Mesostigmata

t

Taxonomy

updated 2025

Diagnostic characters

• Dorsaldorsal:
  relating to the upper or back side; opposed to ventral.
  shield divided
• Seta z5 simplesimple:
  unadorned; simple setae are needle-like and without hairs or pectins.
  or stout and distally pilosepilose:
  with a covering of hairs or hair-like processes.
  
• Spurs on leg II femurfemur:
  (pl. femora) major leg segment between trochanter and genu; often subdivided into a basifemur and a telofemur.
  (on tubercles), genugenu:
  (pl. genua) (= patella) the 4th leg segment, between the femur and tibia.
  , and usually tibiatibia:
  (pl. tibiae) the leg segment between the genu and the tarsus.
  and tarsustarsus:
  (pl. tarsi) the subdistal leg segment between the tibia and the pretarsus (apotele).
  

Key to some Gamasodes deutonymphs

1.Tibia II with 1 ventralventral:
relating to the lower or under side; opposed to dorsal.
spur; >2 pairs of dorsaldorsal:
relating to the upper or back side; opposed to ventral.
setae stout and distally pilosepilose:
with a covering of hairs or hair-like processes.
.............................. 2
- Tibiatibia:
(pl. tibiae) the leg segment between the genu and the tarsus.
II with 2 ventralventral:
relating to the lower or under side; opposed to dorsal.
spurs; only dorsaldorsal:
relating to the upper or back side; opposed to ventral.
setae j1 and r3 stout and distally pilosepilose:
with a covering of hairs or hair-like processes.
.............................. G. bispinosus (Halbert)

2. With more than one spurspur:
a projection, usually tooth- or spine-like, from the body or limbs.
on femurfemur:
(pl. femora) major leg segment between trochanter and genu; often subdivided into a basifemur and a telofemur.
II.............................. Gamasodes spp.
- With a spine spurspur:
a projection, usually tooth- or spine-like, from the body or limbs.
on the venterventer:
the lower or under side; opposed to dorsum.
of femurfemur:
(pl. femora) major leg segment between trochanter and genu; often subdivided into a basifemur and a telofemur.
II.............................. 3

3. Spurspur:
a projection, usually tooth- or spine-like, from the body or limbs.
on femurfemur:
(pl. femora) major leg segment between trochanter and genu; often subdivided into a basifemur and a telofemur.
II straight; tectumgnathotectum:
(= epistome, tectum) an often membranous dorsal projection of the anterior margin of the basis capitulum in Mesostigmata; often diagnostic at family-, genus- or species-levels; also often difficult to see without high magnification and good optics.
with median process and weakly lateral teeth.............................. G. fimbriatus Karg
- Spurspur:
a projection, usually tooth- or spine-like, from the body or limbs.
on femurfemur:
(pl. femora) major leg segment between trochanter and genu; often subdivided into a basifemur and a telofemur.
II curved; tectumgnathotectum:
(= epistome, tectum) an often membranous dorsal projection of the anterior margin of the basis capitulum in Mesostigmata; often diagnostic at family-, genus- or species-levels; also often difficult to see without high magnification and good optics.
clearly tripartite.............................. G. spiniger (Trägårdh)

Ecology and distribution

Soil-inhabiting predators of small arthropods and other invertebrates; several species have been found in the nests of birds and mammals and one species in rotting fungal sporocarps; phoretic on muscid and drosophilid flies (rarely on dung beetles).

Known species

a. 25 described species: Gamasodes aequipilis Athias-Henriot, 1980 (Iceland), Gamasodes assamensis Bhattacharyya, 1971Bhattacharyya, 1971:
Bhattacharyya SK. 1971. Studies on Indian mites (Acarina: Mesostigmata): 10. One new species and five records from Assam. Oriental Insects 5: 495-500. (India), Gamasodes bispinosus (Halbert, 1915Halbert, 1915:
Halbert JN. 1915. Claire Island Survey. Acarinida Section II - Terrestrial and marine Acarina. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 31 (39): 45-136.) (Europe, USSR), Gamasodes buettikeri Samšiňák, 1979Samšiňák, 1979:
Samšiňák K. 1979. Mites of Saudi Arabia Acari from Musca domestica. Fauna Saudi Arabia 1: 69-74. (Saudi Arabia), Gamasodes bulgatus Athias-Henriot, 1979Athias-Henriot, 1979:
Athias-Henriot C. 1979. Sur le groupe d’espèces “bispinosus” du genre Gamasodes Oudemans, 1939 (Parasitiformes, Parasitidae). Bulletin Société Zoologique du France 104: 209-220. (Canary Islands), Gamasodes coprophilus Chelebiev, 1980Chelebiev, 1980:
Chelebiev KA. 1980. On mites of the genus Gamasodes (Parasitiformes, Parasitidae) from central Kazakhstan. Zoologicheskii Zhurnal 59: 1098-1100. (USSR), Gamasodes corniculans Athias-Henriot, 1978Athias-Henriot, 1978:
Athias-Henriot C. 1978. Deutonymphen der Gattung Gamasodes Oudms (Parasitiformes, Parasitidae) aus der Mongolei. Annales Historico-Naturales Musei Nationalis Hungarici 70: 345-348. (Mongolia), Gamasodes diceras Athias-Henriot, 1980 (Europe), Gamasodes fimbriatus Karg, 1971Karg, 1971:
Karg W. 1971. Acari (Acarina), Milben Unterordnung Anactinochaeta (Parasitiformes) Die freilebenden Gamasina (Gamasides), Raubmilben. Die Tierwelt Deutschlands 59: 1-475. (Europe), Gamasodes guoluoensis Gu and Liu, 1995Gu and Liu, 1995:
Gu Y-M and Liu J-O. 1995. A new species of the genus Gamasodes from China (Acari: Parasitidae). Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica 20: 65-67. (China), Gamasodes hortivagus (Berlese, 1903Berlese, 1903:
Berlese A. 1903. Acari nuovi Manipulus I us. Redia 1: 235-252.) (Europe, Algeria, Canary Islands [= Gamasodes cabylus Athias-Henriot 1961], Gamasodes ignoratus Oudemans, 1939bOudemans, 1939b:
Oudemans AC. 1939b. Neue funde auf dem gebiete der systematik und der nomenklatur der Acari IV. Zoologischer Anzeiger 126: 195-201. (Europe), Gamasodes inermis Athias-Henriot, 1978Athias-Henriot, 1978:
Athias-Henriot C. 1978. Deutonymphen der Gattung Gamasodes Oudms (Parasitiformes, Parasitidae) aus der Mongolei. Annales Historico-Naturales Musei Nationalis Hungarici 70: 345-348. (Mongolia), Gamasodes marmotae Ma, 1992Ma, 1992:
Ma LM. 1992. Descriptions of a new species and an unknown male of Gamasodes from north Qing-Zang Plateau (Acari: Mesostigmata, Parasitidae). Acta Entomologica Sinica 35: 113-116. (China), Gamasodes micherdzinskii Davydova, 1973Davydova, 1973:
Davydova MS. 1973. Description of new species from the genus Gamasodes and the male of Veigaia beklemischevi (Parasitiformes, Gamasoidea). pp. 103-112. In: Cherepanov AI, ed. New and little-known species of siberian fauna, Vol. 6. Nauka, Novosibirsk. (USSR, China), Gamasodes miliaris Athias-Henriot, 1980 (Morocco), Gamasodes nudus Tseng, 1995Tseng, 1995:
Tseng YH. 1995. A taxonomical study of free-living gamasine mite family Parasitidae Oudemans (Acari, Mesostigmata) from Taiwan. Journal of the Taiwan Museum 48: 11-81. (Taiwan), Gamasodes plenigranosus Athias-Henriot, 1979Athias-Henriot, 1979:
Athias-Henriot C. 1979. Sur le groupe d’espèces “bispinosus” du genre Gamasodes Oudemans, 1939 (Parasitiformes, Parasitidae). Bulletin Société Zoologique du France 104: 209-220. (Madagascar), Gamasodes poppei (Oudemans, 1903Oudemans, 1903:
Oudemans AC. 1903. Acarologische Aanteekeningen. VI. Entomologische Berichten 1 (12): 83-88.) (Europe), Gamasodes queenslandicus Halliday and Walter, sp. nov., Gamasodes simplex Athias-Henriot, 1978Athias-Henriot, 1978:
Athias-Henriot C. 1978. Deutonymphen der Gattung Gamasodes Oudms (Parasitiformes, Parasitidae) aus der Mongolei. Annales Historico-Naturales Musei Nationalis Hungarici 70: 345-348. (Mongolia), Gamasodes sinicus Tian and Gu, 1991Tian and Gu, 1991:
Tian QY and Gu YM. 1991. The first record of Gamasodes in China with description of a new species (Acari: Parasitidae). Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica 16: 432-435. (China), Gamasodes spiniger (Trägårdh 1910Trägårdh 1910:
Trägårdh I. 1910. Acariden aus dem Sarekgebirge. Naturwissenschaftlichen Naturwissenschaftliche Untersuchungen des Sarakgebirges in Schwedisch-Lappland geleitet von Dr Axel Hamberg. Zoology, Stockholm 4 (Lief 4): 375-586.) (Europe) type species [ = Gamasoides spiniger Oudemans 1936Oudemans 1936:
Oudemans AC. 1936. Kritisch historisch overzicht der acarologie, Deerde Gedeelte, 1805-1850. Band A (E J Brill, Leiden): 1-430. (nom nov pro Gamasus spinipes (Koch 1844), Gamasodes berlesei Oudemans 1939bOudemans 1939b:
Oudemans AC. 1939b. Neue funde auf dem gebiete der systematik und der nomenklatur der Acari IV. Zoologischer Anzeiger 126: 195-201.. nom nov pro Gamasus spinipes (Koch 1844), Parasitus lunarisimilis Schweizer, 1961], Gamasodes tongdensis Li et al., 1999 (China), Gamasodes viretianus Athias-Henriot, 1980 (Europe)

References

• Athias-Henriot 1961bAthias-Henriot 1961b:
  Athias-Henriot C. 1961b. Physallolaelaps ampulliger Berl et Gamasodes cabylus n. sp. (Parasitiformes: Laelaptidae, Parasitidae). Acarologia 3: 256–264.
• Athias-Henriot 1978Athias-Henriot 1978:
  Athias-Henriot C. 1978. Deutonymphen der Gattung Gamasodes Oudms (Parasitiformes, Parasitidae) aus der Mongolei. Annales Historico-Naturales Musei Nationalis Hungarici 70: 345–348.
• Athias-Henriot 1979Athias-Henriot 1979:
  Athias-Henriot C. 1979. Sur le groupe d’espèces “bispinosus” du genre Gamasodes Oudemans, 1939 (Parasitiformes, Parasitidae). Bulletin Société Zoologique du France 104: 209–220.
• Athias-Henriot 1980bAthias-Henriot 1980b:
  Athias-Henriot C. 1980b. Recapitulatory note on composition and geography of the genus Gamasodes Ouds (Parasitiformes, Parasitidae), with a description of four new species. Biologisch Jaarboek 48: 50–62.
• Berlese 1903Berlese 1903:
  Berlese A. 1903. Acari nuovi Manipulus I us. Redia 1: 235–252.
• Bhattacharyya 1971Bhattacharyya 1971:
  Bhattacharyya SK. 1971. Studies on Indian mites (Acarina: Mesostigmata): 10. One new species and five records from Assam. Oriental Insects 5: 495–500.
• Chelebiev 1980Chelebiev 1980:
  Chelebiev KA. 1980. On mites of the genus Gamasodes (Parasitiformes, Parasitidae) from central Kazakhstan. Zoologicheskii Zhurnal 59: 1098–1100.
• Davydova 1973Davydova 1973:
  Davydova MS. 1973. Description of new species from the genus Gamasodes and the male of Veigaia beklemischevi (Parasitiformes, Gamasoidea). pp. 103–112. In: Cherepanov AI, ed. New and little-known species of siberian fauna, Vol. 6. Nauka, Novosibirsk.
• Fenda 1999Fenda 1999:
  Fenda P. 1999. First records of mites (Acarina, Mesostigmata) from Slovakia. Biologia 54 (5): 528.
• Gu and Liu 1995Gu and Liu 1995:
  Gu Y-M, Liu J-O. 1995. A new species of the genus Gamasodes from China (Acari: Parasitidae). Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica 20: 65–67.
• Halbert 1915Halbert 1915:
  Halbert JN. 1915. Claire Island Survey. Acarinida Section II - Terrestrial and marine Acarina. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 31 (39): 45–136.
• Holzmann 1969Holzmann 1969:
  Holzmann C. 1969. Die Familie Parasitidae Oudemans 1901. Acarologie, Schriftenreihe für Vergleichende Milbenkunde 13: 2–55 + 23 plates.
• Hyatt 1980Hyatt 1980:
  Hyatt KH. 1980. Mites of the subfamily Parasitinae (Mesostigmata: Parasitidae) in the British Isles. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Zoology 38: 237–378.
• Karg 1971Karg 1971:
  Karg W. 1971. Acari (Acarina), Milben Unterordnung Anactinochaeta (Parasitiformes) Die freilebenden Gamasina (Gamasides), Raubmilben. Die Tierwelt Deutschlands 59: 1–475.
• Koch 1835–1844Koch 1835–1844:
  Koch CL. 1835–1844. Deutschlands Crustaceen, Myriapoden und Arachniden: Ein beitrag zur Deutschen fauna. Pustet, Regensburg.
• Li et al. 1999Li et al. 1999:
  Li C, Yang XZ, Chen HJ. 1999. A new species of the genus Gamasodes from China (Acari: Parasitidae). Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica 24: 156–158.
• Ma 1992Ma 1992:
  Ma LM. 1992. Descriptions of a new species and an unknown male of Gamasodes from north Qing-Zang Plateau (Acari: Mesostigmata, Parasitidae). Acta Entomologica Sinica 35: 113–116.
• Micherdzinski 1969Micherdzinski 1969:
  Micherdzinski W. 1969. Die Familie Parasitidae Oudemans 1901 (Acarina, Mesostigmata). Zakład Zoologii Systematycznej Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Krakow. 690 pp.
• Oudemans 1903Oudemans 1903:
  Oudemans AC. 1903. Acarologische Aanteekeningen. VI. Entomologische Berichten 1 (12): 83–88.
• Oudemans 1936Oudemans 1936:
  Oudemans AC. 1936. Kritisch historisch overzicht der acarologie, Deerde Gedeelte, 1805-1850. Band A (E J Brill, Leiden): 1–430.
• Oudemans 1939aOudemans 1939a:
  Oudemans AC. 1939a. Neue funde auf dem gebiete der systematik und der nomenclatur der Acari III. Zoologischer Anzeiger 126: 20–24.
• Oudemans 1939bOudemans 1939b:
  Oudemans AC. 1939b. Neue funde auf dem gebiete der systematik und der nomenklatur der Acari IV. Zoologischer Anzeiger 126: 195–201.
• Polak 1996Polak 1996:
  Polak M. 1996. Ectoparasitic effects on host survival and reproduction: The Drosophila-Macrocheles association. Ecology 77: 1379–1389.
• Polak et al. 2004Polak et al. 2004:
  Polak M, Starmer WT, Wolf LL. 2004. Sexual selection for size and symmetry in a diversifying secondary sexual character in Drosophila bipectinata Duda (Diptera: Drosophilidae). Evolution 58: 597–607.
• Samšiňák 1979Samšiňák 1979:
  Samšiňák K. 1979. Mites of Saudi Arabia Acari from Musca domestica. Fauna Saudi Arabia 1: 69–74.
• Schweizer 1961Schweizer 1961:
  Schweizer J. 1961. Die Landmilben der Schweiz (Mittelland, Jura und Alpen) Parasitiformes Reuter. Denkschriften der Schweizerischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft 84: 1–207.
• Strenzke 1951Strenzke 1951:
  Strenzke K. 1951. Die adulten stadien von Gamasodes bispinosus und die systematische stellung der gattung Gamasodes (Acarina: Parasitiformes). Zoologischer Anzeiger 147: 13–24.
• Tian and Gu 1991Tian and Gu 1991:
  Tian QY, Gu YM. 1991. The first record of Gamasodes in China with description of a new species (Acari: Parasitidae). Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica 16: 432–435.
• Trägårdh 1910Trägårdh 1910:
  Trägårdh I. 1910. Acariden aus dem Sarekgebirge. Naturwissenschaftlichen Naturwissenschaftliche Untersuchungen des Sarakgebirges in Schwedisch-Lappland geleitet von Dr Axel Hamberg. Zoology, Stockholm 4 (Lief 4): 375–586.
• Tseng 1995Tseng 1995:
  Tseng YH. 1995. A taxonomical study of free-living gamasine mite family Parasitidae Oudemans (Acari, Mesostigmata) from Taiwan. Journal of the Taiwan Museum 48: 11–81.