Raphignathus mites from Turkey (Acari: Raphignathidae)

Three new species of the genus Raphignathus from Turkey, R. emirdagiensis, R. karabagiensis, and R. afyonensis, are described and illustrated. Two species Raphignathus zhaoi Fan and Yin, 2000 and Raphignathus ensipilosus Meyer and Ueckermann, 1989 are new records for the Turkish fauna. A key to all the species of this genus is given.


Introduction
Members of the family Raphignathidae are predacious (Zaher and Gomaa 1979). They are found on tree bark, in litter, moss, lichens, soil, in stored products, house dust, birds nests, and have been recorded from the intestine of a Weddell seal and the urine of a human (Atyeo et al. 1961;Atyeo 1963;Meyer and Ueckermann 1989;Fan and Yin 2000;Dogan 2003;Khanjani and Ueckermann 2003). This genus in Turkey is represented by 10 species (Koç and Ayyıldız 1996;Dogan 2003;Dogan and Ayyıldız 2003;Koç and Akyol 2004;Koç and Kara 2005).
This study deals with the description of three new species and of two new records for the Turkish fauna. In addition, a key to all the species of this genus is given.

Material and methods
Litter and soil samples taken from under Astragalus sp., Euphorbia sp., Verbascum sp., Populus sp., Juniperus oxicedrus, Quercus sp., Prunus sp., Triticum sp., Phragmites australis, and soil in a mole's nest, in Afyonkarahisar province were brought to the laboratory in nylon bags. Mites were extracted in Berlese funnels for 7 days and preserved in 75% ethanol. The mites were picked from the samples under a stereomicroscope and mounted on slides in Hoyer's medium.
Dorsal and leg setal designations follow Kethley (1990) and Grandjean (1944), respectively. All measurements are given in micrometres (mm). Type material and specimens examined are deposited in the Zoological Museum of Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey.
Cheliceral bases fused to form a conical stylophore; peritremes arising from mid-basal part of stylophore, projecting to anterior margin of idisoma; palptibial claw small; subcapitulum with two pairs of supcapitular setae and two pairs of adoral setae; podosoma with three shields, opisthosoma with a large shield; dorsum with 11-12 pairs of setae; one pair of eyes on lateral podosomal shields; two pairs of aggenital setae, genital and anal covers each with three pairs of setae. Gnathosoma. Length of gnathosoma 48. Subcapitulum with two pairs of long setae (n530, m527) and one pair of pilose adoral setae (or 1,2 ). Dorsal stylophore with striae. Palp tibial claw about third as long as palptarsus. Setae formula (from femur to tarsus): 22223+1 claw, 4+1v+4 eupathidia.
Dorsum. With one median and two lateral shields, without small shields behind median podosomal shield. Opisthosoma with one opisthosomal shield. Median shield with three pairs of setae. Each lateral shield with one pair of eyes, three pairs of setae and one pair of lyrifissures (ia). Three pairs of setae (d 1 , e 1 , and f 1 ) and one pair of lyrifissures (im), located on interscutal membrane. Opisthosomal shield with three pairs of setae and one pair of lyrifissures (ip). All dorsal shields punctuated. Body surface striated between podosomal and opisthosomal shields. Dorsal setae simple. Dimensions of dorsal setae as follows Venter. With two pairs of coxisternal shields, one pair between coxae I and II, one pair between coxae III and IV. Anogenital area with one pair of aggenital setae, ag519, and three pairs of genital setae, g 1 5g 2 5g 3 516. Genital and coxisternal shield punctuated. Venter striated. A pair of lyrifissures (ih) located laterally to genital shield. Anal shield with three pairs of setae, ps 1 5ps 2 5ps 3 516.

Male
Unknown.

Etymology
The species is named after the type locality, Emirdagı mountains, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey.

Remarks
This species is close to R. evidus Fan and Yin, 2000 in having more than two pairs of setae on interscutal membrane, the same setation on leg femur IV and on palpfemur, but it can be recognized by following features: (1) dorsal shields not reduced, interscutal membrane with three pairs of setae (d 1 , e 1 , and f 1 ); (2) genu II with five setae; (3) opisthosomal shield with three pairs of setae; (4) setae h 1 well behind anterior margin on opisthosomal shield; (5) interscutal membrane with one pair of lyrifissures (im).  Gnathosoma. Length of gnathosoma 64. Subcapitulum with two pairs of long setae (n530, m530) and two pairs of pilose adoral setae (or 122 ). Dorsal stylophore with striae. Palp tibial claw about one-third as long as palptarsus. Setae formula (from femur to tarsus): 22223+1 claw, 4+1v+4 eupathidia.

Raphignathus karabagiensis
Dorsum. Median podosomal shield spherical anteriorly and tapered posteriorly, bearing three pairs of setae and suture remnants dsj, which also occur on the two small shields on interscutal membrane. Each lateral shield with one pair of eyes, three pairs of setae and one pair of lyrifissures (ia). Interscutal membrane with two pairs of setae (d 1 and e 1 ) situated on small platelets and one pair of lyrifissures (im). Opisthosomal shield with four pairs of setae and one pair of lyrifissures (ip). All dorsal shields punctuated. Body surface striated between podosomal and opisthosomal shields. Dorsal setae simple. Venter. With two pairs of coxisternal shields, one pair between coxae I and II, one pair between coxae III and IV. Anogenital area with one pair of aggenital setae, ag516, and four pairs of genital setae, g 1 5g 2 5g 3 5g 4 516. Genital and coxisternal shields punctuated. Venter striated. A pair of lyrifissures (ih) located laterally to genital shield. Anal shield with three pairs of setae, ps 1 516, ps 2 513, ps 3 516.

Male
Unknown.

Etymology
The species is named after the type locality, B. Karabag, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey.

Remarks
This species is related to R. hecmatanaensis Khanjani and Ueckermann, differing from the latter in: (1) genital covers with four pairs of setae (genital covers with three pairs of setae in R. hecmatanaensis); (2) setae f 2 not located on large platelets on opisthosoma (setae f 2 located on large platelets on opisthosoma in R. hecmatanaensis).
Raphignathus afyonensis sp. n. Venter. With two pairs of coxisternal shields, one pair between coxae I and II, one pair between coxae III and IV; coxisternal shields between coxae III and IV with much larger; venter striated, with three pairs of setae, ag522; three pairs of genital setae, g 1 5g 2 5g 3 516; genital and coxisternal shields punctuated; one pair of lyrifissures (ih) located laterally to genital shield; anal shield with three pairs of setae, ps 1 5ps 2 5ps 3 519.  Dorsum. Podosoma with one median and two lateral shields separated by striae; podosoma with one pair of small shields behind median podosomal shield; opisthosoma with a large opisthosomal shield; dorsal body setae smooth and ensiform; median shield bearing three Venter. Coxal groups I-II and III-IV with coxisternal shields; venter striated and three pairs of setae, ag516; three pairs of genital setae, g 1 5g 2 5g 3 516; genital and coxisternal shield punctuated; one pair of lyrifissures (ih) located laterally to genital shield; anal shield with three pairs of setae, ps 1 5ps 2 5ps 3 516.