Mites (Acari) phoretic on ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in a southern taiga forest in the environs of Vologda


Cite item

Full Text

Open Access Open Access
Restricted Access Access granted
Restricted Access Subscription Access

Abstract

Ground beetles were captured in a mixed southern taiga forest near the city of Vologda, Russia, from March to September 2014 using different collection techniques. Of the 250 specimens of ground beetles belonging to 22 species, 109 beetles representing 11 species yielded 326 specimens of mites of the cohorts Gamasina (4 species), Astigmatina (5), and Heterostigmatina (1). Two mite species, Antennoseius pseudospinosus Eidelberg, 1990, a common species in the steppes of southeastern Europe, and Halodarcia incideta Karg, 1969, a polyzonal European hydrophile, are recorded in the taiga zone for the first time. Dorsipes dorsipes Regenfuss, 1968, a specialized parasite of beetles of the genus Carabus Linnaeus, 1758, is new to the fauna of Eastern Europe. An adult mite of the genus Stylochirus G. Canestrini et R. Canestrini, 1882 was found for the first time in a natural hibernating chamber in close contact with an overwintering ground beetle, in particular, a male of S. fimetarius (Müller, 1859) on Carabus granulatus Linnaeus, 1785. The most common mite to occur on ground beetles was Antennoseius bullitus Karg, 1969, which was found on 7 carabid species with the mean occurrence of 41% and comprised 68% of the total mite sample. Joint phoresy of 2–3 mite species was recorded on 12 specimens of ground beetles; in 5 cases the co-occurring mites were Antennoseius bullitus and Stylochirus fimetarius. Three dominant mite species (85% of the total mite sample) were mainly collected off three dominant carabid species (70% of the beetle sample), but individual mite species preferred different hosts.

About the authors

Yu. N. Belova

Vologda State University

Author for correspondence.
Email: ground-beetle@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, Vologda, 160000

O. L. Makarova

A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution

Email: ground-beetle@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow, 119071

Supplementary files

Supplementary Files
Action
1. JATS XML

Copyright (c) 2017 Pleiades Publishing, Inc.