نخستین گزارش از کنه‌های جنس Aspar Halašková (Mesostigmata, Zerconidae) از پالئارکتیک

During the last two decades, acarology has noticeably improved in Iran. Consequently, taxonomic studies of mites, including the Mesostigmata, have remarkably developed, as currently more than 400 species of mesostigmatans (excluding the family Phytoseiidae) reported from Iran. Although about 400 species belonging to less than 40 genera of the family Zerconidae have been described worldwide, these mites are very poorly known in Iran. Till now, only nine species belonging to two genera, Zercon C.L. Koch and Prozercon Sellnick, have been reported from the country. Zerconid mites usually occur in moss, humus and leaf litter, and nematophagy has been observed within some of them. In a faunistic survey on mesostigmatic mites in southern area of the Caspian Sea, edaphic mite specimens were extracted from soil samples using Berlese-Tullgren funnels, cleared in Nesbitt's fluid, and then mounted in Hoyer's medium on microscope slides. Within these specimens, one species with diagnostic characters of the genus Aspar Halašková, 1977 such as: (1) presence of three setae in peritrematal shields, (2) peritreme straight, extending to anterior half of coxa II, (3) peritrematal shield posteriorly free and without posterior narrow extension, (4) presence of adgenital platelets bearing gland pores gv2, and (5) posterior opisthonotal cavities inconspicuous was collected from forest soil and litter in Behshar County. Considering to the original area that this genus has been described, the Nearctic realm, this is the first report of a Aspar species from Palearctic. Also, comparison of the morphological characters of the collected species and the previously described species of the genus indicated that it should be a new species.