Family HALOLAELAPIDAE Karg, 1965

Museums

Regional Maps

• Halolaelapidae Karg, W. 1965. Larvalsystematische und phylogenetische untersuchung sowie revision des systems der Gamasina Leach, 1915 (Acarina, Parasitiformes). Mitteilungen aus dem Zoologischen Museum in Berlin 41: 193-340.

Introduction

The Halolaelapidae is a family of small predatory mites that includes about 80 species world-wide, but many more undiscovered species are likely to exist (Halliday 2008). They occur in wet organic matter such as litter and compost, and are especially abundant in intertidal habitats such as accumulations of seaweed (Lindquist et al. 2009). Their feeding behaviour and life cycles have not been studied in detail. The deutonymphs of many terrestrial species are phoretic on insects, while the intertidal species use amphipods and kelp flies for dispersal. Halliday (2008) reviewed the taxonomic and nomenclatural history of the family, and concluded that the all the genera are in need of a detailed revision. The Australian fauna includes only two species collected from seaweed, and these were provisionally placed in the genus Halolaelaps. It is likely that many more species will be found when other collections are examined.

General References

Halliday, R.B. 2008. Two new species of littoral mites from Australia (Acari: Halolaelapidae). Systematic and Applied Acarology 13: 214-230

Lindquist, E.E., Krantz, G.W. & Walter, D.E. 2009. Order Mesostigmata. pp.124-232 in Krantz, G.W. & Walter, D.E. (eds). A Manual of Acarology. Lubbock, Texas : Texas Tech University Press Third edition, 807 pp.

History of changes