The stigmaeid mites (Acari: Stigmaeidae) of Kelkit Valley (Turkey)

Abstract

The stigmaeid mites collected from Kelkit Valley in Turkey are investigated. Nine new species, Cheylostigmaeus urhani sp. nov., Eustigmaeus varius sp. nov., Ledermuelleriopsis indiscretus sp. nov., Stigmaeus additicius sp. nov., S. angustus sp. nov., S. ayyildizi sp. nov., S. furcatus sp. nov., S. kelkitensis sp. nov. and Prostigmaeus integrius sp. nov., are described and illustrated. The following four stigmaeid species are new records for the Turkish fauna: Cheylostigmaeus salinus Evans, Eustigmaeus lacuna (Summers), Stigmaeus glabrisetus Summers and S. solidus Kuznetsov. Some known stigmaeid mites are recorded from new localities. This is the first record of the genus Prostigmaeus Kuznetsov in Turkey. Keys to Kelkit Valley genera and species of Stigmaeidae are included.