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Melicharidae

Family of mites From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Melicharidae is a family of mites in the order Mesostigmata.[1]

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Description

Melicharidae are mites characterized by: podonotal and opisthonotal shields usually fused; the third pair of sternal lyrifissures (iv3) situated off sternal shield (rarely absent) and usually on metasternal plates; peritrematic shield free posteriorly from, or narrowly fused with, exopodal shield beside coxa IV (except Orthadenella); fixed cheliceral digit usually with a hyaline lobe instead of a setiform pilus dentilis, and movable cheliceral digit usually with a pointed process (mucro) on mid-ventral face; genital shield usually gently rounded posteriorly; anal shield usually oval or elliptical, bearing only circumanal setae; and female spermathecal apparatus laelapid-type.[1]

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Ecology

Melicharidae are free-living mites found in various habitats including soil, leaf litter, plants (e.g. bromeliads, pineapple flowers and false bird-of-paradise[2]), rotten wood, stored products, seaweeds, animals, and the nests and excrement of animals.[3][4] A large proportion of the family evolved to live on plants and these feed mostly on nectar and/or pollen.[5] Other reported food items include nematodes, insect eggs and larvae, other mites and fungi.[5]

Melicharids associated with animals may be phoretic on them. For example, species of genera Proctolaelaps, Rhinoseius and Tropicoseius are phoretic on hummingbirds.[2]

Some species of Proctolaelaps are associated with bumblebees, though nothing else about their biology (e.g. how they feed) is known.[6]

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Zoogeography

Melicharidae has more species in the Neotropical region (South America) than in anywhere else. This region also harbours the most endemic species of any region.[7]

Genera

As of 2016, 11 genera were recognised in this family.[4]

References

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