Acarophenacidae
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| Family: | Acarophenacidae Cross, 1965
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Acarophenacidae is a family of mites in the order Trombidiformes that are egg parasitoids and ectoparasites of beetles or thrips.[1] It contains eight genera and around 40 species.[2]
Morphology[edit]
Acarophenacidae are <200 μm in length and elongate to oval in shape. Distinguishing features are the gnathosoma (mouthparts) partially/completely fused into the propodosoma, indistinct palps and the first leg pair being thickest.[1]
Life cycle[edit]
Acarophenacidae have a reduced life cycle, in which the larvae complete their development within their mother; the entire life cycle can take only 4–5 days.[1]
- A mated female rides on an adult insect to disperse to new areas. In genus Adactylidium, she also feeds on the insect's body fluids.
- When the insect begins laying eggs, the female drops off to feed on the eggs. Her abdomen swells up greatly (physogastrism).
- Offspring develop within the mother.
- Normally one male develops per mother. He develops slightly more quickly than his sisters and inseminates them while still inside the mother's body.
- Females leave the mother's body and seek hosts, beginning the cycle again.
Biological control[edit]
Some Acarophenacidae have been suggested as biological control agents as they reduce populations of their hosts. These include Acarophenax mahunkai for the lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus),[3] and Acarophenax lacunatus for red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) and lined flat bark beetle (Cryptolestes ferrugineus).[4]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Uri Gerson, Robert L. Smiley & Ronald Ochoa (2008). "Acarophenacidae". Mites (Acari) for Pest Control. John Wiley and Sons. pp. 74–77. doi:10.1002/9780470750995.ch5. ISBN 9781405150972.
- ^ Khaustov, Alexander A.; Vorontsov, Dmitry D.; Perkovsky, Evgeny E.; Lindquist, Evert E. (2021-01-06). "Review of fossil heterostigmatic mites (Acari: Heterostigmata) from late Eocene Rovno Amber. I. Families Tarsocheylidae, Dolichocybidae and Acarophenacidae". Systematic and Applied Acarology. 26 (1): 33–61. doi:10.11158/saa.26.1.3. ISSN 1362-1971.
- ^ Steinkraus, Donald C.; Cross, Earle A. (1993-05-01). "Description and Life History of Acarophenax mahunkai, n. sp. (Acari, Tarsonemina: Acarophenacidae), an Egg Parasite of the Lesser Mealworm (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)". Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 86 (3): 239–249. doi:10.1093/aesa/86.3.239. ISSN 0013-8746.
- ^ De Oliveira, Carlos R. F.; Faroni, Lêda R. A.; Guedes, Raul N. C.; Gonçalves, José R.; Garcia, Flávia M. (2007). "[Biology of Acarophenax lacunatus (Cross & Krantz) (Prostigmata: Acarophenacidae) on Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens) (Coleoptera: Cucujidae)]". Neotropical Entomology. 36 (3): 459–464. doi:10.1590/s1519-566x2007000300015. ISSN 1519-566X. PMID 17710330.
External links[edit]
Data related to Acarophenacidae at Wikispecies
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