Two cases of structural anomalies on dorsal podosomal shields in Raphignathus gracilis (Rack) (Acariformes: Raphignathidae)

Abstract

Raphignathus gracilis (Rack, 1962) (Raphignathidae) is a widely distributed species and has been recorded from many countries including Turkey (Koç & Ayyıldız 1996; Doğan 2003, 2019; Beron 2020; Mohammad-Doustaresharaf & Kazemi 2022). It can be recognized by having 2 setae on palp femur, 2 pairs of setae on interscutal membrane of idiosoma, no obvious small platelets posteriad of median podosomal shield, 3 pairs of genital setae and 3 setae on femur IV in female (Fan & Yin 2000; Doğan et al. 2019).