A new species of Myrmozercon Berlese (Acari, Mesostigmata, Laelapidae) associated with ant from Iran

Abstract

This paper report on a new species of mites of the genus Myrmozercon associated with ant in Iran – Myrmozercon cyrusi Ghafarian and Joharchi sp. n. was collected associated of the Monomorium sp. in Kenevist Rural District in the Central District of Mashhad County, Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran. This new species is described and illustrations provided. Myrmozercon ovatum Karawajew, 1909 is suspected to be a junior synonym of Myrmozercon brevipes Berlese, 1902 and host-specificity and host range of Myrmozercon are also reviewed.

Description of a new ant-associated species (Acari: Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) from Iran

“…sp., but pl thickened in M. michaeli). Characteristic ornamentation including Λ-shaped lines and polygonal cells on the epigynal shield of the two species is also different (Joharchi and Moradi, 2013 (Joharchi et al, 2011;Babaeian et al, 2013;Ghafarian et al, 2013;Joharchi and Moradi, 2013).…”

“…Six species of the genus are known from Iran (Baker and Strandtmann, 1948;Hunter and Hunter, 1963;Rosario and Hunter, 1988;Ueckermann and Loots, 1995;Walter, 2003;Shaw and Seeman, 2009;Joharchi et al, 2011;Trach and Khaustov, 2011;Babaeian et al, 2013;Ghafarian et al, 2013;Joharchi and Moradi, 2013). In 1902, Berlese created the genus Myrmozercon and designated M. brevipes as its type species.…”

A new genus and species of Laelapidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) from Iran

“…An intermediate stage may be exhibited by Ololaelaps, for which seta st4 is inserted in the posterolateral margins of an otherwise normal sternal shield, near setae st3. Setae st4 are also lost in some species of the insect-associated laelapid genera Myrmozercon, Urozercon and Dinogamasus (Lundqvist, 1998;Klimov & OConnor, 2004;Ghafarian et al, 2013). The sternal shield is also broader than long in Ololaelaps, Laelaspisella and Pogonolaelaps, and concave posteriorly (also in Reticulolaelaps), seemingly also to accommodate the anterior expansion of the epigynal shield, a correlation seen in some members of many other genera of laelapids or relatives, especially associated with insects (e.g.…”

A new species of Myrmozercon Berlese (Acari: Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) associated with ant from Iran

“…differs from M. michaeli and other similar congeners by following combination of characters: (1) sternal shield deeply concave anteromedially and horse-shoe like; (2) dorsal shield setae thickened and elongated; (3) movable and fixed digits completely edentate; (4) femur I with two ventral setae; (5) peritreme very long; (6) femur and genu IV each with five and nine setae, respectively. (Joharchi et al, 2011;Ghafarian et al, 2013;Joharchi and Moradi, 2013). Species of Myrmozercon have host-specificity and their distribution may be influenced by their host specificity.…”

“…The genus Myrmozercon belongs to a smaller group of genera of laelapid mites and at present has about 26 species (Baker and Strandtmann, 1948;Hunter and Hunter, 1963;Rosario and Hunter, 1988;Ueckermann and Loots, 1995;Walter, 2003;Shaw and Seeman, 2009;Joharchi et al, 2011;Trach and Khaustov, 2011;Ghafarian et al, 2013;Joharchi and Moradi, 2013).…”