Favognathus hyrcanensis n. sp., a new species of the genus Favognathus (Acari: Trombidiformes: Cryptognathidae) from Northern Iran

Favognathus hyrcanensis n. sp. (Acari: Cryptognathidae) is described and illustrated from adult specimens collected from soil in Golestan county, Iran.


INTRODUCTION
The Cryptognathidae was erected by Oudemans (1902) with Cryptognathus Kramer, 1879 as type genus. Members of this family are recognized by the presence of a protective hood anterior of the propodosoma and extremely extendable gnathosomal base (Doǧan, 2008). Although these small animals had been suggested as predatory mites (Baker and Wharton, 1952;Meyer and Ryke, 1960), their delicate mouth parts and their small size make it difficult to imagine the type of prey with which they might be associated. Their chelicerae are elongate, delicate and edentate, so they may be selective feeders on, say, fungal spores. The needle-like chelicerae may also be adopted to select algal cells or else, and this seems the best of several alternatives, to pierce plant cells and drain the contents (Luxton, 1973). Cryptognathidae comprises 57 species in three genera: Favognathus Luxton (35 species), Cryptognathus Kramer (20 species) and Cryptofavognathus Doǧan and Dönel, 2010 (2 species) (Fan and Zhang, 2005;Khanjani and Ueckermann, 2008;Doǧan 2008;Dönel and Doǧan, 2011;Uluçay and Koç, 2013). Up to now 6 species of the genus Favognathus, namely; F. mirazii Khanjani and Ueckermann, 2008and F. luxtoni Koç and Ayyildiz, 1999, F. pongolensis Meyer and Ueckermann, 1989, F. distortus Kuznetsov, 1974F. amygdalus Doǧan and Ayyildiz, 2004and F. cordylus Luxton 1993(Khanjani and Ueckermann 2008Gheblealivand et al., 2011;Bagheri et al., 2013a, b andRahmati et al., 2013) have been reported from Iran. In this paper a new species, Favognathus hyrcanensis n.sp. is described and illustrated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Soil and rotten leaves samples were collected and mites were extracted by using a Berlese-Tullgren funnel.
Collected specimens were cleared in Nesbitt's fluid and mounted in Hoyer's medium (Krantz and Walter, 2009), thus examined with a phase-contrast microscope and drawn. The length of the idiosoma was measured from the suture between the gnathosoma and idiosoma to the posterior margin of the idiosoma and also from the top of the gnathosoma to the posterior margin of idiosoma; the width of the idiosoma was measured at the broadest part of the idiosoma and setae were measured from their insertion to their tips. Terminology follows that of Luxton (1973). Dorsal setal and leg setal designation follows Grandjean (1944) and dorsal setal Kethley (1990). All measurements are given in micrometers (µm).
Diagnosis -This genus can be easily distinguished from other genera of the family Cryptognathidae with the prosternal apron wedge-shaped, dimpled; two pairs of genital setae.
Male and immature stages -Unknown.
Etymology -This species is named F. hyrcanensis n. sp., because Hyrcana is the ancient name of our city, Gorgan, where we found this species.
Type material -Holotype and three paratype of Favognathus hyrcanensis n.sp. were collected 195 Mohajer S.S. et al.