The new genus Sayanozercon (Acari: Mesostigmata: Zerconidae) with description of five new species from South Siberia mountains (Russia)

This paper describes a new genus and five new species of mites in the family Zerconidae collected from soil-litter in the South Siberia Mountains, Russia. Sayanozercon gen. nov. is described and illustrated to accommodate five new species S. mariannae sp. nov., S. adelaidae sp. nov., S. ergaki sp. nov., S. mikhaili sp. nov. and S. shoricus sp. nov. on the basis of morphological characters of adults and also nymphs for S. mariannae sp.n.

The new genus is characterised by a unique set of characters such as an additional latero-ventral shield; variable location of podonotal and opisthonotal glands; variable internal malae structure; all idiosomal setae smooth and pointed; podonotal setae z1 and z2 lost; epistome with a medial row of small spines on a large middle process; sexual dimorphism of cheliceral denticulation, setae Zv1, st5 and glands gv2; unique morphology and sexual dimorphism of inguinal region.