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Stratiolaelaps

Harmfulness rating

HARMFUL | NOT HARMFUL | UNCERTAIN

neutral to beneficial; predators of small arthropods in bee nests

Name

Stratiolaelaps Berlese, 1916

Taxonomy

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

Type species

Laelaps (Iphis) miles Berlese, 1892

Common synonyms

treated as part of Hypoaspis or Cosmolaelaps in older literature

Diagnosis

Female: Cheliceraechelicera:
Anterior, paired appendage of the body. Primary organ for food acquisition, adapted for chewing, piercing, tearing, sucking, or filtering.
enlarged (Figs, 1, 2, 9). Corniculicorniculus:
Paired, horn-like process (sometimes toothed, bifurcate, trifurcate, spine-like, spatulate, or membranous) on the subcapitulum of parasitiform mites. These processes usually support the salivary styli. If toothed could be confused with a rutellum, a possibly homologous structure in Acariformes and Opilioacarida.
extending to level of anterior edge of palpfemur (Figs. 2, 9).

Species identification

A dichotomous key is available in Walter and Campbell, 2003Walter and Campbell, 2003:
Walter, D. E. amp; N. J. H. Campbell. 2003. Exotic vs endemic biocontrol agents: Would the real Stratiolaelaps miles (Berlese) (Acari: Mesostigmata: Laelapidae), please stand up? Biological Control. 26: 253-269.

Similar genera

With the presence of widened dorsal setae, this genus is similar to Cosmolaelaps. It can be distinguished from this genus and all other genera of Laelapidae by its enlarged cheliceraechelicera:
Anterior, paired appendage of the body. Primary organ for food acquisition, adapted for chewing, piercing, tearing, sucking, or filtering.
(Figs. 1, 2, 9) and corniculicorniculus:
Paired, horn-like process (sometimes toothed, bifurcate, trifurcate, spine-like, spatulate, or membranous) on the subcapitulum of parasitiform mites. These processes usually support the salivary styli. If toothed could be confused with a rutellum, a possibly homologous structure in Acariformes and Opilioacarida.
extending to the level of the anterior edge of palpfemur (Figs. 2, 9).

Distribution

The genus is cosmopolitan. Stratiolaelaps miles (Berlese, 1892), found in beehives, is Holarctic.

Bee hosts

may be found in nests of honey bees (Apis)

Host association level

facultativefacultative:
can complete entire life cycle without bees or their close relative, wasps

Host associations, feeding, and dispersal

  • All stages are predatory on microarthropods in a variety of habitats, including nests of honey bees.
  • Mites can enter bee nests by walking if a nest is nearby.

Biology

Stratiolaelaps mites are aggressive predators of small invertebrates. They live in soil, stored products, rodent nests, and burrows. One record is from beehives. Prey includes larvae and eggs of springtails, nematodes, mites, and small insects. Several species of Stratiolaelaps are used for biological control of fungus gnats and thrips.

Fig. 1. Stratiolaelaps sp. female, dorsal view.

Fig. 1. Stratiolaelaps sp. female, dorsal view.
Fig. 2. Stratiolaelaps sp. female, ventral view.

Fig. 2. Stratiolaelaps sp. female, ventral view.
Fig. 3. Stratiolaelaps sp. female sternal shield.

Fig. 3. Stratiolaelaps sp. female sternal shield.
Fig. 4. Stratiolaelaps sp. female hysterosoma, ventral view.

Fig. 4. Stratiolaelaps sp. female hysterosoma, ventral view.
Fig. 5. Stratiolaelaps sp. female posterodorsal hysterosoma showing dorsal setae.

Fig. 5. Stratiolaelaps sp. female posterodorsal hysterosoma showing dorsal setae.
Fig. 6. Stratiolaelaps sp. female peritreme.

Fig. 6. Stratiolaelaps sp. female peritreme.
Fig. 7. Stratiolaelaps sp. female peritreme.

Fig. 7. Stratiolaelaps sp. female peritreme.
Fig. 8. Stratiolaelaps sp. female genu IV.

Fig. 8. Stratiolaelaps sp. female genu IV.
Fig. 9. Stratiolaelaps sp. female gnathosoma, ventral view.

Fig. 9. Stratiolaelaps sp. female gnathosoma, ventral view.
Fig. 10. Stratiolaelaps sp. female gnathosoma, optical section (close to ventral side) showing corniculi and labrum.

Fig. 10. Stratiolaelaps sp. female gnathosoma, optical section (close to ventral side) showing corniculi and labrum.
Fig. 11. Stratiolaelaps sp. female chelicera, lateral view.

Fig. 11. Stratiolaelaps sp. female chelicera, lateral view.
Fig. 12. Stratiolaelaps sp. male chelicera, lateral view.

Fig. 12. Stratiolaelaps sp. male chelicera, lateral view.