Family STIGMAEIDAE Oudemans, 1931

Museums

Regional Maps

• Stigmaeidae Oudemans, A.C. 1931. Acarologische aanteekeningen. CVIII. Entomologische Berichten (Amsterdam) 8(179): 251-263.

 

Introduction

The family Stigmaeidae is a group of about 300 species in 25 genera. Most species appear to be predators, but some feed on mosses. Some species contribute to the control of horticultural pests such as spider mites, and may have potential as biological control agents (Gerson et al. 2003; Walter et al. 2009). Different genera vary widely in the degree of fusion and ornamentation of the idiosomal shields, but the distinctions between genera are not clear-cut, and the whole family is need of taxonomic revision (Walter et al. 2009). Recent major taxonomic studies include revisions of the faunas of New Zealand (Fan & Zhang 2005) and southern Africa (Smith Meyer & Ueckermann 1989), which include keys to genera. The Australian fauna has never been studied in depth, and includes only 12 identified species in six genera, and a further four genera that are known only from unidentified species. Unidentified Stigmaeidae were also reported by Heatwole et al. (1981), Greenslade (1985), Frost & Bailey (1997), Walter (1999), Longstaff et al. (1999), Adolphson & Kinnear (2008), Green (2010), Beyer et al. (2011), Proctor et al. (2011) and Majer et al. (2013).

Chaudhri et al (1979) reported Apostigmaeus navicella Grandjean (1944) from Australia. This appears to be an error, probably referring to the record of this species from New Zealand by Wood (1971). Apostigmaeus navicella is now considered to be a synonym of Storchia robustus (Berlese, 1885) (Wood, 1973). This species has not been recorded from Australia (Fan & Yan, 1997).

 

Excluded Taxa

Other Excluded

STIGMAEIDAE: Apostigmaeus navicella Grandjean, 1944

 

General References

Adolphson, H. & Kinnear, A. 2008. Acari (mite) assemblages under plantations of bluegum, Eucalyptus globulus, in southwestern Australia. Pedobiologia 51: 427–437

Beyer, S., Kinnear, A., Hutley, L.B., McGuiness, K. & Gibb, K. 2011. Assessing the relationship between fire and grazing on soil characteristics and mite communities in a semi-arid savanna of northern Australia. Pedobiologia 54: 195–200

Chaudhri, W.M., Akbar, S. & Rasool, A. 1979. Studies on the Predatory Leaf Inhabiting Mites of Pakistan. Faisalabad, Pakistan : University of Agriculture pp. 234.

Fan, C.-H. & Yan, C. 1997. The genus Storchia, with the description of a new species (Acari: Prostigmata: Stigmaeidae). Systematic and Applied Acarology 2: 161-166.

Fan, Q.H. & Zhang, Z.Q. 2005. Raphignathoidea (Acari: Prostigmata). Fauna of New Zealand 52: 1–394

Frost, W.E. & Bailey, P. 1997. Identifying Mites on Inland Australian Citrus. A Colour Guide for Growers, Packers and Quarantine Staff. South Australian Research and Development Institute, Adelaide. 8 pp.

Gerson, U., Smiley, R.L. & Ochoa, R. 2003. Mites (Acari) for Pest Control. Oxford : Blackwell Science 539 pp.

Green, D. 2010. The soil mites of buttongrass moorland (Tasmania) and their response to fire as a management tool. pp. 179–183 in Sabelis, M.W. & Bruin, J. Trends in Acarology. Proceedings of the 12th International Congress. Dordrecht : Springer.

Greenslade, P. 1985. Terrestrial invertebrates of the mound spring bores, creek beds and other habitats. pp. 64-77 in Greenslade, J., Joseph, L. & Reeves, A. (eds). South Australia's Mound Springs. Adelaide : Nature Conservation Society of South Australia.

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.

Longstaff, B.C., Greenslade, P.J.M., Colloff, M., Reid, I., Hart, P. & Packer, I. 1999. Managing Soils in Agriculture. The Impact of Soil Tillage Practices on Soil Fauna. Canberra, Australia : Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Publication No 99/18. pp. 65.

Majer, J.D., Callan, S.K., Edwards, K., Gunawardene, N.R. & Taylor, C.K. 2013. Baseline survey of the terrestrial invertebrate fauna of Barrow Island. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 83: 13-112.

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

Smith Meyer, M.K.P. & Ueckermann, E.A. 1989. African Raphignathoidea (Acari: Prostigmata). Republic of South Africa Department of Agriculture and Water Supply, Entomology Memoir 74: 1–58

Walter, D.E. 1999. Living on leaves: adaptations of Australian rainforest mites. pp. 73–78 in Needham, G.R., Mitchell, R., Horn, D.J. & Welbourn, W.C. Acarology IX. Volume 2. Symposia. Columbus, Ohio : Ohio Biological Survey.

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.

Wood, T.G. 1971. New species and records of Stigmaeidae (Acari: Prostigmata) from New Zealand. II. The genera Apostigmaeus Grandjean, Summersiella Gonzalez, Pseudostigmaeus Wood and Eryngiopus Summers. New Zealand Journal of Science 14: 406-418.

Wood, T.G. 1973. Revision of Stigmaeidae (Acari : Prostigmata) in the Berlese collection. Acarologia 15: 76-95

 

History of changes

Published	As part of group	Action Date	Action Type	Compiler(s)
05-Dec-2019	Acari	20-Sep-2021	MODIFIED	Dr Bruce Halliday
01-May-2017	Acari	20-Sep-2021	MODIFIED	Dr Bruce Halliday
07-May-2013		07-May-2013	MODIFIED
29-Jul-2010		29-Jul-2010	MOVED
28-Jul-2010		28-Jul-2010	MOVED
07-May-2013		09-Jul-2010	ADDED
		08-Jul-2010	MODIFIED