Family MICROTROMBIDIIDAE Thor, 1935

Museums

Regional Maps

• Ottoniinae Thor, S. 1935. Übersicht und Einteilung der Familie Trombidiidae W. E. Leach 1814 in Unterfamilien. Zoologischer Anzeiger 109: 107-112 [junior homonym].
• Microtrombidiinae Thor, S. 1935. Änderung des Namens einer Unterfamilie der Trombidiidae W. E. Leach 1814. Zoologischer Anzeiger 110: 47.

Introduction

Adult mites in the family Microtrombidiidae are very common in forest litter and moss (Walter et al. 2009). The larvae of most species are parasites of flies. The classification of the family has been confused because some genera are known from either the adults or the larvae, but not both. Southcott (1994) reviewed the results of rearing experiments, which have allowed correlation of the larvae and adults in some of the genera. Gabryś (1999) reviewed the classification of the whole family, and recorded 89 genera based on post-larval stages, 19 genera based on larvae, and more than 300 species. As part of that revision, many Australian species were moved into new generic combinations. The Australian fauna now includes 57 species in 27 genera. The world fauna was catalogued in detail by Mąkol & Wohltmann (2012).

Some authors have used a separate family Eutrombidiidae, which is represented in Australia by a single species Eutrombidium australiense. This is a common and widespread species whose larva is a parasite of many species of grasshoppers (Southcott 1993; Key 1994). This species is known only from the larva, but the nymphs and adults, when they are found, will probably be found to be predators, as for this genus in other parts of the world (Walter et al. 2009). The family was comprehensively reviewed by Southcott (1993).

Womersley (1937) recorded the European species Eutrombidium trigonum (Hermann) from Australia, and that record was repeated by Halliday (1998). However, that record is based on a misidentification of specimens that were later included in E. australianse Southcott, 1993.

Womersley (1939) identified Trombidium macropodum Berlese, 1905 from Australia, as Dromeothrombium macropodus (Berlese, 1903) (sic). This was later shown to be an error, and Womersley's specimens are now referred to Emuthrombium queenslandiae (Womersley, 1945). Pedotrombidium kohlsi Womersley, 1945 was incorrectly recorded from Australia by Halliday (1998).

Excluded Taxa

Misidentifications

Microtrombidiidae: Dromeothrombium macropodum (Berlese, 1905) — Berlese, A. 1905. Acari nuovi. Manipulus IV. (Acari di Giava). Redia. Giornale di entomologia, Firenze 2: 154-176 pls XV-XVII

Microtrombidiidae: Eutrombidium trigonum (Hermann, 1804) — Hermann, J.F. 1804. Mémoire Aptérologique. Strasbourg : F.G. Levrault 144 pp. 9 pls.

Microtrombidiidae: Pedotrombidium kohlsi Womersley, 1945 — Womersley, H. 1945. A revision of the Microtrombidiinae (Acarina, Trombidiidae) of Australia and New Guinea. Records of the South Australian Museum (Adelaide) 8: 293-355

General References

Gabryś, G. 1999. The world genera of Microtrombidiidae (Acari, Actinedida, Trombidioidea). Monographs of the Upper Silesian Museum 2: 1–361

Halliday, R.B. 1998. Mites of Australia : A Checklist and Bibliography. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing 317 pp.

Key, K.H.L. 1994. Host relations and distribution of the Australian species of Eutrombidium (Acarina : Microtrombidiidae), a parasite of grasshoppers. Australian Journal of Zoology 42: 363-370

Mąkol, J. & Wohltmann, A. 2012. An annotated checklist of terrestrial Parasitengona (Actinotrichida: Prostigmata) of the world, excluding Trombiculidae and Walchiidae. Annales Zoologici, Warszawa 62: 359–562

Southcott, R.V. 1993. Revision of the taxonomy of the larvae of the subfamily Eutrombidiinae (Acarina : Microtrombidiidae). Invertebrate Taxonomy 7: 885-959

Southcott, R.V. 1994. Revision of the larvae of the Microtrombidiinae (Acarina: Microtrombidiidae), with notes on life histories. Zoologica (New York) 48(2): 1-155

Walter, D.E., Lindquist, E.E., Smith, I.M., Cook, D.R. & Krantz, G.W. 2009. Order Trombidiformes. pp. 233-420 in Krantz, G.W. & Walter, D.E. (eds). A Manual of Acarology. Lubbock, Texas : Texas Tech University Press Third edition, 807 pp.

Womersley, H. 1937. A revision of the Australian Trombidiidae (Acarina). Records of the South Australian Museum (Adelaide) 6: 75-100

Womersley, H. 1939. Further notes on the Australian Trombidiidae, with description of new species. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 63: 149-166

Womersley, H. 1945. A revision of the Microtrombidiinae (Acarina, Trombidiidae) of Australia and New Guinea. Records of the South Australian Museum (Adelaide) 8: 293-355

History of changes