Morphology and ecology of Schizosthetus simulatrix (Acari, Mesotigmata) associated with galleries of bark beetles (Scolytidae)

Abstract

The deutonymphal stage and adults of Schizosthetus simulatrix Athias- Henriot, 1982 (Acari, Mesostigmata, Parasitidae), originally known from Canary Islands and Portugal, has been illustrated and described or redescribed, respectively. The subadults of S. simulatk have not previously been described. This very specialised subcorticolous species lives in galleries of xylophagous insects under bark of coniferous trees. This phoretic mite uses these various xylophages to distribute to new suitable habitats. Aside from the specimens from Slovakia presented in the paper, some phoretic deutonymphs of S. simulatrix (previously described from France, ermany and Sweden as Vulgarogamasus sp. in associations with scolytids) and S. lyvifomis (McGraw et Farrier, 1969) have been reexamined. The differential diagnosis of the S. simulatrix deutonymph has been revised.

Citation

Klauz, Stanislav; Masan, Peter; Moser, John C. 2003. Morphology and ecology of Schizosthetus simulatrix (Acari, Mesotigmata) associated with galleries of bark beetles (Scolytidae). Biolgia, Bratislava, 58(2): 165-172