Protoallopygmephorus heteroceri sp. nov. (Figs. 1–3) Description. FEMALE (holotype, Figs. 1–3). Body well sclerotized. Length of idiosoma 225 (200–230), width 160 (140–160). Gnathosoma. Gnathosomal capsule semicircular, subequal in length and width, dorsally with two pairs of sparsely barbed, subequal pointed cheliceral setae (cha, chb). Dorsal median apodeme well-developed. Postpalpal setae needle-like. Ventral gnathosoma with one pair of smooth, pointed subcapitular setae m. Palps freely articulated to gnathosomal capsule, with smooth, subequal pointed setae dFe and dGe dorsolaterally. Palps ventrally with large accessory setigenous structure (ass) and small solenidion. Palps with a small terminal claw. Pharyngeal pumps II and III grouped together. Pharyngeal pump I small; butterfly-like, situated inside gnathosomal capsule; pharyngeal pump II large, about double length of pharyngeal pump III. Lengths of gnathosomal setae: cha 20 (19–20), chb 22 (21–22), m 14 (13–14). Idiosomal dorsum (Fig. 1 A). Trichobothria (sc 1) clavate, with minute barbs. All dorsal plates with numerous small dimples (punctate). Setae v 2 smooth, other dorsal setae sparsely barbed; setae sc 2, c 1 and c 2 pointed; v 2 needle-like; other dorsal setae blunt-ended. Posterior margin of tergite H weakly undulate. Cupules ia on tergite D and ih on tergite H small, round. Lengths of dorsal setae: v 2 6 (6–7), sc 2 31 (26–32), c 1 47 (42–49), c 2 58 (54–60), d 33 (32–34), e 30 (26–30), f 46 (42–47), h 1 54 (46–55), h 2 34 (30–35). Distances between setae: v 2 –v 2 43 (41–44), sc 2 –sc 2 50 (47–52), c 1– c 1 70 (66–71), c 1– c 2 29 (25–30), d–d 75 (72–77), e–f 13 (12–13), f–f 67 (57–69), h 1– h 1 28 (20–28), h 1– h 2 16 (15–18). Idiosomal venter (Fig. 1 B). All ventral plates with numerous small dimples. Setae 1 b widened, lanceolate, sparsely barbed, ps 2 smooth, other ventral setae barbed, pointed. Posterior margin of posterior sternal plate slightly convex in middle part. Posterior margin of aggenital plate rounded. Lengths of ventral setae: 1 a 36 (34–37), 1 b 27 (26–28), 2 a 36 (34–37), 2 b 32 (30–33), 3 a 33 (31–33), 3 b 36 (33–36), 3 c 32 (26–33), 4 a 38 (31–38), 4 b 45 (39–46), 4 c 38 (32–39), ps 1 29 (28–30), ps 2 12 (9– 13), ps 3 20 (17–21). Legs (Figs 2, 3). Leg I. Tip of tarsal claw thin, pointed. Seta k smooth, pointed. Seta l’ of femur smooth, blunt-ended; v” of femur I smooth, spiniform; other leg setae (except eupathidia) pointed and sparsely barbed. Lengths of solenidia ω 1 9 (9–10) φ 1 6 (6–7) = φ 2 7 (6–7); ω 2 and φ 2 baculiform, φ 1 weakly clavate. Leg II (Fig. 2 B). Solenidion ω 14 (14–15), finger-shaped, solenidion φ 5 (4–5) weakly clavate. Seta v” of femur and tc” of tarsus smooth, pointed; u’ weakly blunt-ended, barbed; other leg setae pointed and sparsely barbed. Leg III (Fig. 3 A) Solenidion φ 4 (4–5) weakly clavate. Setae pv’ and tc” of tarsus smooth, pointed; u’ weakly blunt-ended, barbed; other leg setae pointed and sparsely barbed. Leg IV (Fig. 3 B). Solenidion φ 2 (2) very small. All leg setae barbed; setae d of femur and v” of tibia blunt-ended, other leg setae pointed. MALE and LARVA unknown. Type material. Female holotype, slide No. 250703, RUSSIA: Moscow Province, Zverinogolovskiy vicinity of settlement Kubinka, on Heterocerus fenestratus, 25 July 2003, coll. I.M. Vyshinsky; paratypes: seven females, same data; five females, Tver Province, Bezhetsk region, vicinity of settlement Drutskovo, on Heterocerus fenestratus, 2 September 2004, coll. I.M. Vyshinsky. Etymology. The specific name is derived from Latin name of the genus Heterocerus, the phoretic host of the new species.

Published as part of Khaustov, Alexander A. & Sazhnev, Alexey S., 2016, Mites of the families Neopygmephoridae and Scutacaridae associated with variegated mud-loving beetles (Coleoptera: Heteroceridae) from Russia and Kazakhstan, pp. 261-273 in Zootaxa 4175 (3) on pages 262-264, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4175.3.5, http://zenodo.org/record/265766