Trophic habits of mesostigmatid mites associated with bark beetles in Mexico

Chaires-Grijalva, Martha Patricia; Estrada-Venegas, Edith G.; Equihua-Martínez, Armando; Moser, John C.; Blomquist, Stacy R.

doi:10.2300/acari.25.suppl_161

Cited by 9 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Proctolaelaps spp. A.Berlese (Mesostigmata: Melicharidae) and Androlaelaps casalis A.Berlese (Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) mites are also common associates of I. typographus, I. confusus, D. ponderosae and D. frontalis (Chaires-Grijalva et al 2019;Hofstetter et al 2023;Khaustov et al 2018;Mori et al 2011;Moser 1975;Vissa et al 2020). Proctolaelaps spp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Elattoma spp. Mahunka (Trombidiformes: Pygmephoridae) have been found associated with Ips calligraphus (Germar) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and I. typographus (Chaires-Grijalva et al 2019;Khaustov et al 2018). The species match of OUT H, Diapterobates humeralis, has also been found in pheromone traps of bark beetles but whether they are phoretic is unconfirmed.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The phoretic mite (Arachnida: Acari) assemblage of the Douglas-fir beetle,Dendroctonus pseudotsugaeHopkins (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Browning

Huber

2023

Preprint

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The phoretic mite assemblage of the Douglas-fir beetle,Dendroctonus pseudotsugaeHopkins (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) has not been as thoroughly documented as that of some other ecologically and economically important bark beetle species. Phoretic mites can impact individual fitness and population dynamics of their hosts and documenting the mite assemblage associated with a bark beetle may provide information on their ecological and interactive roles. We caught Douglas-fir beetles over two summers in central British Columbia, Canada and sorted the associated mites into morphospecies. Representatives of the morphospecies were DNA barcoded (cytochrome oxidate I barcode region) which indicated at least nine distinct Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs). There was a mean of 50.5 +/- 4.7 mites per beetle with both females and males carrying similar numbers of most mite species. However one OTU (Sarcoptiformes: Hemisarcoptidae) was found in substantially higher numbers than all other OTUs, and was always clustered in large aggregations in an anterior pocket on the sub-elytral surface. When B1 was removed from the mean, there were only 1.3 +/- 0.2 mites per beetle. The consistent high numbers of that OTU in conjunction with its consistent anatomical aggregation suggests an important interaction between that mite species and the Douglas-fir beetle.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The phoretic mite (Arachnida: Acari) assemblage of the Douglas-fir beetle,Dendroctonus pseudotsugaeHopkins (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Browning

Huber

2023

Preprint

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Dynamic associations between Ips sexdentatus (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) and its phoretic mites in a Pinus pinaster forest in northwest Spain

2018

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The relationship between the pine bark beetle Ips sexdentatus and its phoretic mites in a Pinus pinaster forest in northwest Spain was studied during 2014. Four species of mites were collected, three of them from the body of the beetle-Histiostoma ovalis, Dendrolaelaps quadrisetus and Trichouropoda polytricha-the fourth, Cercoleipus coelonotus, was collected from the sediments. The main aims of this study were to explore (1) mite diversity and related parameters, (2) the location on the body of the (male and female) beetle, as well as mite assemblages, and (3) the seasonal dynamic association between mite species and the beetle. Results indicated that the diversity oscillated around 0.71 through the study period and the most dominant, frequent and abundant mite was H. ovalis. Histiostoma ovalis was found attached to almost all parts of the body (mainly on the elytral declivity and ventral thorax), whereas D. quadrisetus was exclusively found under the elytra, and T. polytricha displayed affinity towards the elytral declivity as well as the ventral thorax. None of the mite species displayed any preference for the sex of the beetle and the most frequent mite assemblage was H. ovalis, T. polytricha and D. quadrisetus all together. Maximum abundance of each phoretic mite species was related with each of the flight peaks of the beetle that would indicate that these mite species use phoresy as a primary method of transport for colonizing new food sources.

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Feeding design in free-living mesostigmatid chelicerae (Acari: Anactinotrichida)

Bowman

2021

Exp Appl Acarol

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A model based upon mechanics is used in a re-analysis of historical acarine morphological work augmented by an extra seven zoophagous mesostigmatid species. This review shows that predatory mesostigmatids do have cheliceral designs with clear rational purposes. Almost invariably within an overall body size class, the switch in predatory style from a worm-like prey feeding (‘crushing/mashing’ kill) functional group to a micro-arthropod feeding (‘active prey cutting/slicing/slashing' kill) functional group is matched by: an increased cheliceral reach, a bigger chelal gape, a larger morphologically estimated chelal crunch force, and a drop in the adductive lever arm velocity ratio of the chela. Small size matters. Several uropodines (Eviphis ostrinus, the omnivore Trachytes aegrota, Urodiaspis tecta and, Uropoda orbicularis) have more elongate chelicerae (greater reach) than their chelal gape would suggest, even allowing for allometry across mesostigmatids. They may be: plesiosaur-like high-speed strikers of prey, scavenging carrion feeders (like long-necked vultures), probing/burrowing crevice feeders of cryptic nematodes, or small morsel/fragmentary food feeders. Some uropodoids have chelicerae and chelae which probably work like a construction-site mechanical excavator-digger with its small bucket. Possible hoeing/bulldozing, spore-cracking and tiny sabre-tooth cat-like striking actions are discussed for others. Subtle changes lead small mesostigmatids to be predator–scavengers (mesocarnivores) or to be predator–fungivores (hypocarnivores). Some uropodines (e.g., the worm-like prey feeder Alliphis siculus and, Uropoda orbicularis) show chelae similar in design to astigmatids and cryptostigmatids indicating possible facultative saprophagy. Scale matters—obligate predatory designs (hypercarnivory) start for mesostigmatids with chelal gape > 150 μm and cheliceral reach > 350 μm (i.e., about 500–650 μm in body size). Commonality of trophic design in these larger species with solifugids is indicated. Veigaia species with low chelal velocity ratio and other morphological strengthening specialisms, appear specially adapted in a concerted way for predating active soft and fast moving springtails (Collembola). Veigaia cerva shows a markedly bigger chelal gape than its cheliceral reach would proportionately infer suggesting it is a crocodile-like sit-and-wait or ambush predator par excellence. A small chelal gape, low cheliceral reach, moderate velocity ratio variant of the worm-like feeding habit design is supported for phytoseiid pollenophagy. Evidence for a resource partitioning model in the evolution of gnathosomal development is found. A comparison to crustacean claws and vertebrate mandibles is made. Alliphis siculus and Rhodacarus strenzkei are surprisingly powerful mega-cephalics for their small size. Parasitids show a canid-like trophic design. The chelicera of the nematophagous Alliphis halleri shows felid-like features. Glyphtholaspis confusa has hyaena-like cheliceral dentition. The latter species has a markedly smaller chelal gape than its cheliceral reach would suggest proportionately, which together with a high chelal velocity ratio and a high estimated chelal crunch force matches a power specialism of feeding on immobile tough fly eggs/pupae by crushing (durophagy). A consideration of gnathosomal orientation is made. Predatory specialisms appear to often match genera especially in larger mesostigmatids, which may scale quite differently. Comparison to holothyrids and opilioacarids indicates that the cheliceral chelae of the former are cutting-style and those of the latter are crushing-style. A simple validated easy-to-use ‘2:1 on’ predictive algorithm of feeding habit type is included based on a strength-speed tradeoff in chelal velocity ratio for ecologists to test in the field.

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Trophic habits of mesostigmatid mites associated with bark beetles in Mexico

Cited by 9 publications

References 17 publications

The phoretic mite (Arachnida: Acari) assemblage of the Douglas-fir beetle,Dendroctonus pseudotsugaeHopkins (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The phoretic mite (Arachnida: Acari) assemblage of the Douglas-fir beetle,Dendroctonus pseudotsugaeHopkins (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Dynamic associations between Ips sexdentatus (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) and its phoretic mites in a Pinus pinaster forest in northwest Spain

Feeding design in free-living mesostigmatid chelicerae (Acari: Anactinotrichida)

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