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| Philippinozercon makilingensis
Gerdeman, Garcia, Herczak & Klompen, 2018
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Abstract
The generic classification of millipede associated Heterozerconidae in the Oriental region is revised. The genus Allozercon Vitzthum is re-diagnosed and Asioheterozercon Fain is designated as an subjective junior synonym of Allozercon. Philippinozercon gen. nov., with the type species P. makilingensis sp. nov., is described for all instars. This genus may be endemic for the Philippines, but is quite widespread in that country. All immature instars are described, making this the second species of Heterozerconidae known for all instars. The morphology of the immatures is compared with that of immatures of the temperate species Narceoheterozercon ohioensis and unnamed species from Brazil and Thailand. All immatures were collected from millipede frass and litter, never from millipedes. Adults are associated with millipedes in the family Trigoniulidae (Spirobolida).
Keywords: Acari, heteromorphic development, Diplopoda, Oriental region, classification
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| FIGURE 1. Philippinozercon makilingensis sp. nov., chelicera. A, Deutonymph (OSAL 0053228); B, Female (OSAL 0053222); C, Male (OSAL 0053267).
Scale bar = 50 µm.
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| FIGURE 2. Philippinozercon makilingensis sp. nov., chelicera male, confocal microscopy, maximum intensity projection. |
Philippinozercon Gerdeman, Garcia, Herczak & Klompen gen. nov.
Philippinozercon makilingensis Gerdeman, Garcia, Herczak & Klompen sp. nov.
Diagnosis (based on adults). With the following combination of characters: adults with only three setae on the palp genu (unique); lacking series of spine-like setae latero-ventrally on the idiosoma; metapodal shields with acute postero-lateral angles (unique); setae Jv5 inserted posterior to the fusion line of the ventral and anal shields; with one pair of greatly elongated setae inserted on the postero-marginal shield. Female with a strip-like sclerite between the geniti-ventral and the endopodal-sternal shield remnants; sternal setae st3 inserted on soft cuticle. Male with sternal setae st3 on endopodal-sternal shield remnants (unique); seta pl1 on femora II hook-like and spinose.
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Etymology. The name is derived from the location where the specimen was collected. Philippinozercon refers to the country, the Republic of the Philippines, and makilingensis refers to Mount Makiling, the dormant volcano located on the southern border between Laguna and Batangas provinces on the island of Luzon.
Beverly S. Gerdeman, Rufino C. Garcia, Andrew Herczak and Hans Klompen. 2018. Philippinozercon, A New Genus of Heterozerconidae (Parasitiformes: Mesostigmata), with Description of All Active Instars. Zootaxa. 4540(1); 7–22. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4540.1.4
