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Diversity and Ecology of the Acari

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A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Diversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 9683

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Dr. Agnieszka Napierała

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Department of General Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
Interests: acarology; bioindicators; ecology; nature conservation; Uropodina mites; zoogeography
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Dear Colleagues,

“Diversity” is a term that can aptly describe mites (Acari). This diversity has different dimensions. Firstly, ~63,000 mite species have already been described. However, based on the estimate number of 1,000,000 species globally, the number of known species is only a small fraction of the real diversity of these arthropods. It is supposed that the tropics are hotspots with a still unknown and extraordinary diversity of mites. This is confirmed by the fact that each year new species, genera and families are described from these regions. However, other areas of the world have also been insufficiently examined in this regard.

These little arthropods have already colonized almost all types of habitats. They can be found at any latitude, both in terrestrial and aquatic environments such as lakes, rivers, seas and oceans. As a result, they are also characterized by uniquely high morphological diversity, and different adaptation capabilities and life history strategies. Mites occur commonly in soil and humus, where they are the most numerous components of mesofauna and play a pivotal role in the process of humification. Many mite species are closely associated with other animals and plants, both as commensals and parasites, with which they form various close evolutionary correlations. Both free-living mites and those that are parasites are important elements of many ecosystems.

Mites have been the major research focus of many acarologists for a very long time. However, our knowledge about this group of organisms, regarding both their ecology and geographical distribution, is still obscure and fragmentary. The extent of our knowledge about mites varies between taxa, and the best-known species come from groups of high economic and health importance, such as parasites and pests. In the case of free-living mites, many species have been described on the basis of specimens from only one location, which may suggest their high endemism or the sparce occurrence of the species. On the other hand, the geographical range of occurrence of parasite mite species is directly dependent on the range of occurrence of the host organism. In such cases, the gradual extinction of the host species is a significant factor, which, in turn, often results in the extinction of the accompanying fauna, including parasitic mites. This phenomenon, in addition to the degradation of habitats, also leads to the loss of mite biodiversity.

This Special Issue, entitled “Diversity and Ecology of the Acari”, will present a brief review of the recent research in the field of acarology. We invite both original research and review papers that address the current research problems, as well as those that indicate research trends for the future.

Dr. Agnieszka Napierała
Guest Editor

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

40 pages, 42482 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mites from the Suborder Uropodina (Acari: Mesostigmata) in Bory Tucholskie National Park—One of the Youngest National Parks in Poland

by Jerzy Błoszyk, Jacek Wendzonka, Karolina Lubińska, Marta Kulczak and Agnieszka Napierała

Diversity 2024, 16(11), 699; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16110699 - 14 Nov 2024

Viewed by 420

Abstract

The state of research into acarofauna in Polish national parks is very uneven. One of the least examined areas in this regard is Bory Tucholskie National Park (BTNP), established in 1996. The aim of the current research was to explore the species diversity and community structure of mites from the suborder Uropodina (Acari: Mesostigmata), inhabiting different forest, open, and unstable microhabitats in the area of BTNP. Based on the analysis of over 300 samples collected in BTNP between 2004 and 2024, 29 taxa of Uropodina were identified, with 3839 specimens found in the analyzed material. The highest species diversity has been observed in different types of pine forests (19 species), in transformed alder and alder forests (15 species, each), and in reeds (12 species), while the lowest diversity occurred in peat bog areas (8 species) and inland dunes (5 species). The spatial distribution analyses for Uropodina in the area of BTNP have been made and distribution maps for each species have been drawn. Moreover, the Maturity Index (MI) was also calculated to compare the species diversity of the Uropodina communities in BTNP with those in other Polish national parks. The Uropodina community in BTNP ranked eighth in terms of species richness among 13 national parks explored in Poland so far. Finally, the comparative analysis of the MI for the selected Polish national parks has revealed that BTNP could be ranked fourth in terms of the faunistic value for the discussed mite group. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Ecology of the Acari)

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27 pages, 11437 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Species Diversity and Spatial Distribution of Some Oribatid Mites in Bory Tucholskie National Park (N Poland)

by Wojciech Niedbała, Agnieszka Napierała, Jacek Wendzonka, Karolina Lubińska, Marta Kulczak and Jerzy Błoszyk

Diversity 2024, 16(11), 678; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16110678 - 5 Nov 2024

Viewed by 819

Abstract

There are 23 national parks in Poland, and only a few of them have been studied thoroughly with regard to acarofauna so far. One of the least-examined areas in this regard is Bory Tucholskie National Park (BTNP), established in 1996. The aim of this research study was to explore the species diversity, community structure, and spatial distribution of mites from the order Oribatida: ptyctimous mites (Acari: Oribatida) and species from the families Nothridae and Camisiidae (Acari: Oribatida: Crotonioidea) inhabiting different forests open and unstable microhabitats in the area of Bory Tucholskie National Park (BTNP). In the case of ptyctimous mites, the communities were compared to those in other Polish national parks. Based on the analysis of 285 samples collected in BTNP between 2022 and 2024, 8 species of Crotonioidea with dominant Heminothrus peltifer (C. L. Koch, 1839) and 21 species of ptyctimous mites with the most numerous Atropacarus (Atropacarus) striculus (C. L. Koch, 1835) were identified in the analyzed material. The highest species diversity was observed in different types of pine forests (25 species) and in alder forests (24 species), while the lowest diversity occurred in areas with reeds (11 species). The comparison of the number of ptyctimous mites in Polish national parks revealed that BTNP can be ranked second in terms of species diversity among 12 national parks examined in Poland so far. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Ecology of the Acari)

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23 pages, 3380 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Co-Occurrence of Demodecidae and Psorergatidae (Acariformes: Prostigmata) in the Yellow-Necked Field Mouse Apodemus flavicollis (Rodentia: Muridae) with a Description of Two New Species and a New Host Record

by Karolina Cierocka, Joanna N. Izdebska and Leszek Rolbiecki

Diversity 2024, 16(9), 550; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090550 - 5 Sep 2024

Viewed by 1233

Abstract

Mites from the Demodecidae and Psorergatidae can optimally use mammalian hosts by inhabiting a number of different microhabitats in their skin. Hence, in individual hosts, several species of parasites from these groups have been described in different microhabitats. There are few data on their co-occurrence either at the host species level or at the host individual level. Most research has addressed the co-occurrence of Demodecidae in carnivorans, ungulates, soricomorphs, and rodents, while the co-occurrence of both families was found in bats. The present study examines the possibility of their co-occurrence in a Eurasian rodent—Apodemus flavicollis. It is a suitable model for such analyses, because representatives of both families have been demonstrated here so far, and our findings extend the list of specific Demodecidae in A. flavicollis with two new species: Demodex tenuis sp. nov. from the lip region and D. mediocris sp. nov. from the chin region. The study also includes the first record of Psorergates muricola in this host, which occurred in the genital–anal region. Therefore, the findings confirm the possibility that different Demodecidae and Psorergatidae species can co-occur in the same host in different body regions. This paper also includes a checklist of Demodecidae and Psorergatidae in rodents around the world. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Ecology of the Acari)

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17 pages, 673 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phytoseiid Mites: Trees, Ecology and Conservation

by Sebahat K. Ozman-Sullivan, Gregory T. Sullivan, Seyma Cakir, Huseyin Bas, Damla Saglam, Ismail Doker and Marie-Stephane Tixier

Diversity 2024, 16(9), 542; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090542 - 3 Sep 2024

Viewed by 793

Abstract

The highly variable ’leafscapes’ of plants across the world represent billions of square metres of mite habitat. The phytoseiid mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae), an extremely species-rich group of mostly generalist predators, are providers of ecosystem services for humanity worth many hundreds of millions of dollars annually by helping suppress phytophagous mites and insects in forests, agro-ecosystems, shade-houses and home gardens. In this study, the phytoseiid mite assemblages on the leaves of four species of common tree species, namely oak (Quercus cerris var. cerris), poplar (Populus deltoides, P. nigra) and walnut (Juglans regia), were compared. The three data sets used were generated in three independent seasonal studies in Samsun Province, Türkiye, between 2018 and 2022. In total, mite species in 18 families, including 15 families on walnut, were recorded. Nineteen phytoseiid species in 13 genera, Amblydromalus, Amblyseius, Euseius, Kampimodromus, Neoseiulella, Neoseiulus, Paraseiulus, Phytoseius, Transeius, Typhlodromina, Typhlodromips, Typhlodromus and Typhloseiulus, were collected. Only Eusieus amissibilis was collected from all three tree genera, whereas 14 species were collected from only one tree genus. Shannon diversity and Jaccard similarity indexes were calculated for mite families and phytoseiid genera and species. Potential reasons for the observed differences in the phytoseiid assemblages on the different host trees are explored in depth. In the ‘big picture’, global biodiversity, likely including many undescribed phytoseiid species, is threatened by widespread habitat degradation and destruction, especially in the tropics, and accelerating climate change, and rapidly stopping them is imperative. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Ecology of the Acari)

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17 pages, 5739 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Oribatid Mites in a Humid Mediterranean Environment under Different Soil Uses and Fertilization Management

by Àngela D. Bosch-Serra, Jordi Orobitg, Martina Badia-Cardet, Jennifer L. Veenstra and Bernat Perramon

Diversity 2024, 16(9), 533; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090533 - 1 Sep 2024

Viewed by 517

Abstract

Measuring soil quality and the use of indicators for its evaluation is a worldwide challenge. In Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park (northeastern Spain), different parameters related to oribatid mites as indicators of soil quality were evaluated under different land uses: forest, pasture, and a biennial double-crop rotation of forage crops. In forage crops, previous fertilization management (one based on mineral fertilizers, three on cattle manure, and one using both types) was also evaluated. Three samplings (April, June, and September) were performed over one season. Fifty-four oribatid species belonging to 28 families were identified. Abundance was the lowest in June for all land uses (average of 1184 individuals m⁻²). In the study period, abundance, diversity (Shannon index, H’), and dominance (Berger–Parker index, d) varied with different land uses, with the highest values of abundance and H’ in forests (9287 individuals m⁻² and 2.19, respectively) and the lowest dominance in forests (d = 0.29) without differences between the other uses. Additionally, in the studied parameters, no differences were associated with previous fertilization management in forage crops. Hypochthoniella minutissima, Xenillus (X.) tegeocranus characterized the forest system, Epilohmannia cylindrica minima the forage crops, and Tectocepheus sarekensis the pasture. In pasture, the dominance of the parthenogenetic species Tectocepheus sarekensis raises concerns about potential management constraints. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Ecology of the Acari)

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12 pages, 674 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reproductive Response of Platynothrus peltifer (C.L. Koch, 1839) to Continuous Nitrogen Deposition

by Marie-Charlott Petersdorf, Joren Bruggink, Evy A. de Nijs and Henk Siepel

Diversity 2024, 16(6), 340; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16060340 - 11 Jun 2024

Viewed by 797

Abstract

Continuous nitrogen deposition threatens ecosystems by acidifying soils, causing a stoichiometric imbalance in the vegetation and ultimately, the disappearance of plant and animal species. There is a gap in knowledge of how decomposers such as oribatid mites cope with the effects of nitrogen deposition. Therefore, we conducted feeding experiments with the herbivorous mite Platynothrus peltifer (C.L. Koch, 1839) to assess its fitness as a measure of its reproductive response towards different nitrogen levels in its diet. Mites were collected from the field, starved, and allowed to lay eggs. We recorded the number of eggs during 60 days of experimental trial. The fecundity of mites varied with different elemental compositions, whereby phosphorus seemed to be a limiting factor. With ongoing nitrogen deposition in the future and concomitant phosphorus limitation, we expect a negative impact on the population dynamics of herbivorous decomposers such as Platynothrus peltifer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Ecology of the Acari)

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8 pages, 1269 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Is Chorioptes texanus to Displace Chorioptes bovis? Notes on the Mites Causing Bovine Chorioptic Mange in Central Europe

by Steffen Rehbein and Martin Visser

Diversity 2024, 16(4), 199; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16040199 - 26 Mar 2024

Viewed by 1100

Abstract

Chorioptic mange is the most common type of bovine mange in central Europe, affecting mainly housed dairy cattle. Until 1976, when Chorioptes texanus were described for the first time from mangy cattle in Brazil, bovine chorioptic mange was thought to be caused only by C. bovis mites. In Europe, C. texanus parasitism in cattle was for the first time reported in Germany in 1998. Following the repeated diagnosis of C. texanus mites in skin scrapings from local cattle in recent years, scrapings from cattle that were clinically suspicious for chorioptic mange were requested and provided during the years from 2019 to 2022 from Austria, France, Germany, and Switzerland (from 6, 17, 28, and 7 farms, respectively) and from dairy cows of 1 farm in Canada. Mites were isolated from the scrapings, cleared, and microscopically identified based on their morphology. Examination of scrapings revealed the presence of C. texanus in the cattle from 2 farms in Austria, 13 farms in France, 7 farms in Germany, 1 farm in Switzerland, and in the specimens from Canada. Chorioptes bovis mites were recovered only in scrapings from 5 farms in Germany and Psoroptes ovis mites in scrapings of cattle from 2 farms in France. The scrapings did not reveal co-infestations of C. bovis and C. texanus or of Chorioptes species and P. ovis. The records of C. texanus from Austria, France, Switzerland, and Canada constitute the first descriptions of this mite species in these countries. Although this investigation was based on an opportunistic collection of the material and was of small extent, the results suggest a widespread occurrence of C. texanus in central Europe and may emphasize the need for studies to closely investigate the nature of the causative agents of chorioptic mange in cattle and other hosts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Ecology of the Acari)

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11 pages, 935 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Type of Material, Not Tree Hole Characteristics Shapes Uropodina Mites’ Species Composition in Excavated Tree Holes

by Grzegorz Hebda and Jerzy Błoszyk

Diversity 2024, 16(2), 114; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16020114 - 9 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1484

Abstract

Uropodina mites are organisms regularly found in the breeding sites of vertebrates. However, studies devoted to the nest dwellers of hole-nesting birds have been performed nearly exclusively in artificial places, i.e., nest boxes. Here, we describe an assemblage of mites from the Uropodina group living in excavated tree holes. We performed this study in western Poland, sampling material from 49 tree holes excavated by great spotted and black woodpeckers. We divided the material extracted from the tree holes into three categories: wood debris, remnants of bird nests, and remnants of insects. In total, we found 12 species from the Uropodina group. The two most numerous species, Leiodinychus orbicularis and Chiropturopoda nidiphila, constituted ca. 93% of the assemblage. Two other species, Apionoseius infirmus and Uroobovella obovata, were also relatively frequent. Among the assessed factors (woodpecker species, tree hole characteristics, and type of material), only the presence of insect remains, predominantly bat guano, affected species diversity and mite abundance the most. Our study is the first to describe an assemblage of Uropodina species in excavated tree holes and discover two extremely rare mite species, Ch. nidiphila and Nanteria banatica, related to the presence of bat guano in these cavities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Ecology of the Acari)

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15 pages, 2571 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Diversity of Quill Mites of the Family Syringophilidae (Acariformes: Prostigmata) Parasitizing Starlings of the Genus Lamprotornis (Passeriformes: Sturnidae)

by Maciej Skoracki, Milena Patan, Markus Unsoeld, Martin Hromada, Zbigniew Kwieciński and Iva Marcisova

Diversity 2024, 16(1), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16010051 - 13 Jan 2024

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1425

Abstract

Quill mites of the family Syringophilidae (Acariformes: Prostigmata) parasitizing starlings of the genus Lamprotornis Temminck (Aves: Passeriformes: Sturnidae) from the sub-Saharan region are comprehensively studied for the first time. Among them, two new species are described: (1) Syringophiloidus soponai Skoracki, Patan and Unsoeld sp. n., collected from four host species—Lamprotornis chalybaeus (Hemprich et Ehrenberg) (type host) in Kenya, Tanzania, and Ethiopia; L. superbus (Rüppell) in Kenya and Tanzania; L. chloropterus (Swainson) and L. unicolor (Shelley) both in Tanzania; (2) Syringophilopsis parasturni Skoracki, Patan and Unsoeld sp. n. collected from L. pulcher (Müller) and L. chalcurus (Nordmann), both in Senegal. Additionally, two Lamprotornis species, L. chalybaeus in Tanzania and Kenya and L. chloropterus in Kenya, are recorded as the new hosts for Picobia lamprotornis Klimovicova et al., 2004. We also discussed the diversity of the syringophilid mites associated with starlings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Ecology of the Acari)

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