Oribatid mites (Acari : Oribatida); Faunnistic list, seasonal density and intermediate hosts of Moniezia sp in the Province of Konya

This study was carried out to determine oribatid mite fauna,their seasonal fluctuations and the species which acts as intermediate hosts of anoplocephalid cestodes in the province of Konya. Soil samples were taken monthly from Bozkir, ilgin, Karabag, Karapinar and Yarma between September 1993 and September 1995. They were extracted with a modified Berlese-Tullgreen apparatus. The oribatid mites collected from the soil samples were preserved in glycerol until examination. Specimens were cleared in lactic acid before microscopic observation. Approximately 70,000 oribatid mite specimens were studied and found to consist of 56 species belonging to 34 genera and 22 families. Of these species, the following were new records for Turkey: Epilohmannia inexpectata, Hypochthonius rufulus, Allodamaeus starki, Oppia chitinophincta, Oppiella nova, O, ornata, Zygoribatula tenuelamellata, Z. longiporosa, Scheloribates fimbriatus, S.latipes, Eupelops acromios, E. torulosus, Euphthiracarus cribrarius, Protoribates monodactylus, P.obtusus, Ceratozetes mediocris, C.gracilis, Tectocepheus sarekensis, Oribatella meridionalis, O.berlesei, Suctobelba trigona,Suctobelbella subcornigera, S.sarekensis, Galumna kazakhstani, G.elimata, Pergalumna myrmophila, P.nervosa, and Pilogalumna boevi. The highest number of oribatid species was found in Bozkir and Yarma (28 species). Twenty-seven oribatid species were found in ligin, 25 in Karabag and 23 in Karapinar.