Myrmozercon

Joharchi, Omid & Moradi, Maryam, 2013, Review of the genus Myrmozercon Berlese (Acari: Laelapidae), with description of two new species from Iran, Zootaxa 3686 (2), pp. 244-254 : 253

Key to species of Myrmozercon occurring in the Palaearctic Region

1. Dorsal shield setation hypotrichous, covered with a maximum of ca. 50 pairs of setae ( Fig. 14 )........................ 3

- Dorsal shield highly hypertrichous, covered with dense pelage of>100 pairs of short setae ( Fig. 1 ).................... 2

2. Leg I very long, which at least 1.5 times as long as length of body........................ M. crinitus Joharchi sp. nov

- Leg I much shorter than length of body............. Myrmozercon brevipes Berlese 1902 (= M. ovatum Karawajew, 1909 )

3. Peritreme relatively long, extending to coxa II ( Fig. 16 )....................................................... 4

- Peritreme short, not extending past anterior margin of coxa III ( Fig. 2 ).......................................... 10

4. Femur I with four or fewer ventral setae.................................................................... 5

- Femur I with five ventral setae..................................................... M. flexuosa ( Michael, 1891)

5. Metasternal setae st 4 present............................................................................. 6

- Metasternal setae st 4 absent............................................................................. 8

6. Dorsal shield oval and posteriorly truncate, leaving small unprotected strip of skin posterior to setae J5, genital shield wide, tapering posteriorly................................................................................... 7

- Dorsal shield obovate and posteriorly curved, leaving large unprotected area of skin posterior to setae J5, genital shield narrow, finger-shaped posteriorly......................................................... M. brachiatus ( Berlese, 1903)

7. Dorsal setae smooth and needle-like, all setae on femura II–IV fine and needle-like......... M. acuminatus ( Berlese, 1903)

- Almost all dorsal setae distinctly serrate in apical third, all anterior dorsal setae on femura II–IV thickened.................................................................................... Myrmozercon michaeli Joharchi sp. nov.

8. Almost all dorsal shield setae serrate, especially marginal and posterior of dorsal shield setae......................... 9

- Almost all dorsal shield setae simple........................................... M. clarus ( Hunter & Hunter, 1963)

9. Dorsal shield with 31 pairs of setae................................................. M. liguricus Vitzthum, 1930

- Dorsal shield with 34 pairs of setae.......................................... M. tauricus Trach & Khaustov, 2011

10. Metasternal setae st 4 present............................................................................ 11

- Metasternal setae st 4 absent....................................... Myrmozercon cyrusi Ghafarian & Joharchi, 2013

11. Genital shield pointed posteriorly........................................................................ 12

- Genital shield truncate posteriorly.......................................... M. antennophoroides ( Berlese, 1904)

12. Posterior half of the dorsal shield with at least 19 pairs of setae......................... M. diplogenius ( Berlese, 1903)

- Posterior half of the dorsal shield with 15 pairs of setae............................ M. karajensis Joharchi et al., 2011

Figures

FIGURES 14 – 24. Myrmozercon michaeli Joharchi sp. nov., female. 14. Dorsal shield; 15. Dorsal seta enlarged (J 5) (not to scale); 16. Ventral idiosoma; 17. Tritosternum; 18. Hypostome; 19. Palp tarsal claw; 20. Epistome; 21. Chelicera; 22. femur II, dorsal aspect; 23. femur III, dorsal aspect; 24. femur IV, dorsal aspect.

FIGURES 1 – 7. Myrmozercon crinitus Joharchi sp. nov., female. 1. Dorsal shield; 2. Ventral idiosoma; 3. Hypostome; 4. Epistome; 5. Palp tarsal claw; 6. Tritosternum; 7. Chelicera.