Two new records of the genus Macrocheles (Acari: Macrochelidae) from Türkiye, with redescription of M. similis Krantz and Filipponi

Abstract

The present work deals with two species of the genus Macrochles, namely Macrocheles similis and Macrocheles mammifer. These species were found as photretics on a beetle (Pentadon sp.) in Antalya and some specimens of M. similis were collected freely in Erzincan, Türkiye. M. similis was originally described and illustrated from Australian specimens and subsequently reported from several regions, including the USA, Japan and the Hawaiian Islands. Now, unexpectedly, the species has been recorded for the first time in the Western Palearctic. This species is morphologically very similar to Macrocheles muscaedomestiae, making it very difficult to distinguish them from each other based on morphological characteristics. Therefore, M. similis may have been misidentified as M. muscaedomesticae in this region. The make correct identification of M. similis is described again in detail here and compared with M. musacaedomesticae. In addition, both species investigated in this study are new additions to the Turkish mite fauna.

Keywords

• Mesostigmata
• mite
• phoretic
• species diversity
• Antalya
• Erzincan

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