Macrochelidae


Macrochelidae is a family of mites in the order Mesostigmata.

Description

Adult females of Macrochelidae have: an undivided dorsal shield bearing at least 28 pairs of setae, a sternal shield with three pairs of setae, a genital shield with one pair of setae and with a pair of conspicuous accessory sclerites beneath lateral margins, usually a ventrianal shield with 1–5 pairs of setae in addition to circumanal setae, peritreme usually looped around stigma, and movable cheliceral digit usually with a well-developed arthrodial brush at the base. Adult males are similar but with a holoventral shield or separate sternigenital and ventrianal shields.

Reproduction

Macrochelidae reproduce sexually and some can also reproduce asexually. Species of Geholaspis and Macrocheles can perform thelytoky, the production of female offspring from unfertilised eggs. Species of Glyptholaspis, Holostaspella and Macrocheles can perform arrhenotoky, the production of male offspring from unfertilised eggs.

Ecology

Mites of this family are predators. The majority of species are coprophilous, meaning they live in animal dung and feed on the prey available there. Dung offers high prey availability and shelter from the weather, but it is a temporary resource. Melicharids therefore attach to insects to be carried to fresh dung deposits; this is known as phoresis. Adult females tend to be the ones that engage in phoresis, though males and nymphs can do it as well.
Some macrochelids are believed to be facultatively parasitic on their hosts, rather than phoretic. An example is Macrocheles muscaedomesticae on flies.
Other macrochelids occupy habitats such as forest litter, decaying plant debris, beach wrack or the nests of various animals.

Biological control

Because of their predatory nature, some macrochelids have potential as biological control agents of pest insects, such as flies and thrips. The species Macrocheles robustulus is commercially available for this purpose.

Taxonomy

Macrochelidae contains the following genera and species:
Aethosoma Krantz, 1962
Ancistrocheles Krantz, 1962
Andhrolaspis Türk, 1948
Bellatocheles van Driel & Loots, 1975
Calholaspis Berlese, 1918
Cophrolaspis Berlese, 1918
Evholocelaeno Berlese, 1918
Geholaspis Berlese, 1918
Glyptholaspis Filipponi & Pegazzano, 1960
  • Glyptholaspis americana
  • Glyptholaspis asperrima
  • Glyptholaspis baichengensis Ma, 1997
  • Glyptholaspis cariasoi de-Jesus & Rueda, 1990
  • Glyptholaspis confusa
  • Glyptholaspis filipponii Roy, 1988
  • Glyptholaspis fimicola
  • Glyptholaspis indica Roy, 1988
  • Glyptholaspis orientalis Iavorschi, 1980
  • Glyptholaspis pontina Filipponi & Pegazzano, 1960
  • Glyptholaspis thorri van-Driel, Loots & Marais, 1977
  • Glyptholaspis wuhouyongi Ma, 1997
Gonatothrix G. W. Krantz, 1988
Holocelaeno Berlese, 1910
Holostaspella Berlese, 1903
Lordocheles Krantz, 1961
Macrocheles Latreille, 1829
Neoholaspis Türk, 1948
Neopodocinum Oudemans, 1902
Nothrholaspis Berlese, 1918
Proholaspina Berlese, 1918
Synaphasis Krantz, 1961
Tigonholaspis Vitzthum, 1930
Tricholaspis Evans, 1956
Tricholocelaeno Berlese, 1918
Trigonholaspis Vitzthum, 1930
Venatiolaspis van Driel & Loots, 1975