Brood parasitism by mites (Uropodidae) in an invasive population of the pest-ant Pheidole megacephala

Abstract

We report that in Okinawa Island (southern Japan) the pupae of the invasive ant Pheidole megacephala were parasitized by an undescribed Uropodidae mite species. Our observations suggest that by sucking the hemolymph of the ant pupae during its own development, mites induce some conspicuous morphological changes and the death of parasitized P. megacephala pupae. Of the 75 collected nests, 69 (92 %) were infested by the mite species. The prevalence of parasitism varied strongly among the worker and sexual castes, with the soldier and male pupae being the most attacked, followed by the minor and queen pupae. Our data represent the fi rst case of such high parasitism in an invasive ant population.

Ecological characteristics of insects that affect symbiotic relationships with mites

“…Recently, an unidentified uropodid that is parasitic on native ants has also been reported to parasitize invasive Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius) in Okinawa, Japan (Le Breton et al . ). Although high parasitism rates and mortality inflicted by this mite are expected to reduce ant populations, a low rate of parasitism on queen ants was observed in the field, probably because mites were removed by the extra grooming of queens by worker ants (Le Breton et al .…”

“…Although high parasitism rates and mortality inflicted by this mite are expected to reduce ant populations, a low rate of parasitism on queen ants was observed in the field, probably because mites were removed by the extra grooming of queens by worker ants (Le Breton et al . ).…”

Mites (Acari) associated with Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Malaysia, with a revised list of the mites found on this weevil

“…On the other hand, the mites C. almerodai and U. javae have already known to be associated with the R. ferrugineus (Wiśniewski, 1981;Longo and Ragusa, 2006;Porcelli et al, 2009;Ragusa et al, 2009aRagusa et al, , 2009bMazza et al, 2011) The experimental evidence has shown that the presence of C. almerodai causes the distraction in the weevil's health status by reducing the life span of the infested weevil becoming 1.4-times shorter than the non-infested weevils (Mazza et al, 2011). Moreover, there is also a report where phoretic mites from Uropodidae acquired haemolymph from the ant Pheidole megacephala Fabricius, 1793 and caused conspicuous morphological change and death to the host (Breton et al, 2006). Besides, we also found two species of Macrocheles mites settling on the weevil body, where mites of this genus have been reported as the predators on larvae and eggs of houseflies (Ito, 1977).…”

Peer Review #2 of "Infection of army ant pupae by two new parasitoid mites (Mesostigmata: Uropodina) (v0.1)"

“…hilpertae and B. derbyensis [approx. 2% vs. 15% -90% in other Bacrodinychus species (see González, Gómez & Mesa, 2004;Breton, Takaku & Tsuji, 2006;Krantz, Gómez & González, 2007;Lachaud, Klompen & Pérez-Lachaud, 2016)]. Various explanations could be responsible for the vastly different parasitism rates among studied macrodinychid mites.…”

“…Barodinychus species (including B. hilpertae and B. derbyensis) seem to share the following key life-history traits (González, Gómez & Mesa, 2004;Breton, Takaku & Tsuji, 2006;Krantz, Gómez & González, 2007;Lachaud, Klompen & Pérez-Lachaud, 2016): All species seem to fulfill their entire immature development, including larval, proto-and deutonymphal stage, by feeding on individual ant pupa. For this, they seem to pierce the pupal cuticle with their chelicera to consume host tissue and/or to suck host hemolymph leaving behind small, brownish feeding marks.…”