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Androlaelaps

Harmfulness rating

HARMFUL | NOT HARMFUL | UNCERTAIN

mostly neutral; feeds on small arthropods in bee nests

Name

Androlaelaps Berlese, 1903

Taxonomy

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

Type species

Laelaps (Iphis) hermaphrodita Berlese, 1887

Diagnosis

Adult: Genugenu:
Leg or palp segment (also known as podomere or palpomere) between tibia and femur.
IV with 10 setae (posterolateral setae pl1 present) (Figs. 2, 7). Pilus dentilispilus dentilis:
A seta-like or membranous sensory organ inserted ventrolaterally on the fixed digit of the chelicera of many Mesostigmata.
long and slender or inflated basally (Figs. 2, 8, 9,10). Chelicerachelicera:
Anterior, paired appendage of the body. Primary organ for food acquisition, adapted for chewing, piercing, tearing, sucking, or filtering.
of male strongly modified, fixed and movable digits not chelate (Fig. 11).

Species identification

This is a large genus that needs a revision. Four species have been recorded from honey bees and bumble bees (see below) and other habitats. Three of these species can be identified using the key in 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., while to identify Androlaelaps bayoumi, the original description (Basha and Yousef, 2000Basha and Yousef, 2000:
Basha, A.-A. E. amp; A.-T. A. Yousef. 2000(2001). New species of Laelapidae and Ascidae from Egypt: Genera Androlaelaps and Blattisocius (Acari: Gamasida). Acarologia (Paris). 41: 395-402.) should be consulted.

Androlaelaps bayoumi Basha and Yousef, 2000Basha and Yousef, 2000:
Basha, A.-A. E. amp; A.-T. A. Yousef. 2000(2001). New species of Laelapidae and Ascidae from Egypt: Genera Androlaelaps and Blattisocius (Acari: Gamasida). Acarologia (Paris). 41: 395-402. [Apis]
Androlaelaps casalis (Berlese, 1887) [Apis]
Androlaelaps fahrenholzi (Berlese, 1911) [Apis]
Androlaelaps myrmecophila (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.) [Bombus]

Distribution

Holarctic region (species found in bee nests).

Bee hosts

honey bees (Apis) and bumble bees (Bombus)

Host association level

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

Host associations, feeding, and dispersal

  • All stages are probably predatory on microarthropods in habitats such as nests of birds, rodents, ants, and social bees.
  • Mites can enter bee nests by walking if a nest is nearby. Females of one species, Androlaelaps bayoumi, have been found on honey bee workers, indicating a possibility of phoresyphoresy:
    Attaching to or boarding another organism (i.e., a host) for dispersal to new habitats. Can be distinguished from parasitism because feeding typically does not occur.
    .

Biology

Many species develop tight associations with their bird or mammal hosts. Four species have been recorded either from honey bees or bumble bees; they are probably all generalists that opportunistically invade bee nests.

Fig. 1. Androlaelaps casalis female, dorsal view.

Fig. 1. Androlaelaps casalis female, dorsal view.
Fig. 2. Androlaelaps casalis female, ventral view.

Fig. 2. Androlaelaps casalis female, ventral view.
Fig. 3. Androlaelaps casalis female idiosoma, ventral view.

Fig. 3. Androlaelaps casalis female idiosoma, ventral view.
Fig. 4. Androlaelaps casalis female sternal shield.

Fig. 4. Androlaelaps casalis female sternal shield.
Fig. 5. Androlaelaps casalis female anal shield.

Fig. 5. Androlaelaps casalis female anal shield.
Fig. 6. Androlaelaps casalis female peritreme.

Fig. 6. Androlaelaps casalis female peritreme.
Fig. 7. Androlaelaps casalis female genu IV.

Fig. 7. Androlaelaps casalis female genu IV.
Fig. 8. Androlaelaps casalis female gnathosoma.

Fig. 8. Androlaelaps casalis female gnathosoma.
Fig. 9. Androlaelaps casalis female chelicerae, ventral view.

Fig. 9. Androlaelaps casalis female chelicerae, ventral view.
Fig. 10. Androlaelaps casalis female chelicera, lateral view.

Fig. 10. Androlaelaps casalis female chelicera, lateral view.
Fig. 11. Androlaelaps casalis male chelicerae.

Fig. 11. Androlaelaps casalis male chelicerae.