Cerophagopsis | Bee Mite ID

Harmfulness rating

HARMFUL | NOT HARMFUL | UNCERTAIN

lives in bee nests and disperses on bees, but feeding behavior is uknown

Name

Cerophagopsis Zachvatkin, 1941Zachvatkin, 1941:
Zachvatkin, A. A. 1941. Tiroglifoidnue kleshchi Tyroglyphoidea [=Tyroglyphoid mites Tyroglyphoidea]. In Fauna SSSR: Paukoobraznuye, ed. S. A. Zernov, 475. Moscow-Leningrad: Akademiya Nauk SSSR (translated to English in a separate publication).

Taxonomy

Superorder Acariformes » Order Sarcoptiformes » Suborder Oribatida » Infraorder Desmonomata » Hyporder Astigmata » Family Acaridae » Genus Cerophagopsis

Type species

Cerophagopsis skorikovi Zachvatkin, 1941Zachvatkin, 1941:
Zachvatkin, A. A. 1941. Tiroglifoidnue kleshchi Tyroglyphoidea [=Tyroglyphoid mites Tyroglyphoidea]. In Fauna SSSR: Paukoobraznuye, ed. S. A. Zernov, 475. Moscow-Leningrad: Akademiya Nauk SSSR (translated to English in a separate publication).

Common synonyms

Rhypoglyphus. One historical paper considers Cerophagopsis as part of Cerophagus (not accepted here).

Diagnosis

Phoretic deutonymphphoretic deutonymph:
An active nymphal stage in Astigmata that serves for dispersal on arthropod or vertebrate hosts. A subtype of heteromorphic deutonymph. See Life stages page for more details.
: Anterior extension of coxal apodemeapodeme:
Internal sclerite that serves as an attachment site for muscles. Most commonly used (as "coxal apodeme") to describe elements of coxae fused to the ventral body in Acariformes (coxae are free and not fused to the body in Parasitiformes), and may be variously referred to as ventral, sternal, anterior, or posterior.
III long, almost reaching lateral sides of body in the type species (C. skorikovi) (Fig. 4) but not in other described species. Coxal setae 1a filiform, not conoidal (Fig. 4). Coxal setae 3a, 4a alveolar (not conoidal) (Fig. 4). Empodial clawsempodial claw:
Claw-like, membranous, or pad-like structure of setal origin. Present only on the pretarsus in Acariformes. In Astigmata, it is the only claw on the pretarsus and often referred to simply as the claw. In the remaining Acariformes, may be accomanied by two lateral claws. Also known as empodium, pretarsal empodium, or central claw.
I-IV somewhat large, subequal, not twisted, each with a basal flange (Figs. 4, 7; in images empodial clawsempodial claw:
Claw-like, membranous, or pad-like structure of setal origin. Present only on the pretarsus in Acariformes. In Astigmata, it is the only claw on the pretarsus and often referred to simply as the claw. In the remaining Acariformes, may be accomanied by two lateral claws. Also known as empodium, pretarsal empodium, or central claw.
referred to as claws for simplicity). One long seta on tarsustarsus:
Terminal segment (also known as podomere or palpomere) of legs or palps. In Parasitoformes it can be subdivided into telotarsus and basitarsus.
IV (Fig. 9). Tarsal setae aa I (Figs. 5, 6) and ba I-II present (Fig. 5).

Adult: Setae ve short, not barbed, situated on the same transverse line as vi on prodorsalprodorsal:
Pertaining to the prodorsum.
scleritesclerite:
A component section of an exoskeleton; a plate forming the skeleton of an arthropod.
(Fig. 15). Supracoxal seta scx I thin, smooth, bent in basal portion (Fig. 15). Grandjean's organGrandjean's organ:
Paired, finger-shaped, lobe-shaped, or otherwise elaborated structure situated on the lateral sides of the propodosoma, typically in association with the podocephalic canal. Its free edges may be strongly fimbriate.
rounded and fimbriate. Solenidiasolenidion:
Thin-walled, terminally rounded or pointed filiform or peglike structure that is not birefringent in polarized light (unlike common setae in Acariformes). Often appears striated because of its internal structure. Found on the palpal tarsus on the gnathosoma and may also occur on the tarsus and tibia, less frequently on the genu, and occasionally on the femur of legs I-IV. In Acariformes, leg solenidia often arise from unsclerotized areas.
σ" and σ' on genugenu:
Leg or palp segment (also known as podomere or palpomere) between tibia and femur.
I subequal (Fig. 15). External scapular setae se positioned distinctly anterior to level of internal scapular setae (si) (Fig. 15).

Species identification

A dichotomous key to phoretic deutonymphsphoretic deutonymph:
An active nymphal stage in Astigmata that serves for dispersal on arthropod or vertebrate hosts. A subtype of heteromorphic deutonymph. See Life stages page for more details.
is available in Fain and Heard, 1987Fain and Heard, 1987:
Fain, A. amp; T. A. Heard. 1987. Description and life cycle of Cerophagus trigona spec. nov. (Acari, Acaridae), associated with the stingless bee Trigona carbonaria Smith in Australia. Bulletin de l'Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique Entomologie.57: 197-202.. Note: (i) Cerophagopsis is treated as part of Cerophagus in this key; (ii) C. indicus, known from adults only, was not included in this key.

Similar genera

Similar to Megachilopus but differs in having claws with basal flanges (Fig. 7) (no flanges in Megachilopus, Fig. 8) and in the absence of ventral ambulacral extension on tarsustarsus:
Terminal segment (also known as podomere or palpomere) of legs or palps. In Parasitoformes it can be subdivided into telotarsus and basitarsus.
I (Fig. 7) (with extension in Megachilopus, Fig. 8). Similar to Cerophagus but differs by the presence of tarsal setae aa I (Figs. 5, 6) in all stages (absent in Cerophagus). See also Sennertionyx.

Distribution

Known from Eastern Palaearctic, Oriental, Afrotropical, and Australian region. Undescribed species have been found in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions (our data).

Bee hosts

Most species occur on leafcutting and resin bees (Megachile), especially subgenus Callomegachile and relatives that line cells of their nests with plant resin. One species has been described from the megachilid Heriades erythrosoma endemic to Madagascar, and another from Tetragonula carbonaria (Australia). Occasional records include the sand wasp Bembix borrei (family Sphecidae) and sugary stored products.

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 mostly megachilid and stingless bees. Food preferences and biology in nest are unknown.
Phoretic deutonymphsphoretic deutonymph:
An active nymphal stage in Astigmata that serves for dispersal on arthropod or vertebrate hosts. A subtype of heteromorphic deutonymph. See Life stages page for more details.
disperse on bee hosts (Fig. 16).

Fig. 1. Cerophagopsis skorikovi phoretic deutonymph, dorsal view; bright field.	Fig. 2. Cerophagopsis skorikovi phoretic deutonymph, dorsal view; phase contrast.
Fig. 3. Cerophagopsis skorikovi phoretic deutonymph, ventral view; bright field.	Fig. 4. Cerophagopsis skorikovi phoretic deutonymph, ventral view; empodial claws referred to as claws for simplicity; phase contrast.
Fig. 5. Cerophagopsis skorikovi phoretic deutonymph legs I-II, dorsal view.	Fig. 6. Cerophagopsis skorikovi phoretic deutonymph legs I-II, ventral view.
Fig. 7. Cerophagopsis skorikovi phoretic deutonymph empodial claw on tarsus I, lateral view; empodial claw referred to as claw for simplicity; phase contrast.	Fig. 8. Megachilopus uellensis phoretic deutonymph empodial claw on tarsus I, lateral view; empodial claw referred to as claw for simplicity; phase contrast.
Fig. 9. Cerophagopsis skorikovi phoretic deutonymph legs III-IV, dorsal view.	Fig. 10. Cerophagopsis skorikovi phoretic deutonymph legs III-IV, ventral view.
Fig. 11. Cerophagopsis trigona paratype female, dorsal view.	Fig. 12. Cerophagopsis trigona paratype female, ventral view.
Fig. 13. Cerophagopsis trigona paratype male, dorsal view.	Fig. 14. Cerophagopsis trigona paratype male, ventral view.
Fig. 15. Cerophagopsis trigona paratype female prodorsum.	Fig. 16. Phoretic deutonymphs of Cerophagopsis skorikovi on bee Megachile sculpturalis; photo by Lindsey Seastone & Laura Hartmann, ITP.