Zercon andrei Sellnick, 1958

Urhan, Raşit & Karaca, Mehmet, 2023, Contributions to the Zerconidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) fauna of Dilek Peninsula-Büyük Menderes Delta National Park, Türkiye, Acarological Studies 5 (1), pp. 21-33 : 22-23

Zercon andrei Sellnick, 1958 ( Figure 2 )

Materials examined: 10 females, 31 males and 9 DN: soil, litter and moss samples under holly oak ( Quercus ilex ) and sage-leaved rock-rose ( Cistus salviifolius ), 37°43.325' N, 27°18.614' E, 152 m a.s.l., vicinity of Davutlar neighborhood, 9 November 2019. 10 males: soil and litter samples under black pine ( Pinus nigra ), 37°39.378' N, 27°5.134' E, 623 m a.s.l., vicinity of Dipburun Guardhouse, 3 February 2020.

Short description: On podonotum, seta j1 finely barbed, the remaining setae smooth and needle-like. On opisthonotum, setae J1–5, Z1–2, S1–2, R 1-6 smooth and needle-like. Setae Z3–5 and S3–5 finely barbed with hyaline endings. Although seta Z4 extends to the edge of the opisthonotum, setae Z5 and S4–5 extend to beyond the opisthonotum. Pores gdS2 located between setae Z3 and S3, closer to S3, gdZ3 located between setae J4 and Z4. Dorsal cavities distinct and weakly developed. Anterior margin of ventrianal shield with 2 pairs of setae (JV1 and ZV 1), glands gv2 present. Posterolateral tips of peritrematal shield reach the level of seta S1 ( Gwiazdowicz et al., 2009).

Deutonymph ( Fig. 2 )

Length × width of idiosoma: 419–450 × 252–265 (n=9).

Generally, idiosomal adenotaxy and poroidotaxy similar to those of females, with a few exceptions. Although seta Z4 extends to the edge of the opisthonotum in female specimens, this seta extends to beyond the opisthonotum in some deutonymph specimens. Pores gdS2 located between setae Z2 and S3, closer to Z2. Dorsal cavities distinct and weakly developed, outer pair slightly larger than inner pair in some specimens. Anterior margin of ventrianal shield with 2 pairs of setae (JV1 and ZV 1), glands gv2 present. Posterolateral tips of peritrematal shield reach the level of seta S1– R 1. Distances between setae Z5–Z5 and Z5–JV5 94–99 and 14–21, respectively. Podonotal and opisthonotal shields distinct. Average lengths and ranges of opisthonotal setae are given in Table 1 for the deutonymph specimens.

Distribution in Türkiye: Artvin ( Urhan and Karaca, 2013), Aydın (present study).

Known distribution: Bulgaria, France, Hungary, Iran, Norway, and Romania ( Karg, 1993; Gwiazdowicz et al., 2009).

Remarks: Deutonymph specimens of Z. andrei were recorded for the first time from Türkiye in this study.

Figures

Figures 2-3. Dorsal views of deutonymph specimens 2. Zercon andrei, 3. Zercon plumatopilus. Scale bar 100.