Tarsonemid mites (Acari, Heterostigmatina) found in association with bark beetles (Insecta, Curculionidae, Scolytinae) in Iran

Abstract

The authors report on the presence of species of the family Tarsonemidae in association with three bark beetle species (Orthotomicus erosus (Wollaston, 1857), Scolytus scolytus (Fabricius, 1775), and S. multistriatus (Marsham, 1802)) in two provinces in Central and Northern Iran. The following mite species are new for the fauna of Iran: Heterotarsonemus hajekae Smiley and Moser, 1985, H. magowskii Khaustov, 2001, and Tarsonemus crassus (Schaarschmidt, 1959). The genus Heterotarsonemus is newly recorded in Asia. The new record of H. hajekae is the second ever known in the world and H. magowskii is now established as new phoront of the bark beetle host O. erosus. Tarsonemus crassus is recorded outside the Europe for the first time. The taxonomy, identification, relationships with beetle hosts, and biogeography of the newly recorded mite species are briefly discussed.