Mite Species Research Articles

Discovery of a novel spotted fever group Rickettsia, "Candidatus Rickettsia kedanie," in unfed larval chigger mites, Leptotrombidium scutellare.

Spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsia, the causative agent of SFG rickettsiosis, is predominantly carried by ticks, whereas Orientia tsutusgamushi, the causative agent of scrub typhus, is primarily transmitted by chigger mites in Japan. In this study, we attempted to isolate intracellular eubacteria from Leptotrombidium scutellare, a major vector of O. tsutsugamushi; moreover, we isolated an SFG rickettsia using a mosquito-derived cell line. Draft genome sequences of this unique isolate, by applying criteria for species delimitation, classified this isolate as a novel strain, proposed as "Rickettsia kedanie." Further genetic analysis identified conserved virulence factors, and the isolate successfully propagated in mammalian cells, suggesting its ability to cause diseases in humans. The presence of SFG rickettsia in unfed larvae implies potential dual-pathogen carriage and reflects a symbiotic relationship similar to that between the mites and O. tsutsugamushi, indicating possibility of its transovarial transmission from female adults. Furthermore, conserved genomic similarity of the novel isolate to known SFG rickettsia suggests potential multiple hosts, including chiggers and ticks. In the natural environment, ticks, chigger mites, and wild animals may carry new isolates, complicating the infection cycle and increasing the transmission risks to humans. This discovery challenges the conventional association of SFG rickettsia with ticks, emphasizing its implications for research and disease control. However, this study was confined to a particular species of chigger mites and geographic area, underscoring the necessity for additional studies to comprehend the ecological dynamics, host interactions, and health implications linked to this newly identified SFG rickettsia.

Two new species of Oribatella (Acari, Oribatida, Oribatellidae) from Guatemala

ABSTRACT Two new species of oribatid mites of the genus Oribatella (Oribatida, Oribatellidae)—O. paradechambrieri sp. nov. and O. parastrinatii sp. nov.—are described, based on adults collected from rainforest litter in Guatemala. Oribatella paradechambrieri sp. nov. is similar to O. dechambrieri but differs by the smaller body size, the length of the teeth of the lamellae, the relative length of the free distal and fixed mediobasal parts of the lamella, the size of the trapezoid region in basal part of the prodorsum, and the length of the interlamellar seta. Oribatella parastrinatii sp. nov. is similar to O. strinatii but differs by the smaller body size, the morphology of the rostrum, the morphology of the tutorial cusp, the presence of large dense foveolae in the centrodorsal part of the notogaster and between the genital and anal apertures, and dense short transverse ridges on the medioposterior part of the notogaster, and the number of genital setae. Oribatella dechambrieri is the first record of the species for Guatemala. The belonging of O. paradechambrieri to the genus Fenestrobates is discussed. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5F474B0F-7E2B-42CC-9252-E5C41D17FE96

First distribution records of the quarantine mite pest Oligonychus perditus (Acari: Tetranychidae) in Europe

ABSTRACT The spider mite species Oligonychus perditus Pritchard and Baker 1955 (Acari: Tetranychidae) is native to China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, where it has been reported as a pest of Juniperus spp. and some other conifer plants (Cupressaceae). In Europe the species, has been repeatedly intercepted on imported juniper plants. The EPPO has included O. perditus on the A1 list of pests recommended for regulation as quarantine pests, mostly because its hosts are of importance to the European nursery trade. In a survey conducted in Serbia between 2020 and 2023 O. perditus was found in 16 sampling locations on plants of the genus Juniperus, from the family Cupressaceae, as well as in order 16 sampling locations on plants of the genera Prunus and, Malus from the family Rosaceae. This species was collected on individual trees in backyards, gardens, and orchards, as well as in ruderal habitats. Populations of O. perditus were small and without economic impact. Introduction of this species into Serbia is probably a consequence of insufficient quarantine measures and relatively loose afforestation rules.

The Distribution and Host-Association of the Vector Chigger Species Leptotrombidium imphalum in Southwest China.

Leptotrombidium imphalum is a species of chigger mites, and it can serve as a transmitting vector of scrub typhus. Southwest China is an important focus of scrub typhus. Based on the field investigation in southwest China from 2001 to 2022, this article presents the first report on the distribution and infestation of L. imphalum on rodents and other sympatric small mammals in the region. A total of 2161 L. imphalum were identified from 218 small mammal hosts in 21 of 114 survey sites. The 17 host species of L. imphalum crossed 13 genera and 5 families in 3 orders (Rodentia, Eulipotyphla, and Scandentia), indicating the low host specificity of the mite. The Asian house rat (Rattus tanezumi) was the dominant host species in the 21 sites where L. imphalum were collected, and 49.38% of mites were found on R. tanezumi. Different small mammals had different susceptibility to the infestation of L. imphalum. The prevalence (PM = 27.66%), infestation mean abundance (MA = 6 mites/per examined host), and mean intensity (MI = 21.69 mites/per infested host) for L. imphalum on the shrew gymnure (Neotetracus sinensis) were much higher than those on other host species (p < 0.05), indicating N. sinensis had a high susceptibility to the infestation of L. imphalum. The infestation indices for L. imphalum on small mammal hosts varied along different altitude and latitude gradients (p < 0.05), indicating the environmental heterogeneity of the mite infestation. Leptotrombidium imphalum exhibited an aggregated distribution among different individuals of its hosts. Besides the low host specificity of L. imphalum, the prevalence of the mite was positively correlated with the occurrence of scrub typhus, indicating the potential risk of the mite.

New insights into the relationship of parasitic quill mites and birds: Picobia species in Asian and New World Barbets

Quill mites are obligatory parasites of birds, widely distributed among their hosts. For the first time, we examined birds from two small, phylogenetically closely related piciform families, Megalaimidae (New World Barbets) and Capitonidae (Asian Barbets), for infestation by parasitic mites of the subfamily Picobiinae (Acariformes: Syringophilidae). Birds of the family Megalaimidae were infested by two new species of the genus Picobia: Picobia insolita Skoracki, Sikora & Unsoeld n. sp. collected from Caloramphus hayii in Indonesia, and Picobia paraheeri Skoracki, Sikora & Unsoeld n. sp. found on nine bird species of the genus Psilopogon, including P. zeylanicus in Sri Lanka, P. asiaticus in India, P. virens in China, P. franklini and P. lineatus both in Nepal, and P. corvinus, P. rafflesii, P. chrysopogon, P. pyrolophus, all in Indonesia. Within the Capitonidae family, a single quill mite species, Rafapicobia olszanowskii Skoracki et al. 2020, was found infesting two species of the genus Capito, i.e. C. maculicoronatus in Panama and C. niger in Surinam and Guyana, and these two Asian Barbet species are new hosts for this quill mite species. Our further analysis of picobiine mite records associated with the entire order of Piciformes revealed a correlation between the mites’ distribution patterns and the phylogeny of piciform birds. This significant congruence suggests a close evolutionary relationship between picobiine mites and their avian hosts. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F9DEB980-6481-4229-A071-52AC9FF69879 http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6B4F98EB-D166-4DBF-B26F-49F4B22903A8 http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:98140DAC-5C53-438B-85A6-1FBA52D178D0

Species Composition of Phytophagous and Entomophagous Insects and Mites on Soybeans in Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, Russia

Soybeans are a valuable crop in many countries of the world. To obtain stable yields, it is necessary to consider the activities of arthropods, both beneficial and destructive. The results of this study indicate high biodiversity. Most of the insects that feed on soy are polyphagous. In the years favorable for their development, omnivorous pests pose a serious threat to soybeans. The species composition of arthropods on soybeans of the Krasnodar and Stavropol territories of the Russian Federation during the years of the study was represented by 212 species (210 species of insects and 2 species of mites), including 101 species of phytophagous insects, which accounted for 48.5% of the total fauna and 109 species of entomophagous insects (51.7%). Most of the entomophages were parasitic Hymenoptera belonging to such families as Ichneumonidae, Braconidae, Aphidiidae, Eurytomidae, Ormyridae, Pteromalidae, Encyrtidae, Eupelmidae, Eulophidae, Elasmidae, Scelionidae, Platygastridae, and Chrysididae. The most numerous phytophagous insects damaging soybeans belonged to the Hemiptera order (34 out of 101 species of phytophages). The Lepidoptera order in the soybean agrocenosis was represented by 28 species (13.4% of the total fauna and 28.0% of the destructive fauna).

Genomic and metagenomic analyses of the domestic mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae identify it as a widespread environmental contaminant and a host of a basal, mite-specific Wolbachia lineage (supergroup Q)

Tyrophagus putrescentiae (mould mite) is a global, microscopic trophic generalist that commonly occurs in various human-created habitats, causing allergies and damaging stored food. Its ubiquity and extraordinary ability to penetrate research samples or cultures through air currents or by active walking through tights spaces (such as treads of screw caps) may lead to sample contamination and introduction of its DNA to research materials in the laboratory. This prompts a thorough investigation into potential sequence contamination in public genomic databases. The trophic success of T. putrescentiae is primarily attributed to the symbiotic bacteria housed in specialized internal mite structures, facilitating adaptation to varied nutritional niches. However, recent work suggests that horizontal transfer of bacterial/fungal genes related to nutritional functionality may also contribute to the mite’s trophic versatility. This aspect requires independent confirmation. Additionally, T. putrescentiae harbors an uncharacterized and genetically divergent bacterium, Wolbachia, displaying blocking and microbiome-modifying effects. The phylogenomic position and supergroup assignment of this bacterium are unknown. Here, we sequenced and assembled the T. putrescentiae genome, analyzed its microbiome, and performed detailed phylogenomic analyses of the mite-specific Wolbachia. We show that T. putrescentiae DNA is a substantial source of contamination of research samples. Its DNA may inadvertently be co-extracted with the DNA of the target organism, eventually leading to sequence contamination in public databases. We identified a diversity of bacterial species associated with T. putrescentiae, including those capable of rapidly developing antibiotic resistance, such as Escherichia coli. Despite the presence of diverse bacterial communities in T. putrescentiae, we did not detect any recent horizontal gene transfers in this mite species and/or in astigmatid (domestic) mites in general. Our phylogenomic analysis of Wolbachia recovered a basal, mite-specific lineage (supergroup Q) represented by two Wolbachia spp. from the mould mite and a gall-inducing plant mite. Fluorescence in situ hybridization confirmed the presence of Wolbachia inside the mould mite. The discovery of an early derivative Wolbachia lineage (supergroup Q) in two phylogenetically unrelated and ecologically dissimilar mites suggests that this endosymbiotic bacterial lineage formed a long-term association with mites. This finding provides a unique insight into the early evolution and host associations of Wolbachia. Further discoveries of Wolbachia diversity in acariform mites are anticipated.

First record of the water mite species Arrenurus (Arrenurus) munovus Cook, 1980 from Belize, including the description of the female (Arrenuridae, Hydrachnidia, Acari)

We provide the description of the so far unknown female of Arrenurus munovus Cook 1980 as well as additional morphological data for the male. This is the first record of the species since its description from Southern Mexico and is extending the known distribution about 370 km east to the south-eastern of the peninsula de Yucatan. This is the first record of an Arrenurus species from Belize, as well as the first species level data on the Belizean freshwater mite fauna.

The joint effects of local, climatic, and spatial variables determine soil oribatid mite community assembly along a temperate forest elevational gradient.

Numerous factors influence mountain biodiversity variation across elevational gradients and recognizing the relative importance is vital for understanding species distribution mechanisms. We examined oribatid mites at nine elevations (from 600 to 2200 m a.s.l) and four vegetation types from mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests to alpine tundra on Changbai Mountain. We assessed the contribution of environmental factors (climatic and local factors) and spatial processes (geographic or elevation distances) to oribatid mite community assembly and identified 59 oribatid mite species from 38 families and 51 genera. With increasing elevation, species richness and the Shannon index declined significantly, whereas abundance followed a hump-shaped trend. Soil TP, NH4 +-N, MAT, MAP, and elevation were the critical variables shaping oribatid mite communities based on random forest analysis. Moreover, environmental and spatial factors, and oribatid mite communities were significantly correlated based on Mantel and partial Mantel tests. Local characteristics (3.9%), climatic factors (1.9%), and spatial filtering (8.8%) played crucial roles in determining oribatid mite communities across nine elevational bands (based on variation partitioning analyses of abundance data). Within the same vegetation types, spatial processes had relatively little effects, with local characteristics the dominant drivers of oribatid mite community variation. Environmental and spatial filters together shape oribatid mite community assembly and their relative roles varied with elevation and vegetation type. These findings are crucial for the conservation, restoration, and management of Changbai mountain ecosystems in the context of climate change, along with the prediction of future vertical biotic gradient pattern evolution.

Lupaeus neomartini, a new species of Cunaxidae (Acari: Prostigmata) from Southwestern China

A new mite species, Lupaeus neomartini Chen and Jin sp. nov. (Acariformes: Cunaxidae) is described and illustrated, based on both sexes from Southwestern China (Yunnan Province). In addition, a key to adult females of Lupaeus species of China is provided.

Two new species of Amboroppia (Quintanoppia) (Acari, Oribatida, Oppiidae) from Guatemala

Two new species of oppiid mites of the subgenus Amboroppia (Quintanoppia) (Oribatida, Oppiidae) —A. (Q.) guatemalaensis n. sp. and A. (Q.) zacapaensis n. sp.— are described, based on materials collected from damp litter in cloud forest in Guatemala. An identification key to the known species of Amboroppia (Quintanoppia) is provided.

Some Ceratozetoidea species (Acari: Oribatida: Ceratozetidae, Humerobatidae) from the Galapagos Islands

A new species of oribatid mites from the Galapagos Islands, Ceratozetes yupanqui n. sp. is described and illustrated. It is morphologically most similar to two South American species, Ceratozetes platyrhinus and C. platyrhinoides, in having a broadened rostrum without incisions, but the new species exhibits consistent morphological differences in comparison to these species which are discussed. Numerous specimens of Ceratozetes yupanqui n. sp. were found on western islands of the archipelago, in moister habitats at higher altitudes in leaf and grass litter, as well as in arid lowlands in dry leaf and cactus litter. In previous listings of Galapagos species, Humerobates rostrolamellatus was erroneously reported as "Porozetes sp." Additional morphological features of this species are presented, based on the record from the Galapagos Islands. Morphological differences between H. rostrolamellatus and H. flechtmanni from Brazil are highlighted.

The mitochondrial genome sequence of Ceratozetella imperatoria (Aoki, 1963) (Acari: Ceratozetidae): Genome characterization and phylogenetic analysis&lt;/p &gt;

Oribatid mites play a crucial role in nutrient cycling, litter decomposition, and humus formation in the ecosystem. Here, an Illumina HiSeq platform was used to sequence the complete mitochondrial (mt) genome of Ceratozetella imperatoria. The mt genome is a circular molecule of 14,229 bp (GenBank number: PP419053), and a total of 37 genes were described. The start codon in all 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs) included ATT, ATA, TTG, and ATG, the stop codon of all 13 protein-coding genes was TAA, TAG, and single T. The AT skew and GC skew were 0.153 and 0.263 observed across the whole mt genome of Ceratozetella imperatoria. Besides the negative AT skew in PCGs, rRNA and CR, positive AT skew and GC skew were detected in the remaining components. A phylogenetic tree of 29 mite species was constructed using PCGs by the maximum likelihood method. Ceratozetoidea and Oripodoidea were closely related and become sister group relationships among them.

An updated checklist of water mites (Acari, Hydrachnidia) of Serbia with new records revealed by DNA barcodes

The checklist summarizes the knowledge of the diversity of water mites of Serbia from the oldest record in 1903 to present day. The checklist is based on literature data and recent findings. The checklist includes 104 species in 18 families and 32 genera. Six species, i.e. Hydryphantus parmulatus, Lebertia glabra, Atractides glandulosus, Arrenurus bruzelii, A. virens and Hygrobates balcanicus, are added as new for the water mite fauna of Serbia. Regardless that the diversity of water mite has been addressed for over a century, the number of water mite species from Serbia is still limited and lower compared to other Balkan countries, indicating the need for further studies.

A new species of mite in the genus Nenteria (Uropodina, Trematuridae), with a key to the Egyptian species

We describe a new species of mite in the genus Nenteria Oudemans, collected from the Red Palm Weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Oliver) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), at Bahariya Oasis, Egypt. Nenteria bahariyaensis n. sp. is the third species from this genus reported from Egypt, after Nenteria hypotrichus El-Borolossy &amp; El-Banhawy, 1995 and N. egypticus (Abo-Shnaf, El-Bishlawy &amp; Allam, 2018). A key to separate those species is provided. This work considers the possibility of using this mite species in integrated control approaches for R. ferrugineus.

Interspecific interaction network of mites associated with mango trees.

Direct and indirect ecological interactions, environmental factors, and the phenology of host plants can shape the way mites interact. These relationships interfere with species occurrence and consequently alter the structure and stability of the intraplant community. As predatory mites act as regulators of herbivorous mites, we hypothesized that these mites may occupy a central position in a network of interactions among mite species associated with mango trees, and the occurrence of these species is mediated by environmental variables and the phenological stage of the host plant. We evaluated the global structure of the interaction network of mites associated with individual Mangifera indica plants and analyzed the interspecific relationships of the species using an undirected Bayesian network approach. Additionally, we observed a correlation between mite population density and plant phenological stage. Environmental variables, such as average monthly temperature, monthly precipitation, and average monthly relative humidity at different sampling date were used in the correlation analysis. The modularity at the mite-plant network level showed a low specialization index H2 = 0.073 (generalist) and high robustness (R = 0.93). Network analysis revealed that Amblyseius largoensis, Bdella ueckermanni, Parapronematus acaciae, and Tuckerella ornata occupied central positions in the assembly of mites occurring on mango trees. Environmental variables, average monthly temperature, and monthly precipitation were correlated with the occurrence of Brachytydeus formosa, Cisaberoptus kenyae, Oligonychus punicae, T. ornata, and Vilaia pamithus. We also observed a correlation between the plant phenological stage and population densities of Neoseiulus houstoni, O. punicae, P. acaciae, and V. pamithus.

Two new species of the genus Eremobelba Berlese, 1908 (Acari, Oribatida, Eremobelbidae) from Zhejiang, China&lt;/p &gt;

Two new species of oribatid mites of the genus Eremobelba (Oribatida, Eremobelbidae) collected from Gutianshan National Nature Reserve, Zhejiang, China were described: Eremobelba yinae sp. nov. and Eremobelba rotunda sp. nov.. A key to the known species of Eremobelba occur in China was provided.

LC/TQ mass spectrometry analysis for estimation of residual behavior and dissipation kinetics of isocycloseram and its metabolite's in/on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

Isocycloseram is a new isoxazoline group pesticide with novel mode of action and very effective against various insect and mite species. The study was undertaken to determine the residual behavior of isocycloseram in/on tomato fruit and soil using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The limit of quantification and limit of detection were workout to be 0.01 and 0.003 μg/g, respectively for isocycloseram and the metabolites. The recovery of isocycloseram and metabolites were 94–105 % in tomato matrix and in soil matrix recovery was 93–101 % with < 20 % relative standard deviation. After applications of 60 and 75 g a.i./ha, the total initial residues of isocycloseram (including metabolites) on tomato fruits were 0.411 and 0.670 µg/g that dissipated to half in 3.13 and 3.46 days at respective doses. The hazard quotient computed for the insecticide was below one thus indicating its safety for humans.

A checklist of eriophyoid species (Acari: Eriophyidae) on Zygophyllaceae with descriptions of two new species from Northeast Iran

During field survey of eriophyoid mites in northeast Iran (Razavi Khorasan, Iran, summer 2023), two new eriophyoid mite species (Acari: Eriophyoidea: Eriophyidae) on Zygophyllum atriplicoides Fisch. et C.A.Mey. subsp. atriplicoides (Zygophyllaceae) were discovered, illustrated and described herein. They are Aceria kalatiensis sp. nov., which caused rounded galls on both sides of the leaves, and Aculus sirzariensis sp. nov., which was vagrant on the same samples. Furthermore, we provided a checklist of eriophyoid mite species associated with Zygophyllaceae plants of the world.

Effects of forest gap formation and deadwood enrichment on oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) vary between regions

Most forests in Central Europe are subject to human management, especially timber harvesting, which alters soil conditions by creating gaps in the forest canopy and reduces the availability of deadwood. However, consequences of these management practices, in particular the combined effect of gap formation and deadwood removal, have been largely neglected. Here, we investigated the abundance, diversity and community composition of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) in forests where deadwood availability and gap formation were manipulated in a full factorial design (Control, Gap, Deadwood, Gap + Deadwood). Forest gaps of about 30 m in diameter were established by felling trees, which were subsequently removed (Gap) or left on site as deadwood (Gap + Deadwood). Nearby forest sites without gaps were enriched with the equal amount of felled trees (Deadwood) or left untreated (Control). Experimental treatments were established at 29 forest sites including deciduous and coniferous stands in three regions of Germany, i.e. the Swabian Alb, Hanich-Dün and Schorfheide-Chorin in the south, center and north, respectively. One year after establishment of the treatments, we sampled 10,777 individuals and 104 species of oribatid mites. Deadwood addition significantly increased the density of oribatid mites in the Hainich-Dün from 24,036 to 46,658 ind. m-². Specifically, species of Oppiidae with relatively short life cycles and high reproductive output benefited from the additional deadwood supply, resulting in shifts in community compositions between treatments with and without deadwood. By contrast, mean oribatid mite density decreased from an average of 64,083 in controls to 36,621 ind. m-² in forest gaps of the Schorfheide-Chorin and the Swabian Alb. Presumably, adverse abiotic conditions, mainly amplified drought, induced higher mortality rates in these regions. Overall, deadwood addition and forest gap formation had strong effects on oribatid mite communities, although the magnitude of each effect was similar between forest types and largely determined by regional context. This emphasizes that the effects of forest management practices on oribatid mite communities cannot be generalized across regional scales, suggesting that management plans should carefully consider regional differences.