Family MELICHARIDAE Hirschmann, 1962

Museums

Regional Maps

• Melicharinae Hirschmann, W. 1962. Gangsystematik der Parasitiformes. Teil 5. Gamasiden Rückenhaarbestimmungentafeln von 26 Typhlodromus-Arten der Erde. Acarologie. Schriftenreihe für Vergleichende Milbenkunde 5: 1-56 pls 1-21, 31, 32.

Introduction

The family Melicharidae has previously been considered as a subfamily or tribe in the family Ascidae. However, it is here treated as a separate family, following the revised classification of Lindquist et al. (2009). Further information about these taxonomic concepts can be found in Lindquist & Moraza (2008). The biology of the family is very mixed. Various species can be found in soil and litter, rotting fruit, fungi, bark, stored food, and flowers. Many species are predatory, but others feed on fungi, pollen and nectar. Some are phoretic on other animals that share their habitats, including birds, nectarivorous bats, and pollinating and corticolous insects. The Australian Melicharidae were included in the reviews by Halliday et al. (1998) and Moraes et al (2016). The fauna now includes ten species in the single genus Proctolaelaps, but further undescribed or unidentified species are known to exist in collections.

Two species that have been recorded from Australia are now excluded. Womersley (1956) recorded Garmania ? pomorum from an unspecified locality. Karg (1985) proposed the new name Proctolaelaps antennatus for Garmania pomorum sensu Womersley, and Halliday et al. (1998) showed that these specimens actually came from New Zealand, not Australia. Nesbitt (1951) recorded Garmania domestica from Australia, but these specimens were later transferred to Proctolaelaps bickleyi (Bram) (see Halliday et al. 1998).

Excluded Taxa

Misidentifications

Melicharidae: Garmania domestica Nesbitt, 1951 — Nesbitt, H.H.J. 1951. A taxonomic study of the Phytoseiinae (family Laelaptidae) predaceous upon Tetranychidae of economic importance. Zoologische Verhandelingen (Leiden) 12: 1-64 pls I-XXXII

Melicharidae: Garmania pomorum (Oudemans, 1929) — Oudemans, A.C. 1929. Acarologische aanteekeningen. C. Entomologische Berichten (Amsterdam) 8(170): 28-36

Melicharidae: Proctolaelaps antennatus Karg, 1985 — Karg, W. 1985. Die Raubmilbengattung Proctolaelaps Berlese, 1923. Zoologische Jahrbücher. Abteilung für Systematik, Ökologie und Geographie der Tiere 112: 185-206

General References

Beaulieu, F., Walter, D.E., Proctor, H.C., Kitching, R.L. & Menzel, F. 2006. Mesostigmatid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) on rainforest tree trunks: arboreal specialists, but substrate generalists? Experimental and Applied Acarology 39: 25–40

Halliday, R.B., Walter, D.E. & Lindquist, E.E. 1998. Revision of the Australian Ascidae (Acarina: Mesostigmata). Invertebrate Taxonomy 12: 1-54

Karg, W. 1985. Die Raubmilbengattung Proctolaelaps Berlese, 1923. Zoologische Jahrbücher. Abteilung für Systematik, Ökologie und Geographie der Tiere 112: 185-206

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.

Lindquist, E.E. & Moraza, M.L. 2008. A new genus of flower-dwelling melicharid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata: Ascoidea) phoretic on bats and insects in Costa Rica and Brazil. Zootaxa 1685: 1-37

Moraes, G.J. de, Britto, E.P.J., Mineiro, J.L.de C. & Halliday, B. 2016. Catalogue of the mite families Ascidae Voigts & Oudemans, Blattisociidae Garman and Melicharidae Hirschmann (Acari: Mesostigmata). Zootaxa 4112: 1-299.

Oudemans, A.C. 1929. Acarologische aanteekeningen. C. Entomologische Berichten (Amsterdam) 8(170): 28-36

Womersley, H. 1956. On some new Acarina-Mesostigmata from Australia, New Zealand and New Guinea. Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology 42: 505-599

History of changes