Hypoaspis

Harmfulness rating

HARMFUL | NOT HARMFUL | UNCERTAIN

species in honey and bumble bee nests probably neutral to beneficial; predatory on microarthropods in nest; species in stingless bee nests not well known

Name

Hypoaspis Canestrini, 1884

Taxonomy

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

Type species

Gamasus krameri G. & R. Canestrini, 1881

Diagnosis

Systematics of this genus is unsettled and in need of revision, using both morphology and molecular data.

Females of bee-associated species of Hypoaspis can be diagnosed based mostly on general (and probably plesiomorphic) traits as follows: Dorsal idiosomaidiosoma:
Body not including the gnathosoma.
and opisthosomal venter not hypertrichoushypertrichous:
With many irregularly arranged setae.
(Figs 1, 2). Marginal idiosomal setae with pointed ends (Figs 1, 2). Epigynal and anal shieldsanal shield:
In Mesostigmata, a ventral shield bearing the anal opening and circumanal setae (adanal or postanal setae), but without any ventral setae or pores (lyrifissures) on it. If ventral setae are present on shield than referred to as a ventrianal shield.
well separated (except for Hypoaspis favosa, where they are nearly touching each other) (Figs 2, 9). Sternal shieldsternal shield:
A shield in the anterior intercoxal region of parasitiform mites that bears one or more pairs of sternal setae.
not expanded anteriorly and does not form a tubercle (Figs 7, 8). Anterior edge of sternal shieldsternal shield:
A shield in the anterior intercoxal region of parasitiform mites that bears one or more pairs of sternal setae.
simplesimple:
Of claws or setae; not modified or not bi- or trifurcate at tip.
, not forming additional shield (Fig. 7). Posterior margin of sternal shieldsternal shield:
A shield in the anterior intercoxal region of parasitiform mites that bears one or more pairs of sternal setae.
not deeply concave (variable in non-bee-associated species) (Fig. 7). Presternal shieldsPresternal shield:
Small, paired sclerotized plates anterior to the sternal shield and laterad or posteriad the base of the tritosternum in some Mesostigmata. Also known as presternal platelets.
not fused with sternal shieldsternal shield:
A shield in the anterior intercoxal region of parasitiform mites that bears one or more pairs of sternal setae.
(Fig. 8). Epigynal shieldepigynal shield:
A shield protecting the female genital opening. Well-developed in Mesostigmata. Also known as epigynial shield.
not narrowing posteriorly and not pointed; anal shieldanal shield:
In Mesostigmata, a ventral shield bearing the anal opening and circumanal setae (adanal or postanal setae), but without any ventral setae or pores (lyrifissures) on it. If ventral setae are present on shield than referred to as a ventrianal shield.
not kidney-shaped (Fig. 9). Peritrematic shield extends beyond stigma (Fig. 12). Width of stigma subequal to 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.
(=stigma not enlarged) (Fig. 12). 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.
long, extending anteriorly beyond legs II (Fig. 13).

Species of Hypoaspis known from bees by can be grouped as follows:

• Group 1. Nests of honey bees and bumble bees. Typical Hypoaspis s. lat. (see diagnosis above). Represented by Hypoaspis asperatus, Hypoaspis lubrica, Hypoaspis heselhausi. These species are classified either in the subgenus Gaeolaelaps (Evans and Till, 1966Evans and Till, 1966:
  Evans, G. O. amp; W. M. Till. 1966. Studies on the British Dermanyssidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) Part II. Classification. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Zoology. 14: 107-370.; Bregetova, 1977aBregetova, 1977a:
  Bregetova, N. G. 1977a. [Family Laelaptidae]. In [Opredelitel' obytayshchikh v pochve kleshchey Mesostigmata = Identification key to soil-inhabiting mites Mesostigmata], eds. M. S. Gilarov amp; N. G. Bregetova, 483-554. Leningrad: Nauka.) or Pneumolaelaps (asperatus and lubrica) and Laelaspis (heselhausi) (Karg, 1982Karg, 1982:
  Karg, W. 1982. Zur Kenntnis der Raubmilbeng Hypoaspis Canestrini, 1884 (Acarina, Parasitiformes). Mitteilungen aus dem Zoologischen Museum in Berlin. 58:233-256.). In a recent review of Gaeolaelaps, lubrica and heselhausi were removed from Gaeolaelaps based on the fimbriate tectumtectum:
  The leading dorsal, shelf-like projection of the basis capitulum in Mesostigmata. Also known as gnathotectum or epistome.
  (denticulate in Gaeolaelaps) (Beaulieu, 2009Beaulieu, 2009:
  Beaulieu, F. 2009. Review of the mite genus Gaeolaelaps Evans amp; Till (Acari: Laelapidae), and description of a new species from North America, G. gillespiei n. sp. Zootaxa. 2158: 33-49.).
• Group 2. Nests of stingless bees. Setae st1 situated on a single presternal shieldpresternal shield:
  Small, paired sclerotized plates anterior to the sternal shield and laterad or posteriad the base of the tritosternum in some Mesostigmata. Also known as presternal platelets.
  (two presternal shieldspresternal shield:
  Small, paired sclerotized plates anterior to the sternal shield and laterad or posteriad the base of the tritosternum in some Mesostigmata. Also known as presternal platelets.
  fused together). Posterior margin of epigynal shieldepigynal shield:
  A shield protecting the female genital opening. Well-developed in Mesostigmata. Also known as epigynial shield.
  near anal shieldanal shield:
  In Mesostigmata, a ventral shield bearing the anal opening and circumanal setae (adanal or postanal setae), but without any ventral setae or pores (lyrifissures) on it. If ventral setae are present on shield than referred to as a ventrianal shield.
  . Represented by H. favosa.
• Group 3. Nests of stingless bees. Anal shieldanal shield:
  In Mesostigmata, a ventral shield bearing the anal opening and circumanal setae (adanal or postanal setae), but without any ventral setae or pores (lyrifissures) on it. If ventral setae are present on shield than referred to as a ventrianal shield.
  with characteristic anterior margin straight or concave. Represented by H. alphabetica, H. hoffmannae, H. meliponarum, and undescribed species illustrated here (Figs 1-20). Furthermore, the two species from Asian stingless bees (H. hoffmannae and the undescribed species) have a single tooth on each row of deutosternal groove (Figs 16, 18, 20) and enlarged pilus dentilispilus dentilis:
  A seta-like or membranous sensory organ inserted ventrolaterally on the fixed digit of the chelicera of many Mesostigmata.
  (Fig. 17). These traits warrant establishment of a new genus. Unfortunately, these character states are unknown for the Neotropical species.

Species identification

Species-rich genus with unclear boundaries (see "Diagnosis" topic above). Most generalist species can be identified using Evans and Till, 1966Evans and Till, 1966:
Evans, G. O. amp; W. M. Till. 1966. Studies on the British Dermanyssidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) Part II. Classification. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Zoology. 14: 107-370.; Bregetova, 1977aBregetova, 1977a:
Bregetova, N. G. 1977a. [Family Laelaptidae]. In [Opredelitel' obytayshchikh v pochve kleshchey Mesostigmata = Identification key to soil-inhabiting mites Mesostigmata], eds. M. S. Gilarov amp; N. G. Bregetova, 483-554. Leningrad: Nauka.; Karg, 1982Karg, 1982:
Karg, W. 1982. Zur Kenntnis der Raubmilbeng Hypoaspis Canestrini, 1884 (Acarina, Parasitiformes). Mitteilungen aus dem Zoologischen Museum in Berlin. 58:233-256.. The most recent review of generic concepts involving this genus is in Beaulieu, 2009Beaulieu, 2009:
Beaulieu, F. 2009. Review of the mite genus Gaeolaelaps Evans amp; Till (Acari: Laelapidae), and description of a new species from North America, G. gillespiei n. sp. Zootaxa. 2158: 33-49..

Distribution

Holarctic (Group 1); Neotropical region (Group 2), Neotropical and Oriental regions (Groups 2 and 3).

Bee hosts

honey bees (Apis), bumble bees (Bombus), and stingless bees (Meliponini)

Host association level

group 1 facultativefacultative:
can complete entire life cycle without bees or their close relative, wasps
; groups 2 and 3 probably permanent

Host associations, feeding, and dispersal

group 1 (see Diagnosis)

• All stages are probably predatory on microarthropods in different habitats, including nests of honey bees and bumble bees.
• Short-range dispersal can be accomplished by walking.

groups 2, 3

• All stages live in nests of stingless bees. Feeding habits are unknown.
• Dispersal has not been documented, but female mites may be 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.
  on adult bees.

Biology

unknown for bee-associated mites