groove each with numerous denticles; chelicerae with fixed digit present but reduced; femur III–IV with six or seven setae; anal shield as wide or wider than long, with anterolateral extensions........................................................... 3

3. Coxa IV without setae; trochanter III with five setae; lateral and posterior dorsal setae barbed........................ 4

- Coxa IV with one seta; trochanter III with four setae; all dorsal setae smooth...................................... 5

4. Posterior dorsal setae much longer than anterior dorsal setae; palp femur with four setae; genital shield smooth................................................................................ M. yemeni ( Ueckermann & Loots, 1995)

- Posterior dorsal setae only slightly longer than anterior dorsal setae; palp femur with five setae; genital shield with lineate sculpturing............................................................. M. tauricus Trach & Khaustov, 2011

5. Palp coxal seta absent; peritreme short, extending to level of coxa III; dorsal shield with 33 pairs of setae; genital shield smooth; femur III with seven setae; trochanter IV with five setae; several leg setae thickened................................................................................................ M. cyrusi Ghafarian & Joharchi, 2013

- Palp coxal seta present; peritreme extending to level of coxa II; dorsal shield with 35–38 pairs of setae; genital shield with ornamentation; femur III with six setae; trochanter IV with four setae; leg setae unspecialised......................... 6

6. Legs subequal in length; dorsal shield with 38 pairs of setae, posterior dorsal setae spine-like; genital shield with lineate sculpturing; trochanter II with five setae; femur III with seven setae; genu III with eight setae ... M. clarus ( Hunter & Hunter, 1963)

- Leg I longer than legs II–III; dorsal shield with 35 pairs of setae, posterior dorsal setae unspecialised; genital shield with retic-

ulate sculpturing; trochanter II with four setae; femur III with six setae; genu III with seven setae.............................................................................................. M. spinosus ( Hunter & Hunter, 1963) 7. Dorsal shield highly hypertrichous, with> 200 setae; trochanter I with seven setae; genu and tibia I with 16 setae each.............................................................. M. crinitis Joharchi, 2013 in Joharchi and Moradi, 2013

- Dorsal shield with a maximum of 100 setae; trochanter I with five or six setae; genu and tibia I with 10–13 setae each...... 8

8. Dorsal shield with 50 pairs of setae; coxae hypertrichous, coxae I–IV with 6-6-6-4 setae.......... M. iainkayi Walter, 2003

- Dorsal shield with a maximum of 42 pairs of setae; coxae I–IV with a maximum of two setae on each coxa............. 9

9. Coxa IV with two setae............................................................................... 10

- Coxa IV with one seta................................................................................. 13

10. Dorsal shield with 23–25 pairs of setae................................................................... 11

- Dorsal shield with 33–42 pairs of setae.................................................................. 12

11. Dorsal shield highly truncate, exposing soft cuticle bearing ca. 10 pairs of setae; anus terminal.......................................................................................... M. chapmani ( Baker & Strandtmann, 1948)

- Dorsal shield rounded, exposing little soft cuticle bearing two or three pairs of setae; anus ventral............................................................................................... M. beardae Shaw & Seeman, 2009

12. Dorsal shield with 33 pairs of setae; leg I femur, genu and tibia each with 11 setae; genital shield elongate, much longer than wide.................................................................... M. karajensis Joharchi et al., 2011

- Dorsal shield with ca. 42 pairs of setae; leg I femur, genu and tibia with 14-13-13 setae, respectively; genital shield broad, about as long as wide............................................................ M. flexuosa ( Michael, 1891)

13. Soft cuticle posterior of dorsal shield with at least 10 pairs of setae; lacking some mid-dorsal setae in the J -series........ 14

- Soft cuticle posterior of dorsal shield with few setae; mid-dorsal setae in the J -series present....................... 15

14. Several leg setae with club-like tips; tibia I with 10 setae; palp trochanter with five setae.............. M. hunteri sp. nov.

- Leg setae fine to thickened, none with club-like tips; tibia I with 13 setae; palp trochanter with four setae.................................................................................. M. rotundiscutum Rosario & Hunter, 1988

15. Dorsal shield with 24–25 pairs of setae; genital shield broad, about as long as wide; sternal shield an inverted U-shape; peri- treme reaching to level of coxae II–III......................................... M. burwelli Shaw & Seeman, 2009

- Dorsal shield with 38–39 pairs of setae; genital shield elongate, much longer than wide; sternal shield entire or eroded antero- medially to form a U-shape; peritreme extending beyond the posterior base of coxa II............................. 16

16. Sternal shield with eroded anteromedial section, U-shaped; trochanter I with five setae; femur I with 11 setae; femur IV with four setae.................................................................. M. sternalis Babaeian et al., 2013

- Sternal shield entire; trochanter I with six setae; femur I with 13 setae; femur IV with six setae...................... 17

17. Femur II with nine setae; chelicerae with truncated fixed digit; dorsal shield with two unpaired Jx setae; peritreme long, extending to level of coxa I............................................... M. iranicus Babaeian & Nemati, 2014

- Femur II with 11 setae; chelicerae with slight reduction of fixed digit; dorsal shield without unpaired Jx setae; peritreme extending to level of coxa II............................... M. michaeli Joharchi, 2013 in Joharchi and Moradi, 2013