Abstract
The Apteropanorpidae is a family of wingless scorpionflies endemic to Tasmania, comprising four described species in the genus Apteropanorpa Carpenter. Intensive field surveys for adult Apteropanorpa conducted from April to May 2002 revealed the presence of ectoparasitic mites, parasitising many individuals of Apteropanorpa tasmanica Carpenter at four localities. Laboratory investigations revealed the presence of one species from each of the Erythraeidae and Microtrombidiidae parasitising adults: Leptus agrotis Southcott and Willungella rufusanus sp. nov., respectively. The larvae of W. rufusanus are described. Laboratory investigations of attachment sites and parasite loads of male and female scorpionflies are described and discussed. Results show neither sex was parasitised more than the other, and that up to four mites parasitised individual scorpionflies, although most adults supported one or two mites. Like many other Leptus species, all L. agrotis larvae attached to sclerites, whereas all W. rufusanus larvae attached to membranous areas. Larval W. rufusanus were predominantly attached to the scorpionfly abdomen; however, larval L. agrotis were more evenly distributed on the scorpionfly body. These data are the first records of parasitism in the Apteropanorpidae, and the first report of parasitism of Mecoptera in Australia. Parasitism of A. tasmanica by W. rufusanus is the first record of a mecopteran as a host for larval microtrombidiine mites. Parasite records for the Mecoptera are summarised.References
Åbro, A. (1988) The mode of attachment of mite larvae (Leptus spp.) to harvestmen (Opiliones). Journal of Natural History, 22, 123–130.
Aubrook, E.W. (1939) A contribution to the biology and distribution in Great Britain of Boreus hyemalis (l.) (Mecopt., Boreidae). Journal of the Society for British Entomology, 2, 13–21.
Baker, G.T. (1982) Site attachment of a protelean parasite (Erythraeidae: Leptus sp.). Experientia, 38, 923.
Byers, G.W. & Yeates, D.K. (1999) A second species of Apteropanorpa Carpenter from Tasmania (Mecoptera: Apteropanorpidae). Australian Journal of Entomology, 38, 60–65.
Common, I.F.B. (1954) A study of the ecology of the adult bogong moth, Agrotis infusa (Boisd.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), with special reference to its behaviour during migration and aestivation. Australian Journal of Zoology, 2, 223–263.
Cooper, K.W. (1974) Sexual biology, chromosomes, development, life histories and parasites of Boreus, especially of B. notoperates. A southern California Boreus. II (Mecoptera: Boreidae). Psyche, 81, 84–120.
Cooper, K.W. & Dessart, P. (1975) Adult, larva and biology of Conostigmus quadratogenalis Dessart & Cooper, sp. n., (Hym. Ceraphronoidea), parasite of Boreus (Mecoptera) in California. Bulletin et Annales de la Societe Royale Belge d'Entomologie, 111, 37–53.
Fraser, F.C. (1943) Ecological and biological notes on Boreus hyemalis (L.) (Mecopt., Boreidae). Journal of the Society for British Entomology, 2, 125–129.
Gabryś, G. (1999) The world genera of Microtrombidiidae (Acari, Actinedida, Trombidiidae). Monographs of the Upper Silesian Museum, 2, 1–361.
Gabryś, G. & Wohltmann, A. (2001) A redescription of Microtrombidium pusillum (Hermann, 1804) (Acari: Parasitengona: Microtrombidiidae) with notes on taxonomy and biology. Annales Zoologici, 51, 233–250.
Grassé, P.P. (1952) Ordre des Trypanosomides. In: Grassé, P.P. (ed.) Traité de Zoologie 10, fascicle 1. Paris: Masson et Cie. pp. 602–668.
Grell, K.G. (1938) Untersuchungen an Schizogregarinen. I. Lipocystis polyspora n. g. n. sp., eine neue Schizogregarine aus dem fettkörper von Panorpa communis L. Archiv für Protistenkunde, 91, 526–545.
Hill, L. (2007) Agrotis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) species in Tasmania including montane, summer aestivation of the bogong moth, Agrotis infusa (Boisduval, 1832). The Victorian Entomologist, 37, 3–9.
Hirst, A.S. (1931) On some new Australian Acari (Trombidiidae, Anystidae, and Gamasidae). Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1931, 561–564.
Houseweart, M.W., Jennings, D.T., Berkett, L.P. & Brann, T.B. (1980) Parasitic mites (Acari: Erythraeidae) on spruce budworm moths (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). The Canadian Entomologist, 112, 193–196.
Jourdane, J. (1975) Biogeographical variations in the intermediate hosts in the life cycles of Hymenolepis (Cestoda) parasitic in Soricidae. Acta Parasitologica Polonica, 23, 247–251.
Maddox, J.V. & Webb, D.W. (1984) A new species of Nosema from Hylobittacus apicalis (Insecta: Mecoptera: Bittacidae). Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 42, 207–220.
Mason, W.R.M. (1975) A revision of Dyscoletes Haliday (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Canadian Entomologist, 108, 855–878.
McAloon, F.M. & Durden, L.A. (2000) Attachment sites and frequency distribution of erythraeid mites, Leptus indianensis (Acari: Prostigmata), ectoparasitic on harvestmen, Leiobunum formosum (Opiliones). Experimental and Applied Acarology, 24, 561–567.
Miyaké, T. (1912) The life-history of Panorpa klugi McLachlan. Journal of the College of Agriculture, Imperial University of Tokyo, 4, 117–138.
Miyaké, T. (1913) Studies on the Mecoptera of Japan. Journal of the College of Agriculture, Imperial University of Tokyo, 4, 265–400.
Palmer, C.M., Trueman, J.W.H. & Yeates, D.K. (2007) Systematics of the Apteropanorpidae (Insecta: Mecoptera) based on morphological and molecular evidence. Invertebrate Systematics, 21, 589–612.
Palmer, C.M. & Yeates, D.K. (2005) Diet and feeding behaviour in adults of the Apteropanorpidae (Mecoptera). Journal of Insect Behavior, 18, 209–231.
Setty, L.R. (1931) The biology of Bittacus stigmaterus Say (Mecoptera, Bittacusidae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 24, 467–484.
Setty, L.R. (1940) Biology and morphology of some North American Bittacidae (Order Mecoptera). The American Midland Naturalist, 23, 257–349.
Southcott, R.V. (1961) Studies on the systematics and biology of the Erythraeoidea (Acarina), with a critical revision of the genera and subfamilies. Australian Journal of Zoology, 9, 367–610.
Southcott, R.V. (1988) Two new larval mites (Acarina: Erythraeidae) ectoparasitic on north Queensland cicadas. Records of the South Australian Museum, 22, 103–116.
Southcott, R.V. (1989) Larval Leptus (Acarina: Erythraeidae) ectoparasitic on a North American ant. Acarologia, 30, 241–248.
Southcott, R.V. (1991) Descriptions of larval Leptus (Acarina: Erythraeidae) ectoparasitic on Australian Diptera, and two earlier described Australian larvae. Invertebrate Taxonomy, 5, 717–63.
Southcott, R.V. (1993) Larvae of Leptus (Acarina: Erythraeidae) ectoparasitic on higher insects of Australia and New Guinea. Invertebrate Taxonomy, 7, 1473–550.
Southcott, R.V. (1994) Revision of the larvae of the Microtrombidiinae (Acarina: Microtrombidiidae), with notes on life histories. Zoologica, 48, 1–155.
Southcott, R.V. (1999) Larvae of Leptus (Acarina: Erythraeidae), free–living or ectoparasitic on arachnids and lower insects of Australia and Papua New Guinea, with descriptions of reared post–larval instars. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 127, 113–276.
Thornhill, R. (1978) Some arthropod predators and parasites of adult scorpionflies. Environmental Entomology, 7, 714–716.
Treat, A.E. (1975) Mites of moths and butterflies. London, Cornell University Press. 362 pp.
Walter, D.E. & Krantz G.W. (2009) Collection, rearing, and preparing specimens. In: Krantz, G.W. & Walter D.E. (Eds), A Manual of Acarology, Third Edition. Texas Tech University Press, Lubbock, Texas, pp. 83–96.
Wendt, F.-E., Olomski, R., Leimann, J. & Wohltmann, A. (1992) Parasitism, life cycle and phenology of Leptus trimaculatus (Hermann, 1804) (Acari: Parasitengonae: Erythraeidae) including a description of the larva. Acarologia, 33, 55–68.
Wohltmann, A., Gabryś, G. & Mąkol J. (2007) Acari: Terrestrial Parasitengona inhabiting transient biotopes. In: Gerecke, R. (ed.): Süßwasserfauna Mitteleuropas, 7/2–1, Chelicerata, Acari I: 158–240. Spektrum Elsevier, München.
Womersley, H. (1936) Additions to the trombidiid and erythraeid acarine fauna of Australia and New Zealand. Journal of the Linnaean Society of London – Zoology, 40, 107–121.
Withycombe, C.L. (1922) On the life-history of Boreus hyemalis L. Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London, 1921, 312–318.
Zhang, Z-Q. & Saboori, A. (1997) Taxonomic notes on larvae of Willmannella (Acari: Microtrombidiidae) and description of a new species from Iran. Systematic & Applied Acarology Special Publications, 1, 5–18.