A new species of Hoplocheylus (Prostigmata: Tarsocheylidae) from nest of Messor denticulatus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Iran

ABSTRACT

A new species of Hoplocheylus Atyeo and Baker, 1964 (Acariformes: Heterostigmatina: Tarsocheylidae), H. evansi Arjomandi and Hajiqanbar sp. nov., is described and illustrated from nest of the ant Messor denticulatus Santschi, 1927 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Miankaleh peninsula, Mazandaran province, northern Iran. The new species is characterized by most of dorsal and ventral setae attenuated, with dilation in the proximal half; setae cha dagger like; and tibia III without solenidion. A key to species of the genus Hoplocheylus is also provided.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1D84E0E3-3A83-48A0-AD87-7306647BBB42

KEYWORDS:

• Acari
• Heterostigmatina
• ant
• mite
• myrmecophily

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank Yazdanfar Ahangaran (Senior of Plant Protection, Natural Resources Protection and Conservation Office, Forest, Range and Watershed Organization, Chalus, Iran) and Reza Seifi for their kind help and support during our sampling. Special thanks go to Dr. Alexander Radchenko (Kiev, Ukraine) for identifying the ant host.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Tarbiat Modares University.