Concepts in Animal Parasitology, Chapter 67: Acari (Order): Mites

Chapter 67 in Concepts in Animal Parasitology on mites (order Acari) by David Evans Walter, Gerald W. Krantz, and Evert E. Lindquist. 2024. S. L. Gardner and S. A. Gardner, editors. Zea Books, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. doi: 10.32873/unl.dc.ciap06

A new genus of fungus-inhabiting mites of the family Blattisociidae (Acari Mesostigmata Phytoseioidea) from Costa Rica, with an updated key to genera of the subfamily Blattosociinae

The genus Discoseius gen. nov. is described, based on adult females of one newly described species collected from one sample of bracket fungi in Costa Rica. These ovoid mites bear a pair of large, pliable, disclike structures of unknown function, which flank a ventrianal shield that is strangely formed to accommodate the discs ventrally on the opisthosoma. Such uniquely formed structures have been found otherwise only in females of the monobasic eviphidid genus Canestriniphis, from specimens phoretic on erotylid beetles that live in bracket fungi. As female Discoseius are endowed with a sperm access system of the more derivative phytoseioid-type, while female Canestriniphis retain the sperm access system of the plesiomorphic laelapoid-type, this similarity is thought to be convergent. An updated key to the world genera of the subfamily Blattisociinae is presented to accommodate this and another recently proposed genus

A new species-group with new species of the genus Lasioseius (Acari: Mesostigmata: Blattisociidae) associated with neotropical hispine beetles in furled leaves of Heliconia

A new species-group of Lasioseius is described from adults and immatures of four newly described and one undescribed species associated with hispine beetles of the genera Cephaloleia and Chelobasis and other gamasine mites in the furled leaf habitat of Heliconia and related Zingiberales plants. The species-group presents a suite of apomorphic attributes placing it in the subgenus L. (Lasioseius). Adults and immatures were found moving freely on and off the beetles when the latter were exposed from their habitat. Larviparity is indicated by adult females gravid with fully developed larvae. Limited data suggest considerable host specificity between mites and their beetle hosts, indicating that there may be a vast diversity of these mites associated with hundreds of species of hispine beetles in the Neotropical Region. Keys are provided to currently accepted species-groups of Lasioseius and to the species within the new species-group

Observations on homologies of idiosomal setae in Zerconidae (Acari: Mesostigmata), with modified notation for some posterior body setae

The holotrichous condition for the idiosomal chaetotaxy of Zerconidae is reviewed. Using ontogenetic patterns of body setation of holotrichous taxa in other families of Gamasina for comparison, the homologies and notation for some of the podonotal and opisthosomal setae of zerconid mites are changed. These modifications lead to new interpretation of some of the apomorphic attributes used to characterize the family Zerconidae and superfamily Zerconoidea. The caudodorsal displacement of a pair of opisthogastric setae, JV5, so as to appear to be captured by the opisthonotal shield in deutonymphs and adults, is seen to be a unique characteristic of Zerconoidea. The caudal coalescence of the opisthonotal and opisthogastric shields, and the anterior displacement of setae J5 to a nearly transverse alignment with setae 24 well ahead of the caudal body margin, characterize Zerconidae.Se revisa la condición holotrica de la quetotáxia del idiosoma de Zerconidae. Utilizando por comparación los modelos ontogénicos de la quetotaxia del cuerpo determinada para los taxa holotricos en otras familias de Gamasina, se modifican las homologías y nomenclatura de algunas de las setas podonotales y opistonotales de los ácaros zerconidos. Estas modificaciones llevan a una nueva interpretación de alguno de los atributos apomórficos utilizados en la caracterización de la familia Zerconidae y la superfamilia Zerconoidea. El desplazamiento caudodorsal de un par de setas opistogástricas, JV5, que parecen ser capturadas por la placa opistonotal en las deutoninfas y adultos, parece ser una caracteristica única de Zerconoidea. La coalescencia caudal de las placas opistonotal y opistogástrica y el desplazamiento anterior de las setas J5 hasta alcanzar casi un alineamiento transversal con las setas 24, bien adelantadas respecto al margen caudal del cuerpo, caracteriza a Zerconidae.Nous revoyons l'holotrichie de l'idiosome des Zerconidae. Nous modifions les homologies et la notation de certains poils du podonotum et de I'opisthosoma des zerconides, en les comparant à des modèles ontogénétiques de pilosité dans les taxons holotriches des autres families de Gamasina. Ces modifications conduisent à une nouvelle interprétation de certains attributs apomorphes dont on se sert pour caracteriser la famille des Zerconidae et la superfamille des Zerconoidea. Le déplacement dorsocaudal d'une paire de poils de I'opisthogaster, JV5, tel qu'elle parait captée par le bouclier opisthonotal des deutonymphes et des adultes, est considéré comme un caractère unique des Zerconoidea. Les Zerconidae sont caractérisés par la coalescence cauda Ie des boucliers opisthonotal et opisthogastrique et par le deplacément antérieur des poils J5 jusqu'a un alignement transversal avec les poils 24 bien en avant du bord caudal du corps

Pyrosejidae, a new family of Trigynaspid Mites (Acari: Mesostigmata: Cercomegistina) from Middle America

ABSTRACT: A new family of trigynaspid mesostigmatic mites, Pyrosejidae, is described on the basis of a group of ten species collected from southern Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. Mites of this group are found in leaf litter habitats of a variety of forest types, including tropical rainforests, cloudforests, and mixed pine-oak forests. Pyrosejus n. gen. is described as the type genus of the family, based on material representing the type species, P. prionotus n. sp., and 8 un described species which are thought to represent 2 species groups. The species of this genus are differentiated from another un described species which represents another, undescribed, genus. The characteristics and placement of this family among others of the cohort Cercomegistina are discussed.RESUMEN: Se describe una nueva familia de ácaros mesostigmaticos, Pyrosejidae, basada en un grupo de 10 especies encontrado al sur de México, Centroamérica y al norte de Sudamérica. Los ácaros de este grupo se encuentran en la hojarasca de diversos tipos de bosque, entre los que se pueden incluir bosques tropicales lluviosos, bosques nublosos, y bosques mixtos de pinos y robles. Se describe Pyrosejus n. gen. como género tipo de la familia, basándose en material representativo de la especie tipo P. prionotus n. sp. y de 8 especies de este género no descritas, las cuales representan a 2 grupos de especies. Las especies de este género se diferencian de otra no descrita y representante a su vez de otro género no descrito. Se discuten las características y posición de esta familia dentro de otras de la cohorte Cercomegistina.RÉSUMÉ: Une famille nouvelle d'acariens mesostigmates trigynaspides, les Pyrosejidae, est décrite d'après dix espèces récoltées au sud du Mexique, en Amérique Centrale et au Nord de I'Amérique du Sud. On trouve ces acariens dans la litière de forêts de types variès, comprenant les forêtes tropicales humides, les forêts denses et les forêts mixtes pin-chêne. Le genre type de la famille, Pyrosejus n. gen., est décrit d'après le matériel de I'espèce type, P. prionotus n. sp., et de huit espèces non décrites que l'on croit représenter deux groupes d'espèces. Les espèces de ce genre se differencient d'une autre espèce non décrite représentant un autre genre non décrit. Les caractères et la place de cette famille au sein de la cohorte des Cercomegistina sont discutés

Coprozerconidae, a new family of zerconoid mites from North America (Acari: Mesostigmata: Zerconoidea)

RESUMEN: Se describe una nueva familia de acaros Mesostigmata, Coprozerconidae, basad a en material procedente de heces de la rata de bosque, Neotomafloridana magister Baird, de una cueva de Kentucky, E.U.A. Coprozercon gen. n. se describe como genero tipo de esta familia, basandose en el material que representa a la especie tipo, Coprozercon scopaeus sp. n. Se discuten las caracteristicas de esta familia con relaci6n alas demas de la cohorte Epicriina, incluyendo una discusi6n de Coprozerconidae como el "grupohermanado" de Zerconidae. Se traslada el genero Halozercon Wisniewski, Karg y Hirschmann, 1992, desde la familia podoespermica Halolaelapidae a la familia tocoespermica Zerconidae.SUMMARYA: new family of mesostigmatic mites, Coprozerconidae, is described on the basis of material collected from feces of the wood rat, Neotomafloridana magister Baird, in a cave in Kentucky, U.S.A. Coprozercon n. gen. is described as the type genus of the family, based on material representing the type species, Coprozercon scopaeus n. sp. The characteristics and relationships of this family among others of the cohort Epicriina are discussed, including a rationale for Coprozerconidae as the sister group of Zerconidae. The tocospermous genus Halozercon Wisniewski, Karg and Hirschmann, 1992, is transferred from the podospermous family Halolaelapidae to the tocospermous family Zerconidae

A new genus of mites of the subfamily Platyseiinae associated with Azteca ant galleries in Cecropia trees in costa rica (Acari: Mesostigmata: Blattisociidae)

The genus Calyptoseius gen. nov. of the subfamily Platyseiinae Evans is described, based on adults and nymphs of one newly described species associated with ants of the genus Azteca occupying hollow stems of Cecropia in lowland rainforests of Costa Rica. Several unusual morphological attributes are noted, particularly the autapomorphic presence of four elongated setae on each of telotarsi II to IV. Some perspectives of these mites in the Cecropia-Azteca association are discussed, including a possible dispersal link via nematoceran flies to gain access to such an unusual habitat. The definition of the previously monobasic genus Cheiroseiulus is augmented, and also modified in view of an undescribed species at hand, and the subfamily definition is modified to account for morphological aspects of the new genus. A key to the genera of the Platyseiinae is given

Acari of Canada

Summaries of taxonomic knowledge are provided for all acarine groups in Canada, accompanied by references to relevant publications, changes in classification at the family level since 1979, and notes on biology relevant to estimating their diversity. Nearly 3000 described species from 269 families are recorded in the country, representing a 56% increase from the 1917 species reported by Lindquist et al. (1979). An additional 42 families are known from Canada only from material identified to family- or genus-level. Of the total 311 families known in Canada, 69 are newly recorded since 1979, excluding apparent new records due solely to classification changes. This substantial progress is most evident in Oribatida and Hydrachnidia, for which many regional checklists and family-level revisions have been published. Except for recent taxonomic leaps in a few other groups, particularly of symbiotic mites (Astigmata: feather mites; Mesostigmata: Rhinonyssidae), knowledge remains limited for most other taxa, for which most species records are unpublished and may require verification. Taxonomic revisions are greatly needed for a large majority of families in Canada. Based in part on species recorded in adjacent areas of the USA and on hosts known to be present here, we conservatively estimate that nearly 10,000 species of mites occur in Canada, but the actual number could be 15,000 or more. This means that at least 70% of Canada’s mite fauna is yet unrecorded. Much work also remains to match existing molecular data with species names, as less than 10% of the ~7500 Barcode Index Numbers for Canadian mites in the Barcode of Life Database are associated with named species. Understudied hosts and terrestrial and aquatic habitats require investigation across Canada to uncover new species and to clarify geographic and ecological distributions of known species

Re-visiting Meltsner: Policy Advice Systems and the Multi-Dimensional Nature of Professional Policy Analysis

10.2139/ssrn.15462511-2