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| Macrocheles carinatus. (The legs on the right side have been omitted in this drawing.) | |
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| Family: | Macrochelidae Vitzthum, 1930 |
Macrochelidae is a family of mites in the order Mesostigmata.
Adult females of Macrochelidae have: an undivided dorsal shield bearing at least 28 pairs of setae, a sternal shield with three pairs of setae, a genital shield with one pair of setae and with a pair of conspicuous accessory sclerites beneath lateral margins, usually a ventrianal shield with 1–5 pairs of setae in addition to circumanal setae, peritreme usually looped around stigma, and movable cheliceral digit usually with a well-developed arthrodial brush at the base. Adult males are similar but with a holoventral shield or separate sternigenital and ventrianal shields. [1] [2]
Macrochelidae reproduce sexually and some can also reproduce asexually. Species of Geholaspis and Macrocheles can perform thelytoky, the production of female offspring from unfertilised eggs. Species of Glyptholaspis, Holostaspella and Macrocheles can perform arrhenotoky, the production of male offspring from unfertilised eggs. [1]
Mites of this family are predators. The majority of species are coprophilous, meaning they live in animal dung and feed on the prey available there (oligochaete worms, nematodes, arthropod eggs and larvae). Dung offers high prey availability and shelter from the weather, but it is a temporary resource. Melicharids therefore attach to insects (e.g. scarab beetles or flies) to be carried to fresh dung deposits; this is known as phoresis. Adult females tend to be the ones that engage in phoresis, though males and nymphs can do it as well. [3]
Some macrochelids are believed to be facultatively parasitic on their hosts, rather than phoretic. An example is Macrocheles muscaedomesticae on flies. [4]
Other macrochelids occupy habitats such as forest litter, decaying plant debris, beach wrack or the nests of various animals. [3]
Because of their predatory nature, some macrochelids have potential as biological control agents of pest insects, such as flies and thrips. The species Macrocheles robustulus is commercially available for this purpose. [1]
Macrochelidae contains the following genera and species:
Aethosoma Krantz, 1962
Ancistrocheles Krantz, 1962
Andhrolaspis Türk, 1948
Bellatocheles van Driel & Loots, 1975
Calholaspis Berlese, 1918
Cophrolaspis Berlese, 1918
Evholocelaeno Berlese, 1918
Geholaspis Berlese, 1918
Glyptholaspis Filipponi & Pegazzano, 1960
Gonatothrix G. W. Krantz, 1988
Holocelaeno Berlese, 1910
Holostaspella Berlese, 1903
Lordocheles Krantz, 1961
Macrocheles Latreille, 1829
Neoholaspis Türk, 1948
Neopodocinum Oudemans, 1902
Nothrholaspis Berlese, 1918
Proholaspina Berlese, 1918
Synaphasis Krantz, 1961
Tigonholaspis Vitzthum, 1930
Tricholaspis Evans, 1956
Tricholocelaeno Berlese, 1918
Trigonholaspis Vitzthum, 1930
Venatiolaspis van Driel & Loots, 1975
The white stork is a large bird in the stork family, Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white, with black on the bird's wings. Adults have long red legs and long pointed red beaks, and measure on average 100–115 cm (39–45 in) from beak tip to end of tail, with a 155–215 cm (61–85 in) wingspan. The two subspecies, which differ slightly in size, breed in Europe, northwestern Africa, southwestern Asia and southern Africa. The white stork is a long-distance migrant, wintering in Africa from tropical Sub-Saharan Africa to as far south as South Africa, or on the Indian subcontinent. When migrating between Europe and Africa, it avoids crossing the Mediterranean Sea and detours via the Levant in the east or the Strait of Gibraltar in the west, because the air thermals on which it depends for soaring do not form over water.
Crane fly is a common name referring to any member of the insect family Tipulidae. Cylindrotominae, Limoniinae, and Pediciinae have been ranked as subfamilies of Tipulidae by most authors, though occasionally elevated to family rank. In the most recent classifications, only Pediciidae is now ranked as a separate family, due to considerations of paraphyly. In colloquial speech, crane flies are sometimes known as "mosquito hawks", "skeeter-eater", or "daddy longlegs",. The larvae of crane flies are known commonly as leatherjackets.
Scarabaeus sacer, common name sacred scarab, is the type species of dung beetles in its genus and the family Scarabaeidae.
The following is a list of players, both past and current, who appeared at least in one game for the Los Angeles Dodgers National League franchise (1958–present), and for the Brooklyn-based teams known as the Atlantics (1884), Grays (1885–1887), Bridegrooms, Grooms (1891–1895), Superbas (1899–1910), Dodgers and Robins (1914–1931).
Hypoaspis is a genus of mites in the family Laelapidae.
Mesostigmata is an order of mites belonging to the Parasitiformes. They are by far the largest group of Parasitiformes, with over 8,000 species in 130 families. Mesostigmata includes parasitic as well as free-living and predatory forms. They can be recognized by the single pair of spiracles positioned laterally on the body.
Oribatida, also known as oribatid mites, moss mites or beetle mites, are an order of mites, in the "chewing Acariformes" clade Sarcoptiformes. They range in size from 0.2 to 1.4 millimetres. There are currently 12,000 species that have been identified, but researchers estimate that there may be anywhere from 60,000 to 120,000 total species. Oribatid mites are by far the most prevalent of all arthropods in forest soils, and are essential for breaking down organic detritus and distributing fungi.
The housefly is a fly of the suborder Cyclorrhapha. It is believed to have evolved in the Cenozoic Era, possibly in the Middle East, and has spread all over the world as a commensal of humans. It is the most common fly species found in houses. Adults are gray to black, with four dark, longitudinal lines on the thorax, slightly hairy bodies, and a single pair of membranous wings. They have red eyes, set farther apart in the slightly larger female.
The Laelapidae are a family of mites in the order Mesostigmata. The family is also referred to in the literature as Laelaptidae, which may be the correct spelling.
Rhizoglyphus is a genus of mites in the family Acaridae. It has a worldwide distribution and is often associated with the bulbs, corms or tubers of plants.
Gamasiphis is a genus of mites in the family Ologamasidae. There are more than 60 described species in Gamasiphis.
Holostaspella is a genus of mites in the family Macrochelidae. There are about 12 described species in Holostaspella.
Macrocheles is a genus of mites in the family Macrochelidae. There are more than 80 described species in Macrocheles.
Ascidae is a family of mites in the order Mesostigmata.
Uroobovella is a large genus of mites in the family Urodinychidae.
Uropodidae is a family of mites in the order Mesostigmata.