Family HISTIOSTOMATIDAE Berlese, 1897

Museums

Regional Maps

• Histiostomina Berlese, A. 1897. Acari, Myriopoda et Scorpiones hucusque in Italia reperta. Ordo Cryptostigmata (Sarcoptidae). Portici : Sumptibus Auctoris 190 pp.
• Anoetidae Oudemans, A.C. 1904. Acarologische aanteekeningen XIV. Entomologische Berichten (Amsterdam) 1(20): 190-195.
• Anoeteae Oudemans, A.C. 1904. Acarologische aanteekeningen XIV. Entomologische Berichten (Amsterdam) 1(20): 190-195 [original spelling].

Introduction

The Histiostomatidae is a very large family of mites, including 58 genera and over 500 species (OConnor 2009). They occur in wet substrates, including rotting vegetable matter, carrion, dung, tree holes, and algae. They have specialised mouthparts that are used for microbial filter-feeding. The deutonymphs are often phoretic on insects that occur in the same habitats. The Australian species of Histiostomatidae are poorly known, with only eight known genera and 13 identified species. Three of the genera are known only on the basis of unidentified species. Unidentified species have been recorded from Australia a number of times as listed for each genus, and unidentified Histiostomatidae were also reported by Heatwole et al. (1981), Kitching & Pimm (1985), Walter (1995), Walter et al. (2002), Philips (2009), Hodgkin et al. (2010), Proctor et al. (2011) and Yousuf et al. (2014). Much of the published information about the family may be found under the name Anoetidae.

Rhizoglyphus termitum Womersley, 1941 is not a species of Rhizoglyphus (see Díaz et al. 2000). Its correct taxonomic placement has not been determined, but it appears to be a species of Histiostomatidae.

General References

Díaz, A., Okabe, K., Eckenrode, C.J., Villani, M.G. & OConnor, B.M. 2000. Biology, ecology, and management of the bulb mites of the genus Rhizoglyphus (Acari: Acaridae). Experimental and Applied Acarology 24: 85–113

Heatwole, H., Done, T. & Cameron, E. 1981. Community Ecology of a Coral Cay: A study of One-Tree Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. The Hague : W. Junk 379 pp.

Hodgkin, L.K., Elgar, M.A. & Symonds, M.R.E. 2010. Positive and negative effects of phoretic mites on the reproductive output of an invasive bark beetle. Australian Journal of Zoology 58: 198–204

Kitching, R.L. & Pimm, S.L. 1985. The length of food chains: phytotelmata in Australia and elsewhere. Proceedings of the Ecological Society of Australia 14: 123-140

OConnor, B.M. 2009. Cohort Astigmatina. pp. 565–657 in Krantz, G.W. & Walter, D.E. (eds). A Manual of Acarology. Lubbock, Texas : Texas Tech University Press Third edition, 807 pp.

Philips, J.R. 2009. The mite (Acarina) fauna of trogid beetles (Coleoptera: Trogidae). International Journal of Acarology 35: 1-17

Proctor, H., Kanowski, J., Catterall, C.P., Wardell-Johnson, G. & Reis, T. 2011. Rainforest-restoration success as judged by assemblages of soil- and litter-dwelling mites (Arachnida: Acari). Zoosymposia 6: 234–254

Walter, D.E. 1995. Dancing on the head of a pin: mites in the rainforest canopy. pp. 49-53 in M.S. Harvey (ed.). Australasian Spiders and their Relatives: Papers Honouring Barbara York Main. Records of the Western Australian Museum 52(Supplement)

Walter, D.E., Beard, J.J., Walker, K.L. & Sparks, K. 2002. Of mites and bees: A review of mite-bee associations in Australia and a revision of Raymentia Womersley (Acari: Mesostigmata: Laelapidae), with the description of two new species of mites from Lasioglossum (Paraspechodes) spp. (Hymenoptera: Halictidae). Australian Journal of Entomology 41: 128-148

Womersley, H. 1941. Studies in Australian Acarina. (2). Tyroglyphidae (s. l.). Records of the South Australian Museum (Adelaide) 6: 451-488

Yousuf, F., Gurr, G., Carnegie, A.J., Bedding, R.A., Bashford, R. & Gitau, C. 2014. Biology of the bark beetle Ips grandicollis Eichoff (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) and its arthropod, nematode and microbial associates: a review of management opportunities from Australia. Austral Entomology 53: 298-316.

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