taxonID	type	description	language	source
03B087DBFFD5313FFD9CA48FFB67FA7E.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis The concept of Laelaspis used here is based on that of De Moraes et al. (2022).	en	Khalili-Moghadam, Arsalan (2024): Laelaspis nematii sp. nov. (Mesostigmata: Laelapidae), a new species of laelapid mites from southwest Iran. Persian Journal of Acarology 13 (3): 349-359, DOI: 10.22073/pja.v13i3.85004
03B087DBFFD53139FDC9A5B9FF5CFBD8.taxon	materials_examined	Materials examined Holotype, female, Chaharmahal Va Bakhtiari Province, Koohrang County (Dashte Laleh) (32 ° 35 ' 15 " N, 50 ° 12 ' 01 " E, 2391 m a. s. l.) from nest materials of Cataglyphis fritillariae; coll. A. Khalili-Moghadam, 26 May 2021; paratypes: one female, same data as holotype and two females were collected from Khoozestan Province, Ahwaz city (Shahid Chamran University campus), from soil; coll. M. Kavianpour, deposited in APAS. Type deposition The holotype and three paratypes as permanent slides have been deposited in the Acarological Laboratory, Plant Protection Department, Agricultural College, Shahrekord University (APAS), Iran. Diagnosis (female) Dorsal shield with 39 pairs of smooth setae (r 2 – 4, s 1 slightly barbed), including two pairs of extra Zx setae and six unpaired extra Jx seta, the anteriormost inserted at level of J 1 setae; dorsal setae long without distinct basal knob, passing base of next setae in series, except j 1, z 1 and J 5 which are shorter; setae Z 5 1.45 times as long as J 5; anterior margin of sternal shield sclerotized with two distinct angles near to lateral; epigynal shield longer than wide, posterior margin rounded, ornamented with “ V ” and “ inverted V ” shaped pattern, central V- shape zone with nine irregular cells, shield with two pairs of setae, st 5 on shield, Jv 1 are close to the margin, Zv 1 inserted adjacent on lateral margins of epigynal shield; ventral skin of idiosoma with nine pairs of long smooth setae (r 6, R 1 – R 5, UR 1, UR 2, and one pairs opposite of median part of coxae III) in addition to Jv 1 – Jv 5 and Zv 2 – Zv 5 setae, and one pair of elongate metapodal platelets; posterior edge of peritrematal shields shorter than posterior edge of parapodal shields; postanal seta thicker and longer than para-anal setae; fixed and moveable digits with three and two teeth respectively. Description (n = 4) Dorsal idiosoma (Fig. 1) – Dorsal shield oval-shaped covering entire idiosoma, with faint polygonal ornamentation more distinct throughout opisthonotal region, and lineate-reticulate ornamentation at its anterolateral part; shield 470 – 482 long, 346 – 353 wide, shield with 39 pairs of long and smooth setae (r 2 – 4, s 1 very slightly barbed; j 1, z 1 and J 5 shorter), basal knob indistinct (Fig. 2), 22 pairs on podonotal (j 1 – 6; z 1 – 6; s 1 – 6; r 2 – 5) and 17 pairs on opisthonotal region (J 1 – 5, Z 1 – 5, S 1 – 5), six unpaired setae Jx 1 (located between J 1 – J 1), Jx 2 – Jx 3 (located posterior to Jx 1), Jx 4 (located between J 3), Jx 5 (located posterior to Jx 4), Jx 6 (between J 4 – J 4) and including Zx 2 between J 3 and Z 2 setae, and Zx 3 a little outside J 3 and J 4 setae. Dorsal setae almost similar in thickness and length, dorso-marginal setae slightly thicker than dorso-median setae. Lengths of podonotal setae are as follows: j 1 31 – 35, j 2 63 – 67, j 3 61 – 66, j 4 73 – 75, j 5 85 – 88, j 6 83 – 88; z 1 32 – 36, z 2 70 – 73, z 3 72 – 74, z 4 80 – 85, z 5 78 – 81, z 6 86 – 89; s 1 69 – 72, s 2 73 – 75, s 3 80 – 84, s 4 85 – 86, s 5 88 – 91, s 6 100 – 101; r 2 72 – 74, r 3 85 – 86, r 4 84 – 87, r 5 93 – 96, and r 6 75 – 77 located in ventral side opposite to anterior margin of coxae IV. Lengths of opisthonotal setae are as follows: J 1 90 – 95, J 2 105 – 107, J 3 - 4 95 – 100, J 5 61 – 63; Z 1 90 – 93, Z 2 97 – 101, Z 3 90 – 93, Z 4 85 – 89, Z 5 88 – 92; S 1 83 – 86, S 2 100 – 102, S 3 107 – 109, S 4 105 – 107, S 5 100; Zx 2 – 3 95 – 99; Jx 1 99 – 103, Jx 2 98 – 101, Jx 3 97 – 99, Jx 4 94 – 97, Jx 5 80 – 83, Jx 6 96 – 100. Podonotal and opisthonotal regions with 17 pairs of discernible pore-like structures as shown in Figure 1.	en	Khalili-Moghadam, Arsalan (2024): Laelaspis nematii sp. nov. (Mesostigmata: Laelapidae), a new species of laelapid mites from southwest Iran. Persian Journal of Acarology 13 (3): 349-359, DOI: 10.22073/pja.v13i3.85004
03B087DBFFD53139FDC9A5B9FF5CFBD8.taxon	description	Ventral idiosoma (Fig 3) – Tritosternum with columnar base and pilose laciniae (48 – 53) long; pre-sternal plates absent; sternal shield with sparsely lineate-reticulate ornamentation on anterior and lateral surfaces, median surface smooth, 96 – 98 long, 146 – 151 wide (at level of projection between coxae II – III) and 90 – 95 wide at level of st 2, anterior margin sclerotized with a small notch anteromedially at level of tritosternum placement and two distinct angle near to lateral (Fig. 4); posterior margin slightly concave; sternal setae smooth, st 1 58 – 63, st 2 51 – 56, and st 3 61 – 65 long, iv 1 and iv 2 slit-like, located slightly behind setae st 1 and between st 2 – st 3 respectively. The distances between st 1 – st 1 58 – 61, st 2 – st 2 75 – 77 and st 3 – st 3 112 – 114; setae st 4 44 – 49 located on angulate endopodal III – IV, pore-like iv 3 on soft integument adjacent to inner margin of these plates; epigynal shield elongate and broad, 255 – 265 long (from anterior to posterior margins), 136 – 139 wide at st 5 level, 218 – 222 wide at broadest point between st 5 – Zv 1; shield gradually narrowed from widest point, posteriorly rounded, inverted-inner V stria with nine long, rather narrow V-shape which ends in two irregular distal cells; setae st 5 61 – 71 inserted on shield, setae Zv 1 101 – 107 inserted on lateral margins of shield, setae Jv 1 78 – 81 and Jv 2 66 – 68 inserted adjacent on lateral margins of epigynal shield; paragenital pores (iv 5) located on soft integument between lateral margins of epigynal shield and coxa IV; subtriangular anal shield with non-straight lateral sides, anterolateral corner expanded, lobe like, and with sparsely lineate-reticulate on anterolateral surfaces, median surface smooth, 76 – 79 long, 93 – 96 wide (with cribrum), paranal setae 22 – 25 shorter and slightly thinner than postanal seta 32 – 36; cribrum extending around postanal seta; opisthogastric surface with one pair of elongate metapodal plates (50 – 52 × 6), 16 pairs of smooth setae, Zv 2 42 – 43, Zv 3 66 – 69, Zv 4 83 – 88, Zv 5 93 – 97, Jv 3 54 – 59, Jv 4 83 – 88, Jv 5 93 – 97, R 1 - R 3 67 – 71, R 4 83 – 85, R 5 92 – 94, UR 1 70 – 73 and UR 2 84 – 86; and six pairs of pore-like structures including iv 5 and gv 2. In addition one pair of setae insert on opposite of median part of coxae III; peritreme long and narrow, extending almost to anterior margin of coxa I, peritrematal plate separated from exopodal shield, wider in middle part, bearing two pore-like structures (ip and gp) on lateral margin of shield at level between coxae II – III; stigma located between coxae III – IV, surrounded by relatively broad stigmatal plate and narrower apically, posterior edge of peritrematal shields shorter than posterior edge of parapodal shields; surface of poststigmatal plate bearing two pairs of poroids and one pair of gland pores; exopodal platelets narrow and fused to sternal lateral arm between coxae I – II anteriorly, those laterad of coxae IV fused to moderately developed parapodals; endopodals II – III fused to lateral margins of sternal shield, angulate endopodals III – IV fused to parapodals. Gnathosoma (Figs. 5 – 8) – Hypostome (Fig. 5) with three pairs of smooth simple setae; h 1 (25 – 26), h 2 (15 – 17) and h 3 (31 – 34); palpcoxal setae (pc) 19 – 22 long; deutosternal groove with six rows of denticles each bearing 5 – 8 small teeth, and smooth anterior transverse row; corniculi normal, hornlike, relatively short, shorter than internal malae, reaching mid-level of palp femur; internal malae with a pair of adjacent median projections, and pair of sparsely dentate projections at lateral edges. Labrum acuminate, pilose, conspicuously longer than internal malae; epistome slightly subtriangular with smooth anterior margin (Fig. 6); chelicerae typical for genus, moveable digit (31 – 35) with two teeth, middle article (73 – 78) ending in fixed digit (29 – 32) with three teeth, dorsal seta short and simple (Fig. 7); palp (109 – 115), chaetotaxy normal, with simple setae (al 1 and al 2 on palpgenu and al on palpfemur thickened); palp apotele two-tined (Fig. 8), 14 – 17 long from base to anterior tip of longer tine. Legs – Tarsi I – IV with claws and ambulacra. leg I 466 – 480, leg II 300 – 310, leg III 293 – 303, leg IV 366 – 381. Legs I and IV longer than legs II and III. Chaetotaxy of all leg segments normal for Laelapidae. All leg setae smooth and pointed. Chaetotaxy of legs are as follows: Leg I: coxa 0 0 / 1 0 / 1 0; trochanter 1 1 / 1 0 / 2 1; femur 2 3 / 2 2 / 2 2; genu 2 3 / 2 3 / 1 2; tibia 2 3 / 2 3 / 1 2; tarsus not counted. Leg II (Fig. 9): coxa 0 0 / 1 0 / 1 0; trochanter 1 0 / 2 0 / 1 1; femur 2 3 / 1 2 / 2 1, (ad 1 and pd 2 thickened, al 2 thinner and smaller); genu 2 3 / 1 2 / 1 2; tibia 2 2 / 1 2 / 1 2; tarsus 3, 3 / 2, 3 / 2, 3 + mv, md. Leg III: coxa 0 0 / 1 0 / 1 0; trochanter 1 1 / 1 0 / 1 1; femur 1 2 / 1 1 / 0 1; genu 2 2 / 1 2 / 1 1; tibia: 2 1 / 1 2 / 1 1; tarsus 3, 3 / 2, 3 / 2, 3 + mv, md. Leg IV (Fig. 10): coxa 0 0 / 1 0 / 0 0; trochanter 1 0 / 2 0 / 1 1 (pv slightly thickened); femur 1 2 / 1 1 / 0 1 (ad 1 and ad 2 thickened); genu 2 2 / 1 3 / 0 1; tibia 2 1 / 1 3 / 1 2; tarsus 3, 3 / 2, 3 / 2, 3 + mv, md. Insemination structures – Not seen. Remarks The new species most resembles Laelaspis pennatus Joharchi & Halliday, 2012 and Laelaspis mossadeghi Babaeian & Joharchi, in Babaeian et al. (2013) [couplet 11 in the identification key to Iranian species of the genus provided by Saravani Rad et al. (2019) and couplet 5 in the identification key to Western Palaearctic species of the genus provided by Joharchi et al. (2012)], due to having the genitiventral shield broad and oval, posterior margin of genital shield rounded with two pairs setae on the surface, setae Z 5 clearly longer than J 5, postanal seta longer than para-anal setae and peritreme extends to anterior margin of coxa I. However, the new species can easily be distinguished from both species by combination of some important morphological characters explained as follows: (1) dorsal shield setae long, smooth and without knob basally [vs. with distinct knob basally, marginal setae, j 2, j 3, z 1 and Z 5 distinctly serrated in L. mossadeghi and L. pennatus; in first one dorsal setae shorter, just reaching the base of next posterior setae], (2) presence of six Jx setae [vs. three in L. pennatus and L. mossadeghi], (3) ratio of Z 5 / J 5 length ≈ 1.45 [vs. ≈ 2 in L. pennatus], (4) anterior margin of sternal shield sclerotized with a pair of distinct pointed processes [vs. non-sclerotized, without pointed processes in two mentioned species], (5) genitiventral shield broadly oval and almost level with outer margin of coxae IV [vs. smaller, circular and nearly extending to mid-level of coxae IV in L. mossadeghi], (6) opisthogastric soft integument with 16 pairs of smooth setae each arising on minute sclerotized platelet [vs. 15 and 17 pairs of serrate setae each arising on soft skin directly in L. pennatus and L. mossadeghi respectively], (7) posterior edge of peritrematal shields shorter than posterior edge of parapodal shields [vs. well past the posterior edge of parapodal shields in two mentioned species]. The new species shares some features with Laelaspis equitans (Michael, 1891), Laelaspis humeratus (Berlese, 1904); Laelaspis sinicus Zhang et al., 1963, Laelaspis lundi Hunter, 1961 and Laelaspisvolgini Shereef & Afifi, 1980: long dorsal and opisthogastric setae, the genitiventral shield broad and oval, setae Z 5 clearly longer than J 5 and postanal seta longer than para-anal setae (Michael 1891; Berlese 1904; Hunter 1961; Zhang et al. 1963; Evans and Till 1966; Shereef and Afifi 1980; Kazemi 2015). Each of these species is compared as follows: Laelaspis equitans is separated from the new species based on the edentate movable digit [vs. bidentate in the new species], position of anteriormost Jx setae [at level of j 6 and J 1 in L. equitans and L. nematii sp. nov. respectively], ratio of Z 5 / J 5 and post-anal / para-anal setae length [both ≈ 1.45 in L. nematii sp. nov., ≈ 2 and ≈ 2.4 in L. equitans respectively], anterior margin of sternal shield sclerotized with a pair of distinct pointed processes [vs. non-sclerotized, without pointed processes in L. equitans]. In addition, the dorsal shield setae in L. equitans are very long and wavy, Laelaspis humeratus is separated from L. nematii sp. nov. based on the posterior margin of epigynal shield truncate [vs. distinctly wider and rounded in the new species], ratio of Z 5 / J 5 length more than 2 [vs. ≈ 1.45 in L. nematii sp. nov.], anterior margin of sternal shield sclerotized with a pair of distinct pointed processes [vs. non-sclerotized, without pointed processes in L. humeratus], opisthogastric soft integument with 15 pairs of setae each arising on soft skin directly [vs. 16 pairs each arising on minute platelet in the new species], Laelaspis volgini is distinguished from the new species based on the epigynal shield wider than long and almost trapezoidal [vs. oval, longer than wide in L. nematii sp. nov.], number and position of anteriormost Jx setae [vs. five and six Jx setae with anteriormost at level of j 5 and J 1 in L. volgini and L. nematii sp. nov. respectively], Laelaspis sinicus is separated from the new species based on ratio of Z 5 / J 5 and post-anal / para-anal setae length [both ≈ 1.45 in L. nematii sp. nov., ≈ 2 and more than 3 in L. sinicus respectively], opisthogastric region with 12 pairs of setae each arising on soft skin directly [vs. 16 pairs each arising on minute platelet in the new species], anterior margin of sternal shield sclerotized with a pair of distinct pointed processes [vs. non-sclerotized, without pointed processes in L. sinicus], Laelaspis lundi is distinguished from the new species based on dorsal shield setae with distinct knob basally [vs. without knob basally in the new species], posterior margin of epigynal shield tapered to pointed [vs. distinctly wider and rounded in the new species], anterior margin of sternal shield sclerotized with a pair of distinct pointed processes [vs. non-sclerotized, without pointed processes in L. lundi], ratio of post-anal / para-anal setae length ≈ 1.8 [vs. ≈ 1.45 in the new species], opisthogastric soft integument with 18 pairs of setae each arising on soft skin directly [vs. 16 pairs each arising on minute platelet in the new species].	en	Khalili-Moghadam, Arsalan (2024): Laelaspis nematii sp. nov. (Mesostigmata: Laelapidae), a new species of laelapid mites from southwest Iran. Persian Journal of Acarology 13 (3): 349-359, DOI: 10.22073/pja.v13i3.85004
03B087DBFFD53139FDC9A5B9FF5CFBD8.taxon	etymology	Etymology This species is named in honor of Prof. Alireza Nemati, a distinguished professor of acarology (Shahrekord University), who devoted many years for teaching acarology and training acarologists in Iran.	en	Khalili-Moghadam, Arsalan (2024): Laelaspis nematii sp. nov. (Mesostigmata: Laelapidae), a new species of laelapid mites from southwest Iran. Persian Journal of Acarology 13 (3): 349-359, DOI: 10.22073/pja.v13i3.85004
