Oodinychus Ovalis Research Articles

Mites inhabiting nests of wood warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix (Aves: Passeriformes), in the Wielkopolska National Park in western Poland

The wood warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix (Aves: Passeriformes), is a well-known model organism for studying bird migration, breeding habitat selection and nest predation. The nest acarofauna of this bird species has not been extensively studied so far. To provide a comprehensive report on mite species inhabiting wood warbler nests and to assess infestation parameters (prevalence, intensity, and abundance) for mite species and orders, we collected 45 nests of this bird species in the Wielkopolska National Park in western Poland. Analyses revealed a huge diversity (198 species) of mites inhabiting wood warbler nests. We found individuals belonging to the Mesostigmata, Trombidiformes and Sarcoptiformes. The Trombidiformes, represented in our study only by the Prostigmata, achieved statistically significantly lower intensity and abundance, compared to representatives of other orders. However, the number of recorded prostigmatid species was high (65). The most common were: Stigmaeus sphagneti (22 nests), Stigmaeus longipilis (16), Eupodes voxencollinus (15), Cunaxa setirostris (14), Stigmaeus pilatus (11), and Linopodes sp. 2 (10). The prevalence of Mesostigmata and Sarcoptiformes was equal, reaching 91.1%. Most of Gamasina (Mesostigmata) species found in this study were more characteristic of the soil environment and forest litter than bird nests, but there was also a typical bird parasite, viz. Ornithonyssus sylviarum. None of the observed species of Uropodina (Mesostigmata) or Oribatida (Sarcoptiformes) was typical for bird nests. Among the Uropodina, the highest parameters of nest infestation were achieved by Oodinychus ovalis, whereas among the Oribatida, they were achieved by Metabelba pulverosa. We discuss the importance of wood warbler nests for mite dispersal, survival and reproduction.

Which soil properties affect soil mite (Acari, Mesostigmata) communities in stands with various shares of European ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.)?

European ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) is an important tree species and a critical component of European forests. Its share has gradually decreased due to the global climate crisis or fungal diseases. Therefore, it may influence dependent plant communities and soil organisms. Hence, we aimed to describe soil properties among different habitats where ash may grow and assess how these habitats affect abundance, species richness, and diversity of soil mite (Mesostigmata) communities. The study was conducted in eight stands (western Poland) grouped in four habitats differing in terms of soil conditions and stand species composition. Stands represented: (1) optimal habitats for ash growth with >90 % ash in the tree layer, (2) optimal habitats without ash in the tree layer, (3) suboptimal habitats with >60 % ash and co-dominance of Quercus robur L., and (4) transformed habitats with >60 % ash and co-dominance of Pinus sylvestris L. Soil environments within the research plots (circular plot area in each stand = 400 m2) were characterized by the description of the soil profile and 17 soil parameters provided for each of 72 soil samples. Mesostigmatid mites were extracted from 72 additionally collected samples into Berlese-Tullgren funnels, then mounted on slides and classified to species or genus levels.In total, 362 mites were classified into 39 taxa. The most numerous taxa were Paragamasus sp. (13.0 % of all mites), Oodinychus ovalis (C. L. Koch) (11.3 %), and Paragamasus runcatellus (Berlese) (8.6 %). We found that decreasing nitrate‑nitrogen was accompanied by increasing mite abundance, species richness, and diversity. Furthermore, mesostigmatid mite abundance and species richness increased with increasing soil pH. Although soil moisture, pH of forest litter, magnesium, calcium, potassium, total nitrogen, and C/N mass ratio differed between all habitats, they did not affect Mesostigmatid abundance, species richness, and diversity. Nevertheless, analysis of variance conducted for the Canonical Correspondence Analysis model showed that habitat and pH of forest litter significantly impacted the community species composition of mesostigmatid mites. Our study provides a better understanding of the habitat requirements of soil mesostigmatid mites and, therefore, leads to improving the use of mesostigmatid mite taxa as effective bioindicators of soil and environmental quality.

Underground diversity: Uropodina mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) from European badger (Meles meles) nests

Badgers can gather huge quantities of organic material to build their nests for winter time and to rear their cubs. Moreover, badger burrows (setts) are characterized by specific microclimate with quite stable temperature and humidity. Their fauna is poorly studied, especially in respect of saprobiontic Uropodina mites. In 2018–2019, we monitored 94 badger setts to search for nest material that had been thrown away during cleaning of the chambers after mating and winter sleep. In the collected material from 32 badger nests, we found 413 Uropodina mites of 16 species, in various stages of development (adults, protonymphs, and deutonymphs). The community was dominated by three mite species: Trematura patavina (22.5%, n = 93), Oodinychus ovalis (17.2%, n = 71), and Olodiscus minima (15.5%, n = 64). Other nidicolous—i.e., nest-dwelling—species included: Nenteria oudemansi (14.8%, n = 61), Phaulodiaspis borealis (7.0%, n = 29), Phaulodiaspis rackei (4.6%, n = 19), Uroseius hunzikeri (1.7%, n = 7), Uropoda orbicularis (1.5%, n = 6), and Apionoseius infirmus (1.0%, n = 4). The most frequent species were: Oodinychus ovalis (62.5%, 20 nests), N. oudemansi (46.9%, 15 nests), and Olodiscus minima (40.6%, 13 nests). Detrended correspondence analysis indicated that the Uropodina community from badger nests differed from that of mole nests, studied earlier. In setts, the Uropodina community included T. patavina and N. oudemansi, which were for the first time recorded from underground badger nests. This is the first record of N. oudemansi from Poland.

Pre-ovipositional and ovipositional behaviour of Trichouropoda ovalis (C.L. Koch) and Uroobovella marginata (C.L. Koch) (Parasitiformes: Uropodina: Trematuridae, Urodinychidae) with notes on egg incubation and hatching behaviour

ABSTRACTEgg deposition by the soil mites Trichouropoda (= Oodinychus) ovalis (C.L. Koch and Uroobovella (= Fuscuropoda) marginata (C.L. Koch), egg incubation and hatching behaviour were observed using continuous video-monitoring. The oviposition in both species was found to consist of three distinct phases. In Phase 1, both species engage in pre-ovipositional activity prior to the egg being extruded from the genital opening. Phase 1 lasted approximately 7.5 minutes in T. ovalis and about 6 minutes in U. marginata. Phase 2 involved egg deposition and lasted approximately 2.5 times longer in T. ovalis (88 seconds) than in U. marginata. Egg covering occurs in Phase 3, and in both species lasts about 25 minutes. Incubation time in U. marginata (137 hours) was approximately 30% shorter compared to that of T. ovalis, while the hatching time was 2 times longer (150 min) in the latter species.

Postembryonic development of Trichouropoda ovalis (C. L. Koch, 1839) (Parasitiformes: Mesostigmata: Trematuridae) with notes on factors influencing the ontogeny in Uropodina

ABSTRACTTrichouropoda (= Oodinychus) ovalis (C. L. Koch, 1839) was studied using video recording of living individuals reared on yeast in the laboratory at 20–21°C. We report the duration of juvenile stages and intra-stage changes in body length and width in juveniles and male and female adults. The duration of larva was the shortest and duration of the deutonymph was the longest. Duration of female deutonymphs was significantly longer than in males. All juveniles increased their size significantly. The change from the final size of earlier instar to the initial size of the next instar was in most cases statistically significant. During the first 10 days of life, only females decreased significantly on average in width while decrease in width in males and length in both sexes was insignificant. The equally aged larvae of both ontogenies were not significantly different in size. Female protonymphs were significantly longer just prior to moult when compared with equally aged protonymphs of male ontogeny. Female deutonymphs were significantly longer and wider when compared with equally aged deutonymphs of male ontogeny. Newly emerged females were significantly longer and wider than males, while after 10 days of life, their body size was not significantly different.

Phoretic relationships between uropodid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) and centipedes (Chilopoda) in urban agglomeration areas

The current study concerns phoresy in uropodid mites on centipedes. Research was conducted for eight months (April–November 2006) in three habitat types, each exposed to different degrees of anthropogenic impact. The centipedes were collected monthly from all accessible microhabitats across the areas studied. We collected a total of 733 lithobiomorph centipedes representing three species. We found 43.8% of these individuals transported a total of 3376 specimens representing one Uropodina superfamily, i.e. phoretic deutonymphs of Oodinychus ovalis (CL Koch, 1839) (18%) and Uroobovella pulchella (Berlese, 1904) (82%). Mites were found on nearly all (99%) studied individuals of Lithobius forficatus (Linnaeus, 1758). The number of deutonymphs on one centipede varied from 1 to 273 specimens. The dynamics of phoresy was different for both uropodid species and each of the studied areas. The two most important factors affecting phoresy of mites on centipedes were the type of a tree stand (presence of particular tree species and probably also afforestation density), and deadwood availability. The degree of anthropogenic impact seems to influence the intensity of carrier infestation. We observed that most of the phoretic deutonymphs were attached to the anterior and middle segments of the carrier’s body.

Communities of uropodine mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) in selected oak-hornbeam forests of the Wielkopolska region (Poland)

Pristine oak-hornbeam forests are among the richest flora and fauna environments in Poland. The agricultural development of the Wielkopolska region has led to the replacement of forest area with farmland. Consequently, the oak-hornbeam forests became fragmented, resulting in the isolation of local arthropod populations. The aim of this study was to compare the communities of uropodine mites in selected parts of a forest, differing in stand age and composition, physical soil condition and degree of anthropogenic pressure. Species composition of mite communities in a forest near Duszniki (West Poland), transformed by humans, was compared with the mite species composition observed in three nature reserves in its close vicinity. The analyses showed that Trachytes aegrota and Olodiscus minima constitute more than 50% of all communities in each type of tree stand. Diversity in Uropodina communities was higher in older tree stands, as well as in protected areas. Some species, such as Uroobovella pulchella, Uroobovella pyriformis and Dinychus woelkei, are related to specific microhabitats (e.g., they inhabit only dead wood) but there are also ubiquitous species, occurring in all types of environment, e.g., Oodinychus ovalis. Species like Oodinychus karawaiewi and Dinychura cordieri indicate a high degree of forest disturbance. Presence of such species as Trachytes lamda, Cilliba rafalskii, Cilliba cassideasimilis and Trematurella elegans points at high naturalness of soil in oak-hornbeam forests. These species have been found in old (>100 years old) tree stands, where Uropodina communities were also the richest.

Phoretic relationships between Uropodina (Acari: Mesostigmata) and centipedes (Chilopoda) as an example of evolutionary adaptation of mites to temporary microhabitats

A survey of soil fauna in Poland revealed 30 cases of centipedes carrying mites of the sub-order Uropodina. The 155 phoretic deutonymphs collected belonged to two species of Uropodina - Oodinychus ovalis (C.L. Koch, 1839) and Uroobovella pulchella (Berlese, 1904). These mites displayed a high degree of selectivity in their choice of carrier. The only species of centipede transporting mites was Lithobius forficatus (Linnaeus, 1758), despite the presence of 30 other species in the same habitats. It is possible that the large size and relatively fast speed of movement of this centipede make it a very good mite carrier. The majority of the mites were located on the sides of the centipedes, on segments near the anterior end. The high selectivity in the choice of carrier as well as the point of attachment suggests adaptation by the mites for phoresy by L. forficatus.