Proctolaelaps longisetosus, female, ex Bombus fervidus, USA: Ohio, BMOC 02-0706-001 title=
Fig. 1. Proctolaelaps longisetosus, female, ex Bombus fervidus, USA: Ohio, BMOC 02-0706-001. Click to enlarge

Bee Mites : Acari : Parasitiformes : Mesostigmata

 
Family Ascidae Voigts & Oudemans, 1905


Type genus Asca von Heyden, 1826


Material (show database records).

General Description. This family is distributed worldwide and includes 34 genera. Ascid mites live in soil, leaf litter, subcortical situations and are often associated with other animals (Halliday et al., 1998). The mites are mostly predators, but also can feed on fungal mycelium; some are parasitic. Several species of the genus Proctolaelaps are obligatory associates of bumblebees. The genera Lasioseiusand Blattisocius were recorded from beehives in North America and the Old World (Basha and Yousef, 2001; Bregetova, 1977; Chinniah and Mohanasundaram, 1995; Crozier, 1989; Haragsim et al., 1978; Malabanan and Corpuz-Raros, 1998). In addition, Melichares agilis Hering, 1838 was found in beehives in Europe (Haragsim et al., 1978), and Antennoseius sp. and Gamasellodes bicolor (Berlese, 1918) were recorded from beehives in Iran (Kamali at al., 2001; Mosaddegh, 1997).

Distribution (show map).

Genera associated with bees

AscidaeKey to genera of the family Ascidae found on bees or their nests
adults
(modified from Halliday et al., 1998)
1Fixed digit of chelicera with membranous pilus dentilis. Peritrematal shield at level of stigma usually less than twice as wide as diameter of stigma. On ventral opisthosoma, usually only anal shield with 3 circumanal setae present. Female epigynial shield usually rounded posteriorly
... 2
 
- Fixed digit of chelicera with filiform pilus dentilis. Peritrematal shield at level of stigma at least twice as wide as diameter of stigma or shorter. Ventrianal shield usually present, with 2-7 pairs of ventral setae in addition to circumanal setae. Female epigynial shield usually truncate posteriorly
... 3
 
2(1) Adults with 1-4 pairs of posterior marginal setae (R) on soft ventro-lateral cuticle, all others on edge of dorsal shield; female with 18-22 pairs of setae on opisthonotal region of dorsal shield; female usually with metasternal plates
Proctolaelaps
 
- Adults with 7-13 pairs of marginal (r-R) setae on soft lateral cuticle (rarely fewer if some r-R setae lacking); female with 14-15 pairs of setae on opisthonotal region of dorsal shield; female lacking metasternal plates ...
Melichares
3(2) Corniculi narrowly separated, usually slender; tectum convex, smooth; fixed digit of chelicera with few or no teeth; peritrematal shield slender, barely wider than stigma at level of stigma; female with humeral seta (r3) usually on soft cuticle beside dorsal shield
Blattisocius
 
- Corniculi well separated, stout; tectum convex, smooth or denticulate; fixed digit of chelicera usually with many teeth; peritrematal shield clearly wider than diameter of stigma at level of stigma; female with humeral setae on dorsal shield
Lasioseius
 


References
Basha, A.-A. E. & A.-T. A. Yousef. 2000(2001). New species of Laelapidae and Ascidae from Egypt: Genera Androlaelaps and Blattisocius (Acari: Gamasida). Acarologia (Paris).41: 395-402.
Bregetova, N. G. 1977. [Family Aceosejidae]. In [Opredelitel' obytayshchikh v pochve kleshchey Mesostigmata = Identification key to soil-inhabiting mites Mesostigmata], eds. M. S. Gilarov & N. G. Bregetova, 169-226. Leningrad: Nauka.
Crozier, L. 1989. Melittiphis alvearius (Berlese) and other mites found in honeybee colonies in Nova Scotia. Journal of Apicultural Research.28: 166-168.
Halliday, R. B., D. E. Walter & E. E. Lindquist. 1998. Revision of the Australian Ascidae (Acarina : Mesostigmata). Invertebrate Taxonomy.12: 1-54.
Haragsim, O., K. Samšiňák & E. Vobrázková. 1978. The mites inhabiting the bee hives in ČSR. Zeitschrift für Angewandte Entomologie.87: 52-67.
Kamali, K., H. Ostovan & A. Atamehr. 2001. A Catalog of Mites and Ticks (Acari) of Iran. Islamic Azad University Scientific Publication Center. 196 pp.
Malabanan, J. M. & L. A. Corpuz-Raros. 1998. Mites associated with Apis mellifera Linnaeus and Apis cerana Fabricius in the southern Tagalog region, Philippines. Philippine Entomologist.12: 123-135.
Mosaddegh, M. S. 1997. Some mites of the honey bee Apis mellifera L. hives in Iran. The Scientific Journal of Agriculture (Shahid Chamran Univ., Ahwaz, Iran).19: 7-16.



Image Gallery
Proctolaelaps longisetosus, female, ex Bombus fervidus, USA: Ohio, BMOC 02-0706-001
mite



 

 

B. OConnor and P. Klimov ©
Created: April 17, 2012
Last modified: