A rare finding of mites (Arachnida: Acari: Leeuwenhoekiidae) parasitising a whip spider (Arachnida: Amblypygi: Charinidae)

Author(s)

Goncalves-Souza, Thiago ^[1] ; Giupponi, Alessandro P. L. ^[2] ; Hernandes, Fablo A. ^[3]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, UNICAMP, Inst Biol, Dept Biol Anim, BR-13083970 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz, Inst Oswaldo Cruz, Lab Referencia Nacl Vetores Riquetsioses, Colecao Artropodes Vetores Apteros Imp Saude Comi, Rio De Janeiro, RJ - Brazil

^[3] Univ Estadual Paulista Jnlio Mesquita Filho, Inst Biociencias Rio Claro, Dept Zool, Rio Claro, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: FOLIA PARASITOLOGICA; v. 61, n. 2, p. 182-184, APR 2014.
• Web of Science Citations: 7

Abstract

Twelve larvae of unidentified species of Odontacarus Ewing, 1929 (Acari: Leeuwenhoekiidae) were found parasitising an adult male whip spider Charinus brasilianus Weygoldt (Charinidae) in Santa Teresa, mountainous region of Espirito Santo state, southeastern Brazil. These larvae occurred in the intersegmental membrane of prosoma and legs. This is the first report of ectoparasitic mites infecting a charinid whip spider and the first record of leeuwenhoekiid mites parasitising an invertebrate host. We suggest that future studies are essential to understand the reasons why these events of parasitism are so rare in the order Amblypygi. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/20805-8 - Diversity and taxonomy of feather mites (Arachnida: Acari: Astigmata) on Passeriformes (Aves) in Brazil
• Grantee: Fábio Rau Akashi Hernandes
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - BIOTA - Young Researchers
• FAPESP's process: 11/50145-0 - Diversity and taxonomy of feather mites (Arachnida: Acari: Astigmata) on birds of Brazil
• Grantee: Fábio Rau Akashi Hernandes
• Support type: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Young Investigators Grants