Three new species of Antricola (Acari: Argasidae) from Brazil, with a key to the known species in the genus

Three new species of Antricola (Acari: Argasidae) are described from adult specimens collected on bat guano in different caves in Brazil. The female of Antricola guglielmonei n. sp. is easily determined by the presence of 2 smooth, depressed areas lacking setae in the posterolateral portions of the dorsum of the idiosoma, together with the partial fusion of the tubercles in the anteromedian portion of the idiosoma. The male of this species has a small spiracular plate surrounded by a pattern of tubercles disposed concentrically in its dorsal portion. Both sexes have cervical grooves very slightly marked. Antricola delacruzi n. sp. represents the only Antricola species with the dorsum of the idiosoma devoid of tubercles in both sexes and with scarce and minute setae placed over the smooth cuticle. The female of A. inexpectata n. sp. is known only from a few specimens. In this species, lines of smooth cuticle lacking setae separate the tubercles of the dorsum. In addition, there are 3 clumps of plumose setae close to the spiracular plate, in the ventrolateral portions of the idiosoma, in 3 well-delimited regions over cuticular thickenings. These 3 species share the peculiarity of a Haller's organ with the anterior pit bearing only 7 + 2 setae. The collection of these new species in Brazilian caves greatly expands the known range of the genus. A key to the adults of all known species of the genus is provided.     

Effects of variation in nutrition on male morph development in the bulb mite Rhizoglyphus robini

In male dimorphic species, growth influences morph expression and thereby the reproductive success of males. However, how variation in nutritional conditions affects male morph development and whether males can compensate for lost growth is poorly known. Here, we performed an experiment where males of the bulb mite (Rhizoglyphus robini)—which are fighters, able to kill other mites, or benign scramblers—were offered high quality food during the larval stage, but food of high or low quality during the protonymph and tritonymph (=final) stage. When food quality was low during the latter two stages, males matured smaller, later and were more likely to be a scrambler than when food quality was high. We found no evidence for compensatory growth: when males had low quality food only during the protonymph stage, they matured at the same age, but grew at a slower rate and matured at a smaller size than males that had high quality food throughout ontogeny. Furthermore, males that experienced this transient period of low food quality were less likely to mature as a fighter. Interestingly, scrambler increase in body size during the protonymph and tritonymph stages was always lower than that of fighters. Given the strong link between adult size and fitness, combined with the different development times and life histories of the male morphs, the lack of ability to compensate for a transient period of food deprivation during ontogeny is likely to have consequences for the dynamics of bulb mite populations.     

Review of naupliar development among Miraciidae (Copepoda,Harpacticoida) with a naupliar description of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paramphiascella</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">choi</Emphasis> sp. nov. from Thailand

Both genders of Paramphiascella choi sp. nov. were collected from the green alga Enteromorpha clathrata in Rayong province, Thailand. P. choi shares with other species of the genus: cylindrical body shape, rostrum not bifid, eight-segmented antennules, three-segmented exopodal antenna, and female P5 exopod with five setae. The new species distinguished from other conspecific species by: three-segmented exopodal antenna, inner edge of basis of male P1 and P2 bear a bare ovate-knob each. Enp-1 very elongate, Enp-2 of male P2 transformed into a large, strong, slightly curved and tapering attenuation with two central chitinous ridges, and bearing one medially directed knob close to enp-1. At the base of this knob arise three plumose setae of unequal length. These characters are suggested to be autapomorphies of the new species. Six naupliar stages are obtained and described a key for the identification of stages is provided. Nauplius I has one pair of caudal setae; three-segmented antennules; antenna consists of a coxa, basis, endopod and exopod; mandible has a coxa, basis, endopod and exopod; hindbody bears two caudal setae. Nauplius II develops one aesthetasc on the antennule; antenna has added an arthrite arising from the coxa; mandible has a row of tiny spinulose setae. Nauplius III has added two pairs of caudal setae. Nauplius IV bears bilobed bud of the maxillule armed with two setae and four pairs of caudal setae. Nauplius V bears a multilobed bud of the maxillule with three setae and five pairs of caudal setae. At Nauplius VI, the buds of swimming legs 1 and 2 are added.     

新革螨属1新种记述和峨居常革螨及异形新革螨补充描述（蜱螨亚纲：中气门目：寄螨科）

记述新革螨属1新种：泰安新革螨Neogamasus taianensis Ma et Sun, sp. nov.,并对峨眉常革螨Vulgarogamasus emeishanensis Ma et Wang.1996和异形新革螨Neogamasus anomalus Ma et Yan,1998进行补充描述。     

纳氏皱皮螨生活史的研究

纳氏皱皮螨Suidasia nesbitti Hughes是我国重要储藏物螨类之一.在我国大陆和台湾省,腐食酪螨Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank)是最重要的储藏物螨类,其次是皱皮螨属Suidasia的二个种,即大陆的纳氏皱皮螨和台湾省的棉兰皱皮螨S. medanensis Oudemans.本文研究了纳氏皱皮螨的生活史,并对生活史各发育阶段的形态进行描述.本文还对纳氏皱皮螨和棉兰皱皮螨的形态,分布和为害情况列表进行比较.     

伯氏嗜木螨各发育阶段的外部形态扫描电镜观察

【目的】 观察伯氏嗜木螨Caloglyphus berlesei生活史各发育阶段外部形态和超微形态特征。【方法】 采集中华地鳖Eupolyphaga sinensis培养床上的培养料, 分离伯氏嗜木螨。将分离获得的伯氏嗜木螨双蒸水洗涤后, 一部分用于制备常规玻片标本, 光镜下直接观察; 另一部分用2.5%戊二醛溶液固定, 70%酒精再次洗涤, 临界点干燥, 置于扫描电镜下观察不同发育阶段（包括卵、 幼螨、 若螨及成螨）的超微形态特征。【结果】 电镜下伯氏嗜木螨各发育阶段的足、 刚毛和外生殖器及其附属结构的形态均清晰可辨。幼螨足3对, 足上无叶状刚毛, 基节干发达; 若螨足4对, 出现第4背毛, 生殖区发育不全; 休眠体足爪和前跗节发达, 出现叶状毛、 胫节毛及膝节毛等结构, 生殖板骨化明显, 其两侧有吸盘和刚毛各1对。吸盘板上共有4对成对的吸盘、 1个单吸盘和2对类圆形微凸。成螨生殖感觉器骨化且呈心形, 雄雌成螨生殖感觉器的刚毛数量上有明显差异。【结论】 对伯氏嗜木螨形态和超微形态特征的观察有助于对其进一步科学分类和进行生活史研究, 并可为控制伯氏嗜木螨及其引起的过敏性疾病提供参考。     

Life cycle of Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis

The life cycle of Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis was systematically investigated in vivo. The life cycle of females and males consisted of an egg, larva, protonymph, and a tritonymph that gave rise to an adult. Development from egg to adult required 10.06-13.16 days for the male and 9.93-13.03 days for the female. Egg incubation times were greater than 50.1 to less than 52.97 hr. Larval duration was between 3.22 and 4.20 days. The durations of protonymphal stages that were destined to become females and males were greater than 2.40 to less than 3.40 days and greater than 2.33 to less than 3.33 days, respectively. Tritonymphs destined to become females and males molted in greater than 2.22 to less than 3.22 days and greater than 2.42 to less than 3.42 days, respectively. During development, all life stages frequently left their burrows and wandered on the skin surface.     

Gonads in Histiostoma mites (Acariformes: Astigmata): Structure and development

The development of male and female gonads in arrhenotokous and thelytokous species of Histiostoma was studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). All instars were examined: larvae, protonymphs, facultative heteromorphic deutonymphs (=hypopi), tritonymphs, and adults. In testis primordium, spermatogonia surrounding a testicular central cell (TCC) with a gradually enlarging, branched nucleus are present already at the larval stage. Spermatogonia and the TCC are connected via narrow, tubular intercellular bridges revealing that the TCC is a germline cell. Spermatocytes appear at the protonymphal stage. At the heteromorphic deutonymph stage, the testis primordium is similar to that of the protonymph, but in the tritonymph it is much larger and composed as in the adult: spermatids as well as sperm cells are present. The latter are congregated ventrally in the testis at the entrance of the deferent duct.In the larval ovary, an eccentrically located ovarian nutritive cell (ONC) is surrounded by oogonia which are connected with the ONC via tubular intercellular bridges. In later stages, the ovary grows and oocytes appear in the protonymph. Meiotic synaptonemal complexes in oocytes occur from the tritonymph stage. At about the time of the final molting, tubular intercellular bridges transform into peculiar diaphragm-crossed bridges known only in Histiostoma mites. In the adult female, growing oocytes at the end of previtellogenesis lose intercellular bridges and move ventro-laterally to the ovarian periphery towards the oviduct entrance. Vitellogenesis occurs in oviducts.Germinal cells in both the testis and ovary are embedded in a few somatic stroma cells which may be well discernible already in the larval ovary; in the testis, somatic stroma cells are evident not earlier than the end of the tritonymphal stage. The ovary has a thin wall of flat somatic cells, whereas the testis is covered by a basal lamina only.The obtained results suggest that gonads in Histiostoma and other Astigmata originate from two primordial cells only.     

New water mite species of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aturus</Emphasis> (Acari,Hydrachnidia, Aturidae) from Russia

Two new species of the genus Aturus Kramer (A. tuzovskyi sp. n. and A. kimichungi sp. n.) from Russia are described. These species and closely related species of the genus Aturus are compared. A. tuzovskyi sp. n. male is characterized by a slender body, the presence of a pair of bifurcated setae on the dorsal shield, two sword ventrodistal setae equal in length on the genu of leg IV, and 10–14 pairs of acetabula. The female of this species is characterized by the oval body and the presence of 10–13 pairs of acetabula. The male of A. kimichungi sp. n. is characterized by a rounded body, the presence of a single pair of bifurcated setae on the dorsal shield; sword setae on the genu IV are longer than tibia IV; 14–21 pairs of acetabula are present. The female of this species possesses a rounded body and 18–19 pairs of acetabula.     

Position and definition of the genus Paegniodes Eaton, 1881 based on redescription on the type species Paegniodes cupulatus (Eaton, 1871) (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae)

The genus Paegniodes Eaton, 1881 and its type species P. cupulatus (Eaton, 1871) have never been described in detail completely. In this article, all stages are described and photographed. Compared to other heptageniid genera, the adults of P. cupulatus have a more colourful body, smaller hindwings but larger titillators. The nymphs of this species have no setae or tubercles on the body and no emarginations on the head capsule. They have smaller lamellae of the first gills, a wider labrum with a median notch, mandibles without setae on outer margins, maxillae with a row of setae and scattered setae on the ventral surface, cerci with mesal setae, and a median filament with setae on both sides. Both imaginal and nymphal stages of the genus have unique characters, so the taxon Paegniodes is recognized at the rank of genus here. It appears closely related to Rhithrogena Eaton, 1881.     

Redescription of the larva,and description of the nymphal and adult stages of Ornithodoros peruvianus Kohls,Clifford & Jones, 1969 (Acari: Argasidae)

The soft tick Ornithodoros peruvianus Kohls, Clifford & Jones, 1969 was described as a parasite of bats in Peru upon the examination of engorged larvae only. Recently, larvae of this tick species were reported on bats from northern Chile. However, the adult and nymphal stages of O. peruvianus have remained undescribed. This study aimed to redescribe the larva of O. peruvianus based on unfed specimens, and to describe nymphs, the male and the female of this species. Ticks were collected on the walls inside three caves in northern Chile. Two females laid eggs in the laboratory. Part of the unfed larvae was separated for morphological and morphometrical analyses, and the remaining specimens were fed upon laboratory mice in order to obtain subsequent nymphal and adult stages. The first nymphal stage (N1) moulted either to male or to a second nymphal stage (N2) without feeding. Obtained N2 moulted either to male or female after one meal. PCR amplification of tick mitochondrial 16S rRNA of specimens from the three caves revealed almost identical sequences. The unfed larva of O. peruvianus has an elongated idiosoma, and fringed setae cover the ventral surfaces of coxae, palps and tarsi. Nymph 1 has a thin integument covered by incipient mammillae and barely noticeable dorsal disks; it lacks cheeks and possesses few short setae on the basis capitulum. Nymph 2 has a pair of small cheeks and resembles adult stages in its tegumentary traits and capitulum. Adult stages exhibit developed cheeks (larger in females) without the capacity to completely cover the capitulum. Very small and low mammillae cover the surface of the dorsal idiosoma in adults. As this feature also occurs in other bat-associated soft ticks, regardless of their phylogenetic relatedness, small mammillae in bat soft ticks are suggestive of convergent evolution.

     

中国派盾螨科三新纪录属及三新种记述(蜱螨亚纲：革螨股)

记述派盾螨科3新种：武汉派盾螨Parholaspis wuhanensis sp.nov.,亚弧讷派螨Neparholaspis subarcuatus sp.nov.和湖北真派螨 Euparholaspulus hubeiensis sp.nov.。三属均为中国首次记录。     

宁夏中气门螨调查报告（蜱螨亚纲）（1）及季氏寄螨形态描述

在宁夏采得中气门螨21种,其中宁夏新记录8种。并对季氏寄螨Parasitus tichomirovi Davydova进行形态描述。     

Hairy attachment structures in Reduviidae (Cimicomorpha, Heteroptera), with observations on the fossula spongiosa in some other Cimicomorpha

Reduviidae and some other groups of cimicomorphan Heteroptera possess a hairy attachment structure on the apex of the tibia called “fossula spongiosa”. The fossula spongiosa was never studied comparatively across Reduviidae, its fine structure and mode of function is not well documented, and attachment structures in immature stages are virtually unknown. Here, a sample of 171 species of Reduviidae representing 22 subfamilies is examined for presence-absence of the fossula spongiosa on the three pairs of legs. Representatives of 11 of the 22 subfamilies are shown to possess a fossula spongiosa. The fine structure of the fossula spongiosa is examined for a more limited sample of Reduviidae and several Pachynomidae and Nabidae. In addition, scanning micrographs for the fossula spongiosa in other Cimicomorpha are given, among them Anthocoridae, Cimicidae, Microphysidae (first record of a fossula spongiosa), and Thaumastocoridae. The fossula spongiosa in Reduviidae consists of tenent hairs (acanthae) with spatulate or tapering apices interspersed with sensory setae, both of which are embedded in a thick and flexible cuticle, underlain by a hemolymph cavity separated almost entirely from the interior of the remaining tibia by a cuticular invagination. Judging from comparison with non-reduviid Cimicomorpha, this separation of the fossula spongiosa cavity from the tibial interior may be unique to Reduviidae. A simple experiment using live specimens of Platymeris biguttata (Reduviinae) revealed a liquid on the tip of the tenent hairs that might be involved in the attachment of the fossula spongiosa by adhesion mechanisms. The nymphs of Reduviidae whose adults have a fossula spongiosa are here documented for the first time to possess pads of ventrally barbed setae instead of tenent hairs and their tibia lacks the internal cuticular invagination. The nymphal attachment structures seem to rely on increase of friction rather than the adhesion mechanism proposed to be present in the adult. Combined with the tenent setae on the third tarsomere known in some Emesinae and here documented for Saicinae, three types of hairy attachment structures occur on the legs of Reduviidae: tenent hairs (acanthae), which form the fossula spongiosa in many Reduviidae, barbed setae that substitute the fossula in the immatures, and tenent setae on the tarsus which are restricted to only a few taxa.     

A means of determining sex in larval Tarsonemidae (Acari: Heterostigmata) based on external structure

Larval males generally differ from larval females of Tarsonemidae in having three, rather than two, pairs of small pseudanal setae flanking the uropore. This sex-linked difference in larvae correlates with a similar difference in adults: females retain only one pair of them, as setae, whereas males retain two pairs, modified into accessory copulatory structures. The possible usefulness of determining sex in larval tarsonemids is discussed. In some taxa, however, these setae are vestigial or so minute as to not be useful in sex determination.     

Morphological and molecular comparison of host-derived populations of parasitic Psoroptes mites

Infestation by parasitic Psoroptes mites (Acari: Psoroptidae) is an important cause of economic loss and welfare problems in livestock in many areas of the world. At least five species within this genus have been recognized, based on the host infested, the infestation site and differences in length of the opisthosomal setae of adult male mites. Here the integrity of these species is considered by subjecting populations of mites from a range of host species and geographical locations to simultaneous morphological and molecular genetic analyses. Morphological analysis showed that there were significant differences in shape and size between mite populations from different hosts, and that length of the outer opisthosomal setae in males and the homologous seta in females were the most important distinguishing character in adults. However, considerable variation in outer opisthosomal seta length was evident within and between populations of mites, and differences were not clearly related to host-species or geographical origin and did not support the accepted species differences. Molecular characterization using sequence data from the mitochondrial second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) region and microsatellite markers found little or no consistent host-related variation between the mite population samples. The results suggest that there is no case for considering the Psoroptes mites from the different hosts examined as separate species and that the morphological variation observed therefore may represent phenotypic adaptation to the local microenvironment on particular species of host.     

维螨属2新种记述(蜱螨亚纲:中气门目:维螨科)

记述维螨属2新种:河南维螨Veigaia henanensis sp.nov.和福建维螨Veigaia fujianensis sp.nov.     

派伦螨属1新种和革板螨属1新种及都匀革板螨雄螨描述(蜱螨亚纲:中气门目:派盾螨科)

记述派伦螨属1新种:遵义派伦螨Parholaspulus zunyiensis sp.nov.和革板螨属1新种:江西革板螨Gamasholaspis jiangxiensissp.nov.,并描述都匀革板螨Gamasholaspis duyunensis Chen,Guo et Gu,1994雄螨.