Zercon dilekensis Urhan & Karaca 2023, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Urhan, Raşit
name: Karaca, Mehmet
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Mesostigmata
Blattisociidae
Zercon
Zercon dilekensis

description: Zercon dilekensis sp. nov. (Figures 4-9)
Zoobank: http://zoobank.org/ 8E8BE2EF-8210-4C6B-ADCB-88A052C335AC
Type material. Holotype (female), soil and litter samples under oleaster-leafed pear (P. elaeagrifolia), 37°41.088' N, 27°16.594' E, 935 m a.s.l., Dilek Mountain, Kuşadası County, Aydın Province, 31 August 2019. Paratypes: 6 females, 3 DN and 1 PN, same data as holotype. 9 females and 5 males, soil and litter samples under Turkish oak (Q. cerris), 37°41.080' N, 27°15.571' E, 893 m a.s.l., Dilek Mountain, Kuşadası County, Aydın Province, 31 August 2019.
Diagnosis. Anterior margin of ventrianal shield with 2 setae (seta JV1 present, seta ZV1 absent). Great majority of podonotal setae short, smooth and needle-like (except seta j1, marginal setae s3, s6 and r4–5). Setae j1, s3, s6 and r4–5 finely barbed. Great majority of opisthonotal setae elongated, finely barbed with hyaline endings. Setae Z4–5 and S5 longer than other opisthonotal setae. Pores gdS2 located between setae Z2 and S3, gdZ3 located between setae J5 and Z4.
Dorsal cavities distinct and strongly developed. Podonotum and anterior margin of opisthonotum covered with tile-like pattern, mid-area to posterior margin of opisthonotum covered by an irregular punctate patterns.
Female (Figs 4-5). Length (without gnathosoma) and width in holotype 465 and 320, respectively. Measurements of 15 paratypes: length 440–470, width 305–323.
Dorsal side (Fig. 4). 20 pairs of setae present on podonotum: setae in j series with 6 pairs, z series with 5 pairs, s series with 6 pairs and r series with 3 pairs. Setae j1, s3, s6 and r4–5 finely barbed. The remaining podonotal setae short, equal in size, smooth and needle-like. 21 pairs of setae present on opisthonotum: setae in J series with 5 pairs, Z series with 5 pairs, S series with 5 pairs and R series with 6 pairs.
Most of opisthonotal setae elongated, finely barbed with hyaline endings (except setae J1–2, Z1–2, S1 and marginal setae). Setae J1–2 and Z1–2 short, smooth and needle-like. Setae S2 and all marginal setae (S1 + R 1–6) finely barbed without hyaline endings. Setae J3–5, Z2–5 and S3–5 elongated, finely barbed (2 or 3 barbs apically) with hyaline endings. Setae Z5 and S5 longer than others, and extend to beyond the opisthonotum. Setae Z4 extends to the edge of the opisthonotum in many specimens. Setae J3–4 and Z3 reaching the bases of the following setae. Seta JV5 similar in length to marginal R setae, but unlike them, with hyaline ending. The intervals between setae Z5 and Z5 104–123, setae Z5 and JV5 16–18, respectively. Average lengths of the opisthonotal setae and distances between setal bases within longitudinal J, Z and S rows are given in Table 3 for female, male, DN and PN specimens of Z. dilekensis sp. nov. Pores (Fig. 4). On podonotum, pores gdj2 located on the line connecting setae j3–s1, closer to s1. Pores gdj4 located on the line connecting setae j5–z3. Pores gds4 located on the line connecting setae s4–s5, closer to s4. On opisthonotum, pores gdZ1 located above the insertions of setae Z1. Pores gdS2 located on the line connecting setae Z2–S3. Pores gdZ3 located on the line connecting setae J5–Z4, closer to Z4. Pores gdS5 located below the insertions of setae S5.
Ventral side (Fig. 5). Chaetotaxy and shape of the peritrematal shields characteristic of the genus Zercon. Posterolateral tips of peritrematal shield reaching the level of setae S1. Peritrematal shield with two pairs of setae (r1 and r3), seta r1 short, smooth and needle-like, seta r3 elongated and finely barbed apically. Peritremes similar to reverse comma. Sternal shield with three pairs of setae (st1–st3), epigynal shield with one pair of setae (st5), and one seta (st4) located between sternal and epigynal shields; all of them (st1–st5) short, smooth and needle-like. Glands gv2 present between posterior section of epigynal shield and anterior section of ventrianal shield. Anterior margin of ventrianal shield with 1 pair of setae (seta JV1 present, seta ZV1 absent). Ventrianal shield with 9 pairs of setae (JV1– JV5, ZV2–ZV4 and Ad) and 1 single postanal seta (Pa); all of them short, smooth and needle-like (except seta JV5). Seta JV5 slightly elongated, finely barbed with hyaline ending, and extends to beyond the opisthonotum.
Male (Figs 6-7). Lengths (without gnathosoma) 335–357 and widths 214–230 (n=5). Chaetotaxy of idiosoma, location of pores on idiosoma and ornamentation of dorsal shields similar to the females, with a few exceptions. On opisthonotum, seta S2 and marginal setae R 3–6 are finely barbed in female specimens, they are smooth and needle-like in male specimens. In addition, in comparison with female specimens, seta Z4 extends to beyond the opisthonotum and seta S4 extends to the edge of the opisthonotum in male specimens. The intervals between setae Z5 and Z5 91–97, setae Z5 and JV5 18–22, respectively.
Deutonymph (Fig. 8). Lengths 345–363, widths 228–242 (n=3). On podonotum, setae j1, s3 and s5–6 slightly elongated and finely barbed. Among them, setae s3 and s5–6 with hyaline endings. The remaining podonotal setae short, smooth and needle-like. On opisthonotum, setae J1–5, Z1– 2, S1 and R 1–6 short, smooth and needle-like. Setae Z3–5 and S2–5 finely barbed with hyaline ending. Setae Z4–5 and S4–5 extend to beyond the opisthonotum. Location of idiosomal pores as in adults. The intervals between setae Z5 and Z5 93–98, setae Z5 and JV5 19–23, respectively.
Protonymph (Fig. 9). Length 263, width 179) (n=1). On podonotum, setae j1, z4, s3, s5 and r5 slightly elongated and finely barbed. Among them, setae z4, s3, s5 and r5 with hyaline endings. The remaining podonotal setae short, smooth and needle-like. On opisthonotum, setae J1–5 and Z1–2 short, smooth and needle-like. Setae Z3–5 and S2–5 finely barbed with hyaline ending. Although seta S3 extends to the edge of the opisthonotum, setae Z4–5 and S4–5 extend to beyond the opisthonotum.
All podonotal pores are invisible. On opisthonotum, pores gdZ1, gdS2 and gdZ3 are visible. The intervals between setae Z5 and Z5 66, setae Z5 and JV5 17, respectively.
Etymology. The specific epithet ‘ dilekensis ’ refers to the Dilek Peninsula (Kuşadası County, Aydın Province) where the new species was collected.
Remarks. Zercon dilekensis sp. nov. is quite similar to Z. cretensis UJvári, 2008, Z. plumatopilus Athias-Henriot, 1961 and Z. turcicus Urhan and Ayyıldız, 1994. The morphological distinguishing characters of these four species were given in Table 4.
description: Published as part of Urhan, Raşit & Karaca, Mehmet, 2023, Contributions to the Zerconidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) fauna of Dilek Peninsula-Büyük Menderes Delta National Park, Türkiye, pp. 21-33 in Acarological Studies 5 (1) on pages 26-29, DOI: 10.47121/acarolstud.1226687, http://zenodo.org/record/8156274