Family OTOPHEIDOMENIDAE Treat, 1955

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• Otopheidomenidae Treat, A.E. 1955. An ectoparasite (Acarina: Mesostigmata) from moths of the genus Zale. Journal of Parasitology 41: 555-561.

Introduction

Mites in the family Otopheidomenidae are parasites of insects, with about 30 species arranged into ten genera. Different genera of Otopheidomenidae are found on Lepidoptera, Hemiptera, katydids, and termites (Lindquist et al. 2009). The family was reviewed by Zhang (1995), and a few new species have been added since that time. All life cycle stages of the mites can be found on their hosts, and may be located on the dorsal surface of the abdomen, under the wings, in tracheae, on tympanic membranes, or around the mouthparts. Some species may have potential as biological control agents of pest bugs (Zhang 1995). Only one species is known from Australia, collected from the green cotton bug Creontiades dilutus (Halliday, 1994).

General References

Halliday, R.B. 1994. First record of the family Otopheidomenidae (Acarina : Mesostigmata) in Australia, with description of Nabiseius melinae sp. n. Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 33: 347-350

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.

Zhang, Z.-Q. 1995. Review of the systematics and biology of the Otopheidomenidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) with a description of Eickwortius gen. n. from a termite (Isoptera: Termitidae). Systematic Entomology 20: 239–246

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