Alliphis kargi Arutunian

Mašán, Peter & Halliday, Bruce, 2010, Review of the European genera of Eviphididae (Acari: Mesostigmata) and the species occurring in Slovakia 2585, Zootaxa 2585, pp. 1-122 : 29-30

Alliphis kargi Arutunian

( Figs 13, 14, 40, 42, 43, 46)

Alliphis kargi Arutunian, 1991: 177 .

Diagnosis (adults). Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 13). Female idiosoma 460–520 µm long and 315–380 µm wide. Dorsal shield oval, 435–495 µm long and 275–330 µm wide in females, 350–395 µm long and 250–270 µm wide in males, distinctly reticulated around marginal areas only. Dorsal setae relatively long, marginal setae approximately double length of central setae; in females: j1 22–25 µm, j2 26–30 µm, j3 27–33 µm, j4 24–28 µm, j5 17–23 µm, J3 11–14 µm, J5 10–13 µm, Z5 14–17 µm.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 14). Presternal platelets present. Sternal shield approximately as long as wide, 88– 98 µm long and 91–102 µm wide, smooth or with weak anteromarginal ornamentation lines; first pair of sternal pores slit-like, oriented obliquely. Epigynal shield relatively large, 55–70 µm wide. Post-genital sclerites present. Anal shield approximately as long as wide, 80–100 µm in length and 80–91 µm in width, subtriangular, with rounded anterior margin and smooth surface. Opisthogastric integument with two pairs of elongate metapodal platelets, anterior pair minute. Peritrematal shields relatively narrow, developed along the whole peritreme, smooth, without specific sculptural ornamentation on surface; post-stigmatic section tapered posteriorly; peritremes shortened, anterior ends reaching slightly beyond seta s2. Dorsolateral and opisthogastric integument with ten pairs of setae in females, nine pairs in males. In male, sterno-genital shield 173–180 µm long, anal shield 80–90 µm long and 80–95 µm wide.

Gnathosoma . Cheliceral dentition typical for genus. Epistome with elongated central projection; lateral wing-like elements poorly developed, sloping, densely serrate on anterior margin ( Fig. 46).

Legs. Chaetotaxy of leg segments typical for genus ( Table 3). Femora II and IV of male each with a robust spur-like seta ( Figs 42, 43).

Remarks. Alliphis kargi is an insecticolous species that occurs in close association with Lethrus apterus (Scarabaeidae) . This beetle species shows well-developed parental care of its progeny, and is unusual in that both adult beetles and immature stages are phytophagous. It is a rare beetle that occurs in warm plains and pasture habitats in the southern part of Slovakia. The other beetle hosts for this mite species cited by Arutunian (1991), viz. Aphodius lugens Creutz. and Rhizotrogus arcilabris Mars. , seem to be very questionable and doubtful.

Occurrence in Slovakia. New data. Cerová Vrchovina Highland: 5 ♀♀, 3 ♂♂, 7 June 2006, Šurice [7785] .