Parascutacarus

Harmfulness rating

HARMFUL | NOT HARMFUL | UNCERTAIN

lives in bee nests and disperses on adult bees, but its effect on bees is unknown

Name

Parascutacarus Baker and Delfinado, 1975

Taxonomy

Superorder Acariformes » Order Trombidiformes » Suborder Prostigmata » Infraorder Eleutherengona » Hyporder Heterostigmata » Family Scutacaridae » Genus Parascutacarus

Type species

Parascutacarus indicus Baker and Delfinado, 1975

Diagnosis

Female: Setae c2 long, strong, pectinate (similar to long leg setae) (Fig. 1). Setae c1 absent (Figs. 1, 3). Setae ps3 displaced ventrally (not submarginal) (Fig. 2). Large hooked claw present on tibiotarsus I (Fig. 2). Trochantertrochanter:
Leg or palp segment (also known as podomere or palpomere) between femur and coxa. In Acariformes this is the most basal movable leg segment (or podomere) forming a joint with the body.
IV simplesimple:
Of claws or setae; not modified or not bi- or trifurcate at tip.
, not modified (Fig. 2). Tibiatibia:
Leg or palp segment (also known as podomere or palpomere) between tarsus and genu.
and tarsustarsus:
Terminal segment (also known as podomere or palpomere) of legs or palps. In Parasitoformes it can be subdivided into telotarsus and basitarsus.
IV not fused (Fig. 2). Empodiumempodium:
Here used only when empodial claw is not claw-like, i.e., it is pad-like or membranous.
IV suckerlike, without claws (Fig. 2).

Species identification

This genus has only one species, Parascutacarus indicus.

Distribution

India

Bee hosts

While originally described from a single specimen collected from unidentified species of Bombus, we collected a large series of this mite from the halictid bee Lasioglossum albescens, and this is probably the true host of Parascutacarus.

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 presumably live in nests of halictid bees.
• Mite females disperse on adult bees.