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Issue: Vol. 4338 No. 3: 26 Oct. 2017
Type: Article
Published: 2017-10-26
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4338.3.3
Page range: 459–474
Abstract views: 158
PDF downloaded: 4

A novel symbiotic relationship between mites and recluse spiders (Sicariidae: Loxosceles), with a description of a new Callidosoma species (Trombidiformes: Erythraeidae)

Bolsista do Programa Nacional de Pós Doutorado (PNPD/CAPES), Setor de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), Minas Gerais, CEP: 37200-000, Brazil.
Findorffstr. 11, D-27721 Ritterhude, Germany.
Centro de Estudo em Biologia Subterrânea, Setor de Zoologia Geral/Departamento de Biologia, UFLA, Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Centro de Estudo em Biologia Subterrânea, Setor de Zoologia Geral/Departamento de Biologia, UFLA, Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Acari Symbiosis feeding behavior Parasitengona Neotropics cave kleptoparasitism

Abstract

This study reports a symbiotic association between an unknown species of Loxosceles (Araneae: Sicariidae) and the adults of a new species of parasitengone mite that lives on their web in Brazilian caves. This mite is described as Callidosoma cassiculophylla sp. nov. (Parasitengona: Erythraeidae). The symbiotic association is clearly beneficial for the mite, which lives with the spider, and feeds on prey captured by their webs, without any aggressive behavior or expulsion of the mites by the spiders.

 

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