A new genus and species of mites of the family Caraboacaridae (Acari: Heterostigmata) associated with carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from Iran

Abstract

A new genus and species of mites of the family Caraboacaridae (Acari: Heterostigmata), Minicaraboacarus quadridiscalis Hajiqanbar and Khaustov n. gen., n. sp. associated with Cymbionotum semelederi (Chaudoir, 1851) (Coleoptera: Carabidae) is described from Iran. The leg chaetotaxy and solenidiotaxy of mites of the family Caraboacaridae are discussed.

A new genus and species of mites of the family Caraboacaridae (Acari: Heterostigmata) associated withClivina ypsilon(Coleoptera: Carabidae) with notes on distribution and host range of the family

“…Hajiqanbar et al . (2008) found M. quadridiscalis from under elytra of the carabid beetle Cymbionotum semelederi (Chaudoir, 1861) to include the subfamily Melaeninae to this host range. In the present work, Intercaraboacarus clivina was found from the carabid beetle Clivina ypsilon belonging to the subfamily Scaritinae and tribe Clivinini.…”

“…The terminology and setal notation were adapted from Lindquist (1986) and on coxisternal setation from Hajiqanbar et al . (2008). Details of the geographical positions were recorded using a GPS mobile device.…”

“…Among these mites, all members of the family Caraboacaridae have a bizarre association with variety of Carabidae (Coleoptera) (Eidelberg 1993; Hajiqanbar et al . 2008). Based on Cross (1965) and Nickel and Elzinga (1969), these mites are suspected to be ectoparasites of their host beetles with regard to enlarged chelicerae and some biological observation upon their inserted chelicerae into the veins of the hind wing of their host.…”

“…The latter was described from Iran based on the species Minicaraboacarus quadridiscalis Hajiqanbar and Khaustov, 2008 (Hajiqanbar et al . 2008). The genus Caraboacarus includes the following species: C. stammeri ; C. karenae Nickel and Elzinga, 1969; C. towsleyi Husband and Husband, 1984; C. calosomae Husband, 1986; C. bernardi Haitlinger, 1990; and C. krczali Eidelberg, 1994 (Eidelberg 1993, 1994).…”

“…Symbiotic relationships, such as phoresy, parasitism, and parasitoidism with arthropods, most frequently insects are typical phenomena that have evolved in many heterostigmatic mites (Acari: Trombidiformes: Heterostigmata) (Kaliszewski et al 1995). Among these mites, all members of the family Caraboacaridae have a bizarre association with variety of Carabidae (Coleoptera) (Eidelberg 1993;Hajiqanbar et al 2008). Based on Cross (1965) and Nickel and Elzinga (1969), these mites are suspected to be ectoparasites of their host beetles with regard to enlarged chelicerae and some biological observation upon their inserted chelicerae into the veins of the hind wing of their host.…”