Plant Protection (Scientific Journal of Agriculture)

Plant Protection (Scientific Journal of Agriculture)

Checklist and identification key of the family Brachychthoniidae of Iran (Acari: Oribatida), with a supplementary description of Poecilochthonius italicus (Berlese, 1910)

Document Type : Research paper-Persian

Author
M. A. Akrami
Professor. Department of Plant Protection, School of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
10.22055/ppr.2025.50661.1846
Abstract
Background and Objective
Mites of the family Brachychthoniidae (Acari: Oribatida) are among the smallest representatives of oribatid mites. They typically inhabit soil ecosystems, mosses, lichens, and decaying litter, where they primarily feed on fungi and algae. Despite their small body size, these mites play an important ecological role in nutrient cycling and maintaining soil health. The family is widely distributed, with 163 species assigned to 12 genera reported globally to date. In Iran, however, the group has received little systematic attention, and records remain scattered in a limited number of acarological surveys. The objectives of the present study are: (1) to compile and update a checklist of Brachychthoniidae mites collected from different provinces of Iran; (2) to provide an identification key to the genera reported worldwide and the species recorded from Iran; and (3) to supplement the description of Poecilochthonius italicus (Berlese, 1910) based on Iranian specimens, thereby contributing to a more accurate understanding of its morphology.
Materials and Methods
Field collections were conducted across various provinces of Iran over a 20-year period, from 2003 to 2023. Soil and litter samples were taken from natural habitats, with an emphasis on forested ecosystems where oribatid mites are particularly diverse. Samples were transported to the laboratory, and mites were extracted using Berlese–Tullgren funnels. Specimens were preserved in 70% ethanol, cleared in lactophenol, and mounted on permanent microscope slides in Hoyer’s medium. Approximately 200 slide-mounted specimens belonging to Brachychthoniidae were examined under compound and phase-contrast microscopes. Morphological characters were studied in detail, with particular attention to notogastral structures, setal arrangements, and the configuration of the lateral plates. Identification was carried out using the available taxonomic literature and reference keys for oribatid mites. Illustrations and supplementary morphological notes were prepared for Poecilochthonius italicus. All identified specimens are deposited in the Acarology Collection of the Department of Plant Protection, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
Results
A total of 22 species representing seven genera were confirmed from Iran: Brachychthonius, Eobrachychthonius, Liochthonius, Poecilochthonius, Sellnickochthonius, Synchthonius, and Verachthonius. An identification key was prepared for the genera of Brachychthoniidae known worldwide and for the 22 species recorded from Iran. A supplementary description of Poecilochthonius italicus, based on specimens collected from Fars and Isfahan provinces, is also provided. In addition, a brief morphological description of each genus, along with information on the known distribution of the species and their records from Iran, is included.
Discussion
This study provides the first comprehensive account of the mites of the family Brachychthoniidae in Iran. The results confirm that members of this family are distributed across a wide range of Iranian provinces, although their species richness varies considerably among regions. The genus Sellnickochthonius showed the broadest distribution, being recorded from eight provinces, followed by Brachychthonius and Eobrachychthonius. In contrast, Synchthonius was restricted to a single province. Fars province proved the most diverse, with six genera recorded, followed by East Azerbaijan, Gilan, and Mazandaran, while several other provinces yielded only one genus each. Overall, this study highlights the need for more intensive and careful sampling across underexplored regions. Continued surveys, combined with detailed taxonomic research, will undoubtedly expand knowledge of Brachychthoniidae in Iran and provide a stronger foundation for ecological and biogeographical studies.
Keywords
Fauna
Oribatid mites
Morphology
Cosmopolitan
Distribution
Subjects
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 © 2026 by the authors. Licensee SCU, Ahvaz, Iran. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0 license) (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.
Plant Protection (Scientific Journal of Agriculture)
Volume 48, Issue 4
Autumn 2026
Pages 123-143