Biologia 65/5: 880—883, 2010 Section Zoology DOI: 10.2478/s11756-010-0094-7 Sperchon (Scutosperchon) akdagensis sp. n. (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Sperchontidae) from Turkey Ferruh As ¸c ¸i 1 , Ahmet Bursali 2 & Muhlis ¨ Ozkan 3 1 Afyon Kocatepe University, Faculty of Arts and Science, Biology Department, 03200 Afyonkarahisar, Turkey; e-mail: f asci@aku.edu.tr 2 Gaziosmanpa¸ sa University, Faculty of Science and Letters, Biology Department, Tokat, Turkey; e-mail: abursali@gop.edu.tr 3 Uluda˘ g University, Faculty of Education, 16059 Bursa, Turkey; e-mail: muozkan@uludag.edu.tr Abstract: The structural characteristics, unique features, various organ measurements of males and females of the Sperchon (Scutosperchon) akdagensis sp. n. water mite from Turkey are described. In addition, morphological characteristics of the new species are compared with related species. Key words: water mite; new species; Sperchon; Hydrachnidia; Acari; Turkey Introduction Sperchon Kramer, 1877 with the structure of its integu- ment, surface pattern and shape of gnathosoma is one of most easily diagnosed water mite genera (Bader 1975; Bader & Sepasgosarian 1979). The number of known species of the genus Sperchon from Turkish fauna is 12 ( ¨ Ozkan & Bader 1988; ¨ Ozkan et al. 1988, 1994; Smit 1995; Erman et al. 2007). Scutosperchon Viets, 1926 can be easily differentiated from other subgenera of Sper- chon because of the whole dorsal plate that completely covers the idisoma, non-papillated integument and its design (Viets 1926, 1936). Cook (1974) and Bader & Sepasgosarian (1979) proposed synonymization of the subgenus Scutosper- chon with the subgenus Hispidosperchon. Although Lundblad (1956) and Bader & Sepasgosarian (1979) recommended that differentiating Sperchon species into subgenera was postponed and any action taken regard- ing this subject was considered with caution, this rec- ommendation has been ignored and the use of subgen- era is common (Viets 1956; Cook 1974; Bader & Sepas- gosarian 1979, 1980; Viets K.O. 1987). Among the Sperchon species listed in literature, Sperchon (Scutosperchon)akdagensis sp. n. is related to Sperchon (Scutosperchon) senguni ¨ Ozkan, 1982 (Viets 1936; Bader 1975, 1988; Imamura & Nagatsuka 1983; ¨ Ozkan 1982, 1989; Sabatino et al. 2009). Material and methods Water mites were collected, preserved, and prepared accord- ing to the methods described by Viets (1936), Cook (1974) and Gerecke (2003). All samples were examined under stereo (Leica MZ60, Germany) and compound microscope (Olym- pus CX41, Japan) with drawing attachment. All measure- ments are given in micrometers (μm). Sperchontidae Thor, 1900 Sperchon Kramer, 1877 Sperchon (Scutosperchon) akdagensis sp. n. Description. Holotype: male. The size of the body is 720/600 (Figs 1A, B). Preantenniformae distance 296, length of ocularia 304, diameter of eye is 45. The eyes are noticeably pigmented, the frontal organ dis- tinctive and unpigmented, the dorsal chitin is spotted circularly, and the depressions are evenly ordered. Total length of chelicerae is 360; claw length and height 80, 88, respectively (Fig. 1D). The surface of each palp con- tains uniformly scattered depressions with small spot cavities. Setae on the palp are dagger shaped and not very long (Fig. 1C). The distribution of hairs on palp parts is 0-17-9-3. The length of the appendage on ven- tral side of P 2 is 64, the P 4 has two marked humps, the chitin protruding on the humps is like a denticle- shaped. The thickness ratio of P 2 :P 3 and P 3 :P 4 is almost two. The length of palp segments are: dorsal edge 40- 224-160-296-48 = 768; ventral edge 40-192-144-160-40 = 576 and heights: 88-168-112-48-32. The coxae surface has large spot depressions. The coxae lengths are 232-200-216-248, respectively. The size of the genital area is 240/200 and there are a series of fine hairs in the posterior. The pregenital plate is small. The size of the acetabula from anterior to poste- rior is 64-72-56, respectively. The surface of the genital flapes has small and close spot depressions. The excre- c 2010 Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences Unauthenticated Download Date | 7/30/18 1:31 AM