S. Mahunka szerk.: Folia Entomologica Hungarica 32/2. (Budapest, 1979)
FOLIA ENTOMOLOGICA HUNGARICA ROVARTANI KÖZLEMÉNYEK (SERIES NOVA) XXXII. 2. 1979 P. 13-26 Tunisian Zerconidae (Acari: Gamasida)* By C. BfcASZAK (Received May 15, 1979) Abstract: The author describes a new genus Rafas gen, n. and four new species of the genus Zercon C.L.Koch, 1836: Z. saphenus sp.n., Z. secundus sp. n. , Z. in- discretus sp. n. and Z. salebrosus sp.n. and gives a key to the North African species. The family Zerconidae probably occurs exclusively in the Holarctic region and belongs to the poorly known groups of mites in North Africa. The three species of this family have been discovered from singular localities in Algeria (ATHIAS-HENRIOT C. , 1961). The material collected by the members of the Hungarian Expedition to Tunisia in 1977 comprises 100 females, 43 males and 29 deutonymphs. In this material the author found 36 females, 14 males and 3 deutonymphs, which do not belong in any of the known genera in the family Zerconidae. Taking into consideration the generic features (BLASZAK, 1975; HALASKOVÁ, 1977) the author established a new genus Rafas gen. n. The author also describes four new species of the genus Zercon C.L. Koch, 1836. List of localities No. 23-2. Environs of Oued el Khol, 23 km W from El Kef, on the El Kef, Sakiet road, 27 March, 1977. Berlese samples: litter from below bases of Pinus halepensis and Juniperus phoeniceus (extracted until 3 April, 19 77); leg. S. Mahunka. No. 23-3. Environs of Oued el Khol, 23 km W from El Kef, on the El Kef, Sakiet road, 27 March, 1977. Berlese samples: lichens and very thin moss pads from similar sites (extracted until 3 April, 19 77), leg. S. Mahunka. No. 26. On the El Kef «Sakiet road, 27. March, 1977. Decaying bits, dry twigs, dead stems of Pinus halepensis and Juniperus pheonicea, sifted; rest extracted in MoczarskyWinkler apparatus (extracted until 1 April, 1977); leg. S. Mahunka. No. 30-2. Ferme Shitta, Djebel Eddyr, 6 km NE from El Kef, about 1100 m, 28 March, 1977. Berlese samples from base of perpendicular cliff walls and from cliffs: mosses, lichens, with sparse soil, scraped from rock (extracted until 3 April, 1977); leg. S. Mahunka. The Collectings of the Hungarian Natural History Museum in Tunisia, No. 17.
