Family MESSORACARIDAE Kethley, 1977

Museums

Regional Maps

• Messoracaridae Kethley, J.B. 1977. A review of the higher categories of Trigynaspida (Acari : Parasitiformes). International Journal of Acarology 3: 129-149.

Introduction

The Messoracaridae is a little-known family of two genera and three species of large heavily sclerotised mites, all of which are associated with ants (Lindquist et al. 2009). Nothing has been added to the knowledge of the family since it was described by Kethley (1977). The Australian fauna is known from only one species. The description and illustration of that species provided by Banks (1916) are brief and vague, and lack some important details. The correct taxonomic placement of this species must be considered as unresolved, until it can be described and illustrated in more detail. Apart from the fact that it was collected in association with ants, nothing is known of its biology.

General References

Banks, N. 1916. Acarians from Australian and Tasmanian ants and ant-nests. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 40: 224-240 pls XXIII-XXX

Kethley, J.B. 1977. A review of the higher categories of Trigynaspida (Acari : Parasitiformes). International Journal of Acarology 3: 129-149

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