New data on two myrmecophilous laelapid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) in Western Siberia, Russia

ABSTRACT

Gaeolaelaps glabrosimilis and Holostaspis flexuosa are recorded for the first time in Western Siberia, Russia, collected from the ant species Lasius fuliginosus (Latreille) (Formicidae) and Camponotus herculeanus (L.), respectively. Gaeolaelaps glabrosimilis is redescribed on the basis of adults and a detailed comparison of this species with the very closely related species Gaeolaelaps longichaetus is presented. Moreover, notable variations are observed in some morphological characters of H. flexuosa.

KEYWORDS:

• Phoretic mites
• Gamasina
• taxonomy
• parasitiformes
• mutualism
• ants

Acknowledgments

We cordially thank Mohammadhassan Abbasi Sarcheshmeh (Institute of Environmental and Agricultural Biology (X-BIO), Tyumen State University) for assistance in figure preparation. We are very grateful to Sneha Vissa (School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University) for her help with collecting of samples. The present research was supported by the grant from the Russian Science Foundation, project no. 20-64-47015.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation [20-64-47015].