The first record of the genus Myrmozercon Berlese (Acari: Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) in Japan and description of a new species clinging to an arboreal ant (Formicidae: Crematogaster)

ABSTRACT

This paper reports on a new species of mite of the genus Myrmozercon Berlese in Japan. Females of a new species, Myrmozercon kishidai sp. nov., were collected clinging to Crematogaster teranishii Santschi (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The new species is described and illustrated based on morphological characters of the adult female and compared with known congeners. This new species is the first record of Myrmozercon from Japan. In addition, an identification key to all known species of the genus is presented.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid: zoobank.org:pub:0C7D01EB-CCB6-4D37-879F-2E547D9EABDD

KEYWORDS:

• Formicidae
• myrmecophily
• taxonomy
• East Palaearctic region
• Indomalayan realm
• Myrmicinae

Acknowledgments

The present research was supported by the cooperative agreement No. FEWZ-2021-0004 from the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education. Our sincere thanks to Dr. Owen D. Seeman (Queensland Museum, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia) and an anonymous reviewer for their comments on this paper.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

The present research was supported by the cooperative agreement No. [FEWZ-2021-0004] from the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education.