New Perscheloribates species (Acari, Oribatida, Scheloribatidae) phoretic on beetles (Insecta, Coleoptera)

Abstract

Two new species of oribatid mites of the genus Perscheloribates (Oribatida, Scheloribatidae), phoretic on passalid and zopherid beetles (Coleoptera), are described from the Philippines and U.S.A., based on adults. Perscheloribates paracuriosus n. sp. differs from Perscheloribates curiosus Ermilov, 2016 by the length and morphology of notogastral and adanal setae, the presence of lateral keel-shaped ridge, and the absence of custodium. Perscheloribates parakontumensis n. sp. differs from Perscheloribates kontumensis Ermilov and Frolov, 2019 by the morphology of notogastral setae and the absence of body sculpturing and setae it on leg tarsi I–III.

New species and records of Oripodoidea (Acari, Oribatida) from Mexico

“…In the presence of lanceolate head of the bothridial seta having setiform apex and a pointed rostrum, S. (P.) mexicoensis sp. nov. is most similar to three phoretic species, S. (P.) gabonensis (Ermilov & Frolov, 2021) from the Afrotropical region, S. (P.) kontumensis (Ermilov & Frolov, 2019) from Vietnam and S. (P.) parakontumensis (Ermilov & OConnor, 2020) from the U.S.A., but differ from all by the presence of minute, needle-form notogastral setae (versus setae longer, setiform) and the presence of translamella (versus absence) and a complete (versus absent or partially developed) prolamella. Also, S. (P.) gabonensis has long apex of bothridial seta (approximately as long as head versus distinctly shorter in S. (P.) mexicoensis), a median longitudinal ridge on the rostrum (versus absent in S. (P.) mexicoensis), all notogastral setae with flexible tip (versus without flexible tip in S. (P.) mexicoensis), 11 setae (a' absent) on the leg tarsus IV (versus 12 setae, a' present in S. (P.) mexicoensis), unusual short circumpedal carina; S. (P.) kontumensis has smaller body size (length: 298-381 versus 420-510 in S. (P.) mexicoensis), microgranulate body sculpturing (versus not sculpturing in S. (P.) mexicoensis), all notogastral setae with flexible tip (versus without flexible tip in S. (P.) mexicoensis), 11 setae (a' absent) on the leg tarsus IV (versus 12 setae, a' present in S. (P.) mexicoensis), medium-sized circumpedal carina (versus comparatively short in S. (P.) mexicoensis), and has no setae it on leg tarsi I-III and v' on genu I (versus present in S. (P.) mexicoensis); S. (P.) parakontumensis has smaller body size (length: 348-365 versus 420-510 in S. (P.) mexicoensis), medium-sized circumpedal carina (versus comparatively short in S. (P.) mexicoensis), different localization of solenidia on leg tarsus I (ω 1 posterior to ω 2 versus anterior S. (P.) mexicoensis).…”

“…( P .) parakontumensis (Ermilov & OConnor, 2020) from the U.S.A., but differ from all by the presence of minute, needle-form notogastral setae (versus setae longer, setiform) and the presence of translamella (versus absence) and a complete (versus absent or partially developed) prolamella. Also, S .…”

Quantitative assessment of the dispersal of soil‐dwelling oribatid mites via rodents in restored heathlands

“…More recent studies, however, did find oribatid mites on arthropods (Coulson, 2009 ; Ermilov & O'connor, 2020 ; Knee et al, 2013 ), birds (Krivolutsky & Lebedeva, 2004 ; Lebedeva, 2007 , 2010 ), amphibians (Beaty et al, 2013 ; Mendoza‐Roldan et al, 2020 ), and small mammals (Krawczyk et al, 2015 ; Miko & Stanko, 1991 ), suggesting that phoresy could be more relevant for the dispersal of oribatid mites than originally thought. Whether few oribatid species show explicit morphological adaptations for active phoresy (Ermilov & Frolov, 2019b ; Norton, 1980 ), most instances remain uncertain, and “accidental” or “occasional” phoresy might be a more accurate denotation for this type of passive transport.…”