A species being worthy of its name: Intraspecific variations on the gnathosomal characters in topotypic heteromorphic males of Cheylostigmaeus variatus (Acari: Stigmaeidae)

Abstract

Cheylostigmaeus variatus (Acari: Stigmaeidae) is only known from Turkey. It has been called variatus , due to showing variations in the shapes of lamellae and dorsal cheliceral surfaces in the heteromorphic males. During the present work, we found five topotypic heteromorphic male specimens among mite specimens in the grassy soil and moss collected from the type locality, Eksisu Marsh in Erzincan province, Turkey. These topotype specimens of the species including holotype and paratype were examined. During the examination, we observed variations in the shapes of lamellae, dorsal cheliceral surfaces and apophyses on the internal and external surfaces of palp femur. We consider that the differences observed in the heteromorphic male specimens are intraspecific variations, that it is true to its epithet name and that there is not enough evidences to justify a new species. This hypothesis may be supported by the rearing of a population of the species or molecular evidence.