Family TROMBELLIDAE Thor, 1935

Museums

Regional Maps

• Trombellinae Thor, S. 1935. Übersicht und Einteilung der Familie Trombidiidae W. E. Leach 1814 in Unterfamilien. Zoologischer Anzeiger 109: 107-112.

Introduction

Adult mites in the family Trombellidae are predators that occur in forest litter, and the larvae are parasites of insects (Walter et al. 2009). The taxonomy of the family is complicated by the fact that most species are known only from the larva, and the larva and adult have been correlated in only a minority of cases. Southcott (1986a) provided a comprehensive review of the systematics of the family, and a full description all life cycle stages of the best-known species, Trombella alpha. Southcott (1987) reviewed the distinction between Trombellidae and some related families. The Australian fauna includes one genus and eight species, most of which were described by Southcott (1986b). The biology and behaviour of the species that attack grasshoppers were discussed at length by Key & Southcott (1986).

General References

Key, K.H.L. & Southcott, R.V. 1986. Host relations and distribution of Australian species of Trombella (Acarina : Trombellidae) parasitising grasshoppers. Australian Journal of Zoology 34: 647-658

Southcott, R.V. 1986a. On Trombella alpha n. sp. (Acarina : Trombellidae) from Australia : Correlation, description, developmental abnormalities, systematics and possible auditory structures. Records of the South Australian Museum (Adelaide) 19: 145-168

Southcott, R.V. 1986b. Australian larvae of the genus Trombella (Acarina : Trombidioidea). Australian Journal of Zoology 34: 611-646

Southcott, R.V. 1987. The classification of the mite families Trombellidae and Johnstonianidae and related groups, with the description of a new larva (Acarina : Trombellidae : Nothotrombidium) from North America. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 111: 25-42

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.

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