The diversity and host specificity of mites associated with ants: the roles of ecological and life history traits of ant hosts

Campbell, Kaitlin U.; Klompen, Hans; Crist, Thomas O.

doi:10.1007/s00040-012-0262-6

Cited by 33 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Because bumble bee colonies are annual and young fertilised queens are the only overwintering stage, this preferential attachment makes sense. Likewise, Campbell et al ( 2012 ) found that mites associated with ants in Ohio were much more likely to be found on the bodies of winged female reproductives than on winged males.…”

Section: Mite Choice Of Hostsmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…have especially diverse arrays of mite associates, with members of 55 mite families having been identifi ed with the nests and bodies of only a single army ant species, Eciton burchellii (Rettenmeyer et al 2011 ) (but note that even in temperate zones, an ant species may host > 30 spp. of mites, Campbell et al 2012 ). Acarines associated with army ants are reviewed by Gotwald ( 1996 ).…”

Section: Commensalismmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Animals as Habitats

Walter

Proctor

2013

Mites: Ecology, Evolution &Amp; Behaviour

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To most non-biologists, a 'mite' is an almost invisible creature that lives in the carpet and gives you asthma or that burrows in your skin to produce socially unacceptable scabies. Cat owners may curse the ear mites that infest their pets and those who know that ticks are mites may mention Lyme Disease. Such medically important associations between mites and mammals are discussed in most parasitology texts, and mites associated with human diseases are discussed in our Chap. 10 ; therefore, in this chapter we cover ticks and other human-and livestock-associated mites superfi cially, concentrating instead on lesser known relationships between mites and the animals they use for room and board. These associations are not always negative; in fact, many seemingly parasitic mites have no impact on their hosts or may even be benefi cial (see section " Mutualism ", below).One of the recurring themes of this book is that mites live in the most astonishing places. This is particularly apparent among animal-associated acarines. A complete list of associations between mites and other animals would occupy an entire book but to whet the reader's appetite we have provided Table 9.1 , where we list the associations that acarologists use to shock jaded students or to start conversations at dull parties. After perusing this list many will be compelled to exclaim, 'What's a mite doing there?' or 'How did a mite get there?'. The fi rst question is a proximate one -what is the ecology of the symbiotic mite? -and the second an ultimate one -what evolutionary history and selective pressures have resulted in this association? In the fi rst section of this chapter we discuss the ecological terminology dealing with symbiosis and then outline some major hypotheses about how different symbioses may evolve. The next two sections discuss the life histories and behaviour of mites associated with invertebrates and vertebrates respectively and the fourth section surveys the diverse effects that parasitic mites have on their hosts. Finally, the last section addresses the topic of coevolution between hosts and symbionts from an acarine point of view.

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Section: Mite Choice Of Hostsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Commensalismmentioning

confidence: 99%

Animals as Habitats

Walter

Proctor

2013

Mites: Ecology, Evolution &Amp; Behaviour

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“…Due to their small size and limited mobility, mites are likely to be phoretic on insects that are able to transport them quickly and efficiently, i.e., flying insects such as bees (Hymenoptera), beetles (Coleoptera), and flies (Diptera). For instance, mites associated with ants tend to prefer alate queens (i.e., flying queens) over workers or any other type of ant [23], presumably because they are able to travel longer distances over a short span of time and can be introduced into future ant nests. Mites are usually found attached to setae (i.e., external hairs), to grooves in the tarsi, under the wings, under the elytra (hardened exoskeleton of beetles), or attached to any part of an insect's body that provides a firm holdfast (Figure 1).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Mites in Bark and Ambrosia Beetle-Fungal Interactions

Vissa¹,

Hofstetter²

2017

Insect Physiology and Ecology

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Insects share complex interactions with mites and fungi that range from obligate mutualisms to antagonistic relationships. These multitrophic interactions often result in changes to the host environment and population dynamics of the insect. Here, we review Scolytidae and Platypodidae beetles (bark beetles and ambrosia beetles, Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and their micro-organismal interactions with mites and fungi. Many bark beetles and ambrosia beetles are closely associated with mutualistic fungi used as a food source. These fungi are carried by the beetles in specialized pockets called "mycangia." In addition to beetle-specific fungi, secondary fungi are often vectored by mite populations phoretic on the beetles. These secondary introductions create a complex fungal micro-biome within the host tree of the associated Scolytid beetles, with a myriad of consequences to beetle success and tree mortality. In this chapter, we provide a detailed review of specific beetle-fungal and mite-fungal associations, mutualistic and antagonistic effects of these fungal relations, and ecological and evolutionary consequences of beetle-fungal-mite relationships within the host complex.

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“…Although little is known about the ecology or function of the mites when they are not on the host, there is evidence that many ant‐associated phoretic mite species are host specific (Campbell et al. ) and have evolved synchronized life cycles with their hosts to optimize their dispersal opportunities (Kaliszewski et al. ; Moser and Blomquist ; Uppstrom and Klompen ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent studies have also identified the importance of life‐history characteristics of ant hosts (colony size, host size, and social parasitism) for phoretic mite richness and prevalence (Campbell et al. ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Species traits and environmental characteristics together regulate ant‐associated biodiversity

Campbell

Crist

2016

Ecology and Evolution

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Host‐associated organisms (e.g., parasites, commensals, and mutualists) may rely on their hosts for only a portion of their life cycle. The life‐history traits and physiology of hosts are well‐known determinants of the biodiversity of their associated organisms. The environmental context may strongly influence this interaction, but the relative roles of host traits and the environment are poorly known for host‐associated communities. We studied the roles of host traits and environmental characteristics affecting ant‐associated mites in semi‐natural constructed grasslands in agricultural landscapes of the Midwest USA. Mites are frequently found in ant nests and also riding on ants in a commensal dispersal relationship known as phoresy. During nonphoretic stages of their development, ant‐associated mites rely on soil or nest resources, which may vary depending on host traits and the environmental context of the colony. We hypothesized that mite diversity is determined by availability of suitable host ant species, soil detrital resources and texture, and habitat disturbance. Results showed that that large‐bodied and widely distributed ant species within grasslands support the most diverse mite assemblages. Mite richness and abundance were predicted by overall ant richness and grassland area, but host traits and environmental predictors varied among ant hosts: mites associated with Aphaenogaster rudis depended on litter depth, while Myrmica americana associates were predicted by host frequency and grassland age. Multivariate ordinations of mite community composition constructed with host ant species as predictors demonstrated host specialization at both the ant species and genus levels, while ordinations with environmental variables showed that ant richness, soil texture, and grassland age also contributed to mite community structure. Our results demonstrate that large‐bodied, locally abundant, and cosmopolitan ant species are especially important regulators of phoretic mite diversity and that their role as hosts is also dependent on the context of the interaction, especially soil resources, texture, site age, and area.

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The diversity and host specificity of mites associated with ants: the roles of ecological and life history traits of ant hosts

Cited by 33 publications

References 26 publications

Animals as Habitats

Animals as Habitats

The Role of Mites in Bark and Ambrosia Beetle-Fungal Interactions

Species traits and environmental characteristics together regulate ant‐associated biodiversity

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