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Stigmatolaelaps

Harmfulness rating

HARMFUL | NOT HARMFUL | UNCERTAIN

possibly kleptoparasitic; suspected to feed on pollen and nectar in bee nests

Name

Stigmatolaelaps Krantz, 1998

Taxonomy

Superorder Parasitiformes » Order Mesostigmata » Suborder Monogynaspida » Hyporder Dermanyssiae » Family Laelapidae » Genus Stigmatolaelaps

Type species

Hypoaspis greeni Oudemans, 1902, in part

Diagnosis

Female: Stigmatic fields enlarged: width of stigmatic field more than twice base of tritosternumtritosternum:
In Mesostigmata, a  biflagellate structure situated on the ventral side of the body, posterior to the gnathosoma and anterior to the sternal shield. Sometimes the flagellae (laciniae) are partially or completely fused. 
 (Figs. 2, 3, 6). Peritremesperitreme:
Paired, tubular, elaborated extensions of a tracheal system associated with stigmatic openings. Can be chambered, arch-like, and situated on the bases of chelicerae as in Cheyletidae (Prostigmata) or, in Mesostigmata, linear and situated on the lateral sides of the body.
typical, extending anteriorly beyond legs II (Figs. 1, 3). Sternal setae st3 situated on sternal shieldsternal shield:
A shield in the anterior intercoxal region of parasitiform mites that bears one or more pairs of sternal setae.
, not extending beyond bases of st4 (Figs. 4, 5). Unpaired setae on posterior opisthosomaopisthosoma:
Body division posterior to legs IV; usually there is no distinct boundary delimiting this part of idiosoma.
present.

Species identification

A dichotomous key is available in Krantz, 1998aKrantz, 1998a:
Krantz, G. W. 1998a. A new genus and two new species of hypoaspidine mites (Acari: Laelapidae) associated with old world carpenter bees of the tribe Xylocopini (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Xylocopa). International Journal of Acarology. 24:291-300..

Similar genera

Pneumolaelaps and Xylocolaelaps. Stigmatolaelaps differs from both these genera by its enlarged stigmatic fields that are more than twice the base of tritosternumtritosternum:
In Mesostigmata, a  biflagellate structure situated on the ventral side of the body, posterior to the gnathosoma and anterior to the sternal shield. Sometimes the flagellae (laciniae) are partially or completely fused. 
 (Figs. 2, 3, 6)

Distribution

tropical Asia

Bee hosts

Large carpenter bees of the genus Xylocopa, subgenus Mesotrichia

Host association level

permanentpermanent:
associated exclusively with bees or their close relative, wasps; cannot live without these hosts

Host associations, feeding, and dispersal

  • All stages live in nests of bees, where they probably feed on pollen as kleptoparasiteskleptoparasite:
    An animal that takes prey or other food from another animal that has caught, collected, or otherwise prepared the food, including stored food. Both kleptoparasitic bees and kleptoparasitic mites feed on food provisioned in the host bee nest. Kleptoparasitic bees do not make their own nests; they stealthily deposit eggs in the nest of a bee host and can act as phoretic hosts for mites only because they deliver them to nests of actual bee hosts. Variant spelling: cleptoparasite.
    .
  • Females disperse on adult bees.

Biology

Based on gnathosomal morphology, this genus probably feeds on pollen and adhering substances such as nectar in bee nests (Krantz, 1998aKrantz, 1998a:
Krantz, G. W. 1998a. A new genus and two new species of hypoaspidine mites (Acari: Laelapidae) associated with old world carpenter bees of the tribe Xylocopini (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Xylocopa). International Journal of Acarology. 24:291-300.).

Phoreticphoretic:
Pertaining to phoresy; using another organism (i.e., a host) for dispersal to new habitats. Phoresy can be distinguished from parasitism because feeding typically does not occur during phoresy.
female mites are usually located on the bee body. Occasionally they enter the metasomal acarinariumacarinarium:
A specialized morphological structure that facilitates retention of mites on the body of an organism, typically a bee or wasp.
if it is not fully occupied by larger mites of the genus Dinogamasus (Krantz, 1998aKrantz, 1998a:
Krantz, G. W. 1998a. A new genus and two new species of hypoaspidine mites (Acari: Laelapidae) associated with old world carpenter bees of the tribe Xylocopini (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Xylocopa). International Journal of Acarology. 24:291-300.).

Fig. 1. Stigmatolaelaps greeni female, dorsal view.

Fig. 1. Stigmatolaelaps greeni female, dorsal view.
Fig. 2. Stigmatolaelaps greeni female, ventral view.

Fig. 2. Stigmatolaelaps greeni female, ventral view.
Fig. 3. Stigmatolaelaps greeni p eritreme, ventral view.

Fig. 3. Stigmatolaelaps greeni peritreme, ventral view.
Fig. 4. Stigmatolaelaps greeni sternal shield.

Fig. 4. Stigmatolaelaps greeni sternal shield.
Fig. 5. Stigmatolaelaps greeni sternal region.

Fig. 5. Stigmatolaelaps greeni sternal region.
Fig. 6. Stigmatolaelaps greeni anteroventral region showing overlapping sternal and epigynal shields.

Fig. 6. Stigmatolaelaps greeni anteroventral region showing overlapping sternal and epigynal shields.
Fig. 7. Stigmatolaelaps greeni posteroventral region showing anal and epigynal shields.

Fig. 7. Stigmatolaelaps greeni posteroventral region showing anal and epigynal shields.