Correlation of heteromorphic life instars in terrestrial Parasitengona mites and its impact on taxonomy – the case of Leptus molochinus (C. L. Koch, 1837) and Leptus ignotus (Oudemans, 1903) (Acari: Trombidiformes: Prostigmata: Erythraeidae)

Abstract

Leptus molochinus (C. L. Koch, 1837) is redescribed based on adults, deutonymphs and larvae. Larvae of hitherto distinguished Leptus ignotus (Oudemans, 1903), syn. nov., redescribed as Leptus ignotus ignotus, were obtained by experimental rearing from females of L. molochinus (C. L. Koch, 1837). The previous conjectures on “Leptus ignotus” as a compound taxon were not confirmed. Leptus ignotus danelli Southcott, 1992 is regarded as a distinct species, L. danelli Southcott, 1992 stat. nov. Data on larvae obtained by experimental rearing and those collected in the wild are compared with literature data on field-collected larvae. Information on development of eggs into larvae and on host spectrum is summarised. A female, from which larvae have been obtained by experimental rearing, is designated as neotype. Backgrounds for synonymisation of species known from different life instars are discussed.

Keywords:

• Leptus
• taxonomy
• biology
• new synonym
• Europe