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Centriacarus

Harmfulness rating

HARMFUL | NOT HARMFUL | UNCERTAIN

disperses on bees, probably lives in nests, but details of biology are unknown

Name

Centriacarus Klimov and OConnor, 2007

Taxonomy

Superorder Acariformes » Order Sarcoptiformes » Suborder Oribatida » Infraorder Desmonomata » Hyporder Astigmata » Family Chaetodactylidae » Genus Centriacarus

Type species

Centriacarus turbator Klimov & OConnor, 2007

Diagnosis

Phoretic phoretic:
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.
deutonymph: 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-III not twisted (Fig. 6). Dorsal cuticular folds of ambulacraambulacrum:
The claws and empodium of the apotele or pretarsus.
 I-III absent (Fig. 7). Setae p' (=q) on tarsitarsus:
Terminal segment (also known as podomere or palpomere) of legs or palps. In Parasitoformes it can be subdivided into telotarsus and basitarsus.
I-IV present (Fig. 8).

Species identification

A dichotomous key is available in Klimov and OConnor, 2008Klimov and OConnor, 2008:
Klimov, P. B. amp; B. M. OConnor. 2008. Morphology, evolution, and host associations of bee-associated mites of the family Chaetodactylidae (Acari: Astigmata), with a monographic revision of North American taxa. Miscellaneous Publications Museum of Zoology University of Michigan.199: 1-243..

Distribution

Neotropical region

Bee hosts

Centris (Heterocentris)

Host association level

permanentpermanent:
associated exclusively with bees or their close relative, wasps; cannot live without these hosts

Host associations, feeding, and dispersal

  • Phoretic phoretic:
    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.
    deutonymphsdeutonymph:
    Ontogenetic stage between protonymph and tritonymph (or adult, if tritonymph is absent). See <a href="index.cfm?pageID=1720">Life stages page</a> for more details.
     disperse on wood-nesting apid bees of the genus Centris, subgenus Centris (Heterocentris) (Figs. 2-5).
  • Adults are unknown, but presumably they live in the host nests. Interactions of these mites with their bee hosts are unknown.
Fig. 1. Centriacarus guahibo phoretic deutonymph, dorsal view.
Fig. 1. Centriacarus guahibo phoretic deutonymph, dorsal view.
Fig. 2. Centriacarus guahibo phoretic deutonymphs on bee Centris sp. from Venezuela.

Fig. 2. Centriacarus guahibo phoretic deutonymphs on bee Centris sp. from Venezuela.
Fig. 3. Centriacarus guahibo phoretic deutonymphs on the dorsal mesosoma of bee Centris sp. from Venezuela.

Fig. 3. Centriacarus guahibo phoretic deutonymphs on the dorsal mesosoma of bee Centris sp. from Venezuela.
Fig. 4. Centriacarus turbator phoretic deutonymphs on the posterior mesosoma of bee Centris sp. from Mexico.

Fig. 4. Centriacarus turbator phoretic deutonymphs on the posterior mesosoma of bee Centris sp. from Mexico.
Fig. 5. Centriacarus turbator phoretic deutonymphs on the anterior metasoma of bee Centris sp. from Mexico.

Fig. 5. Centriacarus turbator phoretic deutonymphs on the anterior metasoma of bee Centris sp. from Mexico.
Fig. 6. Claws I-III of phoretic deutonymphs of the genus Centriacarus are unmodified and not twisted; by comparison, claws of other genera of Chaetodactylidae are enlarged and twisted.

Fig. 6. Claws I-III of phoretic deutonymphs of the genus Centriacarus are unmodified and not twisted; by comparison, claws of other genera of Chaetodactylidae are enlarged and twisted.
Fig. 7. Ambulacra I-III of phoretic deutonymphs of the genus Centriacarus are unmodified and lack a dorsal fold; by comparison, ambulacra in other genera of Chaetodactylidae have a dorsal cuticular fold.

Fig. 7. Ambulacra I-III of phoretic deutonymphs of the genus Centriacarus are unmodified and lack a dorsal fold; by comparison, ambulacra in other genera of Chaetodactylidae have a dorsal cuticular fold.
Fig. 8. Phoretic deutonymphs of the genus Centriacarus have setae p' (=q) on tarsi I-IV; by comparison, these setae are absent in other genera of Chaetodactylidae.

Fig. 8. Phoretic deutonymphs of the genus Centriacarus have setae p' (=q) on tarsi I-IV; by comparison, these setae are absent in other genera of Chaetodactylidae.
Fig. 9. Attachment organs of phoretic deutonymphs of the family Chaetodactylidae, showing the structure of apodemes of ps1 . Centriacarus is unique in having these apodemes separated from each other.

Fig. 9. Attachment organs of phoretic deutonymphs of the family Chaetodactylidae, showing the structure of apodemes of ps1. Centriacarus is unique in having these apodemes separated from each other.