| Histiostoma | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Sarcoptiformes |
| Family: | Histiostomatidae |
| Genus: | Histiostoma Kramer, 1876 |
Histiostoma is a genus of mites in the family Histiostomatidae. [1] [2]
Various Histiostoma have deutonymphs associated with insects: H. blomquisti with queens of red imported fire ant, [3] H. polypori with the earwig Forficula auricularia , [4] [5] and various species (e.g. H. ovalis) with bark beetles. [6]
Histiostomamurchiei and H. berghi are instead parasites of annelid cocoons. The former targets earthworms while the latter targets leeches. [7]
Some members of this genus are aquatic. Species of Histiostoma have been found in water, in debris at the bottom of aquaria, on the gills of eels (H. anguillarum), in the swim bladder of iridescent shark (H. piscium) and on the fins and gills of Murray cod (H. papillata). These may be cases of parasitism. [8]
During mating, the male gets on top of the female, facing in the same direction, and clasps her with his legs. [9]
Males in some Histiostoma species have two distinct forms, with some males being larger and with thicker legs than others. This may be for fighting other males for access to females. [9]
Histiostomamurchiei has an unusual method of reproduction. On reaching adulthood, a female lays 2-9 eggs parthenogenetically, which only produce male offspring. The males develop rapidly to adulthood and mate with their mother 3-4 days after laying. Now fertilised, the female lays up to 500 eggs and these produce female offspring. [7]
Histiostoma laboratorium is a pest of Drosophila melanogaster cultures, even being named for its prevalence in genetics laboratories. It reproduces faster than D. melanogaster and rapidly overruns cultures. [10]
Putative deutonymphs of Histiostoma have been found on a Phloeosinus bark beetle in Baltic amber, meaning this genus' association with bark beetles has existed for at least 44–49 million years. [6]
Mites are small arachnids. Mites span two large orders of arachnids, the Acariformes and the Parasitiformes, which were historically grouped together in the subclass Acari, but genetic analysis does not show clear evidence of a close relationship.
Earwigs make up the insect order Dermaptera. With about 2,000 species in 12 families, they are one of the smaller insect orders. Earwigs have characteristic cerci, a pair of forcep-like pincers on their abdomen, and membranous wings folded underneath short, rarely used forewings, hence the scientific order name, "skin wings". Some groups are tiny parasites on mammals and lack the typical pincers. Earwigs are found on all continents except Antarctica.
Forficula auricularia, the common earwig or European earwig, is an omnivorous insect in the family Forficulidae. The European earwig survives in a variety of environments and is a common household insect in North America. The name earwig comes from the appearance of the hindwings, which are unique and distinctive among insects, and resemble a human ear when unfolded; the species name of the common earwig, auricularia, is a specific reference to this feature. They are considered a household pest because of their tendency to invade crevices in homes and consume pantry foods, and may act either as a pest or as a beneficial species depending on the circumstances.
Tarsonemus is a genus of trombidiform mites within the family Tarsonemidae.
The Phytoseiidae are a family of mites which feed on thrips and other mite species. They are often used as a biological control agent for managing mite pests. Because of their usefulness as biological control agents, interest in Phytoseiidae has steadily increased over the past century. Public awareness of the biological control potential of invertebrates has been growing, though mainly in the US and Europe. In 1950, there were 34 known species. Today, there are 2,731 documented species organized in 90 genera and three subfamilies.
Astigmatina is a clade of mites in the superorder Acariformes. Astigmata has been ranked as an order or suborder in the past, but was lowered to the unranked clade Astigmatina of the clade Desmonomatides in the order Sarcoptiformes. Astigmatina is now made up of the two groups Acaridia and Psoroptidia, which have been suborders of the order Astigmata in the past. Astigmatina contains about 10 superfamilies and 76 families under Acaridia and Psoroptidia.
Poecilochirus is a Holarctic genus of mites in the family Parasitidae. They are relatively large and often found on rotting corpses, where they are transported by beetles. Deuteronymphs are characterized by two orange dorsal shields and in many species a transverse band on the sternal shield. The juvenile development consists of a larval stage, protonymph, and deuteronymph, but no tritonymph. Females are smaller than males. Males guard female deuteronymphs shortly before these mate, and pairs mate venter-to-venter.
Histiostomatidae is a family of mites in the clade Astigmata.
Sarcoptoidea is a superfamily of mites, including many associated with mammals.
Schwiebea is a genus of mites in the family Acaridae. It is among the largest in the family with over 60 species.
Parasitellus is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae which are obligatory parasites of bumblebees. These mites can be found clinging to the carapace, sometimes in large numbers. Mites in this genus hibernate in the deutonymphal stage. In the tritonymph stage they can actively transfer from bumblebee to bumblebee from flowers, where they can survive up to 24 hours. After they arrive in a bumblebee nest, they will moult into adults. Whilst it is not known what factors trigger the mite to molt, in laboratory conditions P. fucorum were found to moult after eating fresh pollen, although overall moulting success was low. They are kleptoparasitic or neutral to beneficial, depending on life stage; females and deutonymphs feed on provisioned pollen, while other stages are predators of small arthropods.
Phoresis or phoresy is a non-permanent, commensalistic interaction in which one organism attaches itself to another solely for the purpose of travel. Phoresis has been observed directly in ticks and mites since the 18th century, and indirectly in fossils 320 million years old. It is not restricted to arthropods or animals; plants with seeds that disperse by attaching themselves to animals are also considered to be phoretic.
Brevipalpus phoenicis, also known as the false spider mite, red and black flat mite, and in Australia as the passionvine mite, is a species of mite in the family Tenuipalpidae. This species occurs globally, and is a serious pest to such crops as citrus, tea, papaya, guava and coffee, and can heavily damage numerous other crops. They are unique in having haploid females, a condition caused by a bacterium that change haploid males into females.
Blattisociidae is a family of mites in the order Mesostigmata.
Chaetodactylus is a genus of parasitic mite primarily associated with solitary bees with over 20 species.
Stigmaeidae is a family of prostigmatan mites in the order Trombidiformes. At over 600 species, it is the largest family in superfamily Raphignathoidea. It has a worldwide distribution.
Glyphanoetus is a genus of astigs in the family Histiostomatidae.
Roubikia is a genus of bee-associated mites occurring in the neotropics. They are mutualists or commensals, and feed on fatty acids from floral oils and most likely on fungi. The type species is Chaetodactylus panamensis.
Necromeny is a symbiotic relationship where an animal infects a host and waits inside its body until its death, at which point it develops and completes its life-cycle on the cadaver, feeding on the decaying matter and the subsequent bacterial growth. As the necromenic animal benefits from the relationship while the host is unharmed, it is an example of commensalism.
Melicharidae is a family of mites in the order Mesostigmata.