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Family Laelapidae Berlese, 1892
This family is the most morphologically and ecologically diverse group of Mesostigmata. Thirty-five genera of laelapids have developed ectoparasitic associations with mammals; 10 genera are free-living predators in soil; 43 genera include species associated with arthropods: Coleoptera (8 mite genera), Blattaria (2), Isoptera (1), Hymenoptera (21), Araneae (1), Myriapoda (7) and terrestrial Crustacea (2) (Casanueva, 1993). Ecology of bee-associated mites is poorly known. Mites of the genus Neohypoaspis are predators on astigmatid mites in nests of stingless bees (Delfinado et al., 1983). Species of the genus Pneumolaelaps feed on pollen and nectar in nests of bumblebees (Royce and Krantz, 1989). Melittiphis alvearius is a scavenger on pollen in colonies of the European honeybee (Gibbins and Toor, 1990). Mites of the genera Varroa, Euvarroa, Tropilaelaps are obligatory parasites of different species of Apis, inflicting significant damage to apiculture (Eickwort, 1993). In North America, the following genera were recorded from various bees (genera that were found in associations with stingless bees in South America are also included because they can occur in Central America; the genus Tropilaelaps, a serious quarantine pest of the honey bee (Eickwort, 1993), is also included because it can be imported from exotic locations. These genera are marked by an asterisk):
• Androlaelaps Berlese, 1903 (normally is associated with rodents, but routinely occurs in the nests of bumblebees and in beehives)
• Bisternalis Hunter, 1963
• Eumellitiphis Turk, 1948
• Hunteria Delfinado-Baker, Baker et Flechtmann, 1984 (*)
• Hypoaspis Canestrini, 1884 (probably paraphyletic genus with unclear boundaries. We include here Hypoaspis lubrica Voigts et Oudemans and Hypoaspis meliponarum Vitzthum)
• Laelaspoides Eickwort, 1966
• Melittiphis Berlese, 1918
• Melittiphisoides Delfinado-Baker, Baker et Flechtmann, 1984 (*)
• Neohypoaspis Delfinado, Baker et Roubik, 1983
• Pneumolaelaps Berlese, 1920
• Stevelus Hunter, 1963
• Tropilaelaps Delfinado et Baker, 1961 (*)
• Urozercon Berlese, 1902
• Varroa Oudemans, 1904
• Zontia Turk, 1948 (*)
(Berlese, 1902; Casanueva, 1993; Delfinado and Baker, 1961; Delfinado et al., 1983; Delfinado-Baker et al., 1984; Eickwort, 1966; Evans and Till, 1966; Hunter and Husband, 1973; Hunter, 1963; Salt, 1929; Turk, 1948; Vitzthum, 1930; our data).
The following additional genera were recorded in associations with bees outside North America: Dinogamasus Kramer, 1898; Euvarroa Delfinado et Baker, 1974, Meliponaspis Vitzthum, 1930; Stigmatolaelaps Krantz, 1998; Xylocolaelaps Royce et Krantz, 2003 (Delfinado and Baker, 1974; Krantz, 1998; Lindqvist, 1998; Royce et Krantz, 2003; Vitzthum, 1930).
Key to genera of the family Laelapidae found on bees or their nests
adults
| 1. | Female: Sternal and metasternal shields fused; metasternal shields reaching posterior level of coxae IV; sternal shield with porose area at level of coxae III. Legs III-IV massive, distinctly wider than legs I; femora III-IV with dorsal cuticular spur. Posterior ventrum, including legs III-IV, with spiniform or widened setae. Associated with stingless bees (Meliponini) | |
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- | Female: Sternal and metasternal shields free or fused; metasternal shields not reaching posterior level of coxae IV; sternal shield without porose area at level of coxae III. Legs III-IV not distinctly wider than legs I; femora III-IV without dorsal cuticular spur | |
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2(1) | Presternal shield present, single. Presternal and sternal shields remote; setae st1 situated on presternal shield, about half of distance st1-st2. Posterior part of sternal shield wider posteriorly than anteriorly, bearing setae st2-3; Posterior margin of epigynial shield near anal shield. Anal shield elongated, somewhat pentagonal. Associated with stingless bees (Meliponini) | |
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- | Presternal shield, absent, indistinct, or fused with sternal shield; if distinct than paired and situated near sternal shield; sternal seta st1 distinctly longer than half of st1-st2 distance, if shorter then situated on sternal shield. Position of posterior margin of epigynial shield and shape of anal shield variable | |
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3(2) | Anal shield with 5 long and stout setae. Movable and fixed digit of chelicera without denticles, represented by long hyaline lobes. Sternal setae st4 of female not developed, represented by alveoli. Female with ventogenital shield bearing 4 pairs of setae. Corniculi reaching about half of palp femur. Holodorsal shield hypertrichous. Found in nests of termites (Isoptera) and apid bees constructing nests in termitaria (Meliponini and Centridini) | |
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- | Anal shield with 3 setae that usually not distinctly stouter than other ventral setae. Movable and fixed digit (if present) of chelicera dentate or edentate, well sclerotized. Sternal setae st4 of female filiform. Female usually with epigynial shield bearing 2 pairs of setae. Corniculi usually longer. Holodorsal shield orthotrichous or hypertrichous | |
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4(3) | Two pairs of hypostomal setae. Female: Peritemes looped terminally, confined to level of coxae III; metopodal and genitoventral shields large, hypertichous, covering almost all opisthogaster. Parasites of Apis | |
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- | Three pairs of hypostomal setae. Female: Peritremes, if present, not looped and usually reaching coxae II; metopodal and genitoventral (if present) shields otherwise | |
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5(4) | Setae j1, some marginal setae of idiosoma and legs distinctly wider than others, with rounded or spatulate ends. Anal shield large | |
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- | Width of idiosomal setae not distinctly different, spatulate setae absent, if present, all uniform. Anal shield variable | |
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6(5) | Peritrematal shield in female fused with exopodal shield IV. Genitoventral and anal shield of male separate. Associated with stingless bees (Meliponini) | |
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- | Peritrematal and exopodal shields IV in female free. Genitoventral and anal shield of male fused. Associated with stingless bees (Meliponini) | |
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7(5) | Each row of hypognathal groove with one denticle. Anal shield of female and ventroanal shield of male with posteriorly directed cuticular spur. Presternal region of female with keel-like ridge. Male spermatodactyl thin and long, as long as chelicera. Pollenophagous, in beehives. | |
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- | At least several rows of hypognathal groove with more than one denticle. Anal shield of female and ventroanal shield of male without cuticular spur. Presternal region of female with without keel-like ridge (presternal shields may be present). Male spermatodactyl variable | |
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8(7) | Female: Sternal shield deeply (at least half of shield length) concave posteriorly. 2-3 posterior rows of hypognathal groove with only one denticle. Anal shield wider than posterior margin of ventrogenital shield | |
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- | Female: Sternal shield truncate, convex, or slightly concave (less than half of shield length) posteriorly; 2-3 posterior rows of hypognathal groove with more than one denticle. Anal shield usually narrower than posterior margin of ventrogenital shield | |
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9(8) | Female: Metasternal and sternal shields fused. Setae st1 more than 2 times shorter than setae st3-st4. Epigynial shield widened posteriorly, truncate. Associated with stingless bees (Meliponini) | |
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- | Female: Metasternal shield free. Setae st1 nearly equal to setae st3-st4. Epigynial narrowed posteriorly, with rounded, pointed, or bilobe posterior edge. Associated with stingless bees (Meliponini) | |
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10(8) | Female: Sternal shield between coxae I-II strongly widened: lateral margins straight, almost parallel. Sternal setae st1 about 3 times shorter than distance st1-st2. Sternal setae st4 situated on soft cuticle near metasternal shields. Chelicera with long process (exceeding length of movable digit) at base of movable digit, and another smaller lateral process (also present in male). Associated with stingless bees (Meliponini) | |
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- | Female: Sternal shield between coxae I-II not widened, if widened then margins pointed. Sternal setae st1 longer than half of distance st1-st2. Sternal setae st4 situated on metasternal shields or on soft cuticle. Chelicera without processes | |
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11(10) | Apotele 1-tined. Dorsum and opisthogaster hypertrichous. Anterior part of movable digit of male chelicera filiform, long (longer than subcapitulum). Parasites of Apis | |
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- | Apotele 2- or 3-tined. Dorsum and opisthogaster orthotrichous or hypertrichous. Movable digit of male chelicera not filiform (unknown for Stevelus) | |
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12(11) | Female: Holodorsal shield covers about 2/3 of dorsum. Corniculi short, slightly protruding half of palp femur. Subcapitulum placed ventrally, not visible from above. Fixed and movable digits chelicera without teeth, short, almost trianglular dorsally. Anterior end of peritremes at level of anterior edge of coxae II. Associated with stingless bees (Meliponini) | |
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- | Female: Holodorsal shield covers all dorsum. Corniculi longer, reaching at least level of palp tibia. Subcapitulum placed visible dorsally. Fixed and movable digits of female chelicera dentate, elongate. Length of peritremes variable | |
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13(12) | Terminal part of movable and fixed digits of chelicera long, protruding opposite digit. Genu IV with 11 setae. Anterior end of peritremes at level of middle of coxae II. Associated with Augochlorini (Halictidae)| near Raymentia (ex Caenoaugochlora) |
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- | Terminal part of movable and fixed digits of chelicera shorter, not protruding opposite digit. Genu IV with 9-10 setae. Anterior end of peritremes at least at posterior level of coxae I | |
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14(13) | Pilus dentilis well developed, often with inflated basal part. Fixed and movable digits of male chelicera without teeth. Nests of mammals and rodents, occasionally in beehives and nests of Bombus | |
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- | Pilus dentilis weakly developed, setiform. At least movable digits of male chelicera with teeth | |
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15(14) | Dorsal setae spatulate, cuneiform, or scimitar-like. Free-living, can occur in bee-hives | |
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- | Dorsal setae simple or pilose, never markedly flattened | |
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16(15) | Genu IV with 10 setae, 2 setae ventral. Peritremes usually broad. Opistogaster usually hypertrichous. Associated with Bombus, can be found in beehives | |
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- | Genu IV with 9-10 setae, 1 setae venral (if 2 then peritremes narrow). Peritremes narrow. Opistogaster usually not densily setose | |
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17(16) | Ventroanal shield of male absent, anal shield free. At least some posterior idiosomal setae pilose. Presternal shields of female fused with sternal shield; anterior margin of sternal shield not straight and not uniformly sclerotized. Anal shield of female rounded, never triangular and with straight anterior margin. Associated with Augochlorini (Halictidae) | |
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- | Ventroanal shield of male present, incorporates anal shield. Idiosomal setae smooth. Presternal shields of female not fused with sternal shield; anterior margin of sternal shield straight or almost straight, uniformly sclerotized. Anal shield of female rounded or triangular with straight anterior margin. Free-living, occasionally in bee hives, some associated with stingless bees.
| Hypoaspis sensu Evans and Till (1979) |
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References
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Berlese A. 1921 (1920). Centuria quinta di Acari nuovi. Redia. 14(1-2): 143-195.
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Created: Apr 19, 2004
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