Abstract
AbstractSix new species of Mucroseius having adult females phoretic on adult sawyer beetles of the genus Monochamus are described: Mucroseius nipponensis and Mucroseius squamosus from Monochamus alternatus Hope in Japan, Mucroseius algonquian from three species of Monochamus in eastern Canada and eastern United States, Mucroseius disparisetus from Monochamus titillator (Fabricius) in southeastern United States, Mucroseius Californicus from Monochamus clamator (LeConte) in California, and Mucroseius mexicanus from Monochamus rubigineus (Bates) in Mexico. Mucroseius aciculatus (Ishikawa, 1968), new combination, from Mecynippus pubicornis Bates in Japan, and the type-species, Mucroseius monochami Lindquist, 1962, from several species of Monochamus widely distributed in North America, are redescribed. Misidentifications of these species in the Japanese and North American literature are noted, and a key is given for these eight species. One adult female of an undescribed species found on a sawyer, Monochamus sutor Linnaeus, from Europe, is noted as possibly belonging to Mucroseius.The taxon Mucroseius is redescribed, and its problematic status as a genus is reviewed. The phylogenetic position of Mucroseius, which appears to be derived within the genus Proctolaelaps, is discussed. Previous observations on biological and ecological aspects of Mucroseius mites, including those published in Japanese, are critically reviewed, with new data added for host ranges and specificities, distribution, phoretic behavior, occurrence in sawyer gallery systems, mode of reproduction, and their association with the pine wood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Steiner and Buhrer) Nickle. Cheliceral structure and speculations on the feeding habits of these mites are discussed; however, feeding preferences have not been clarified.
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