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Ml 48106-1346 USA 313/761-4700 800/521-0600 Order Number 0014402 Comparative and phylogenetic studies of Laelapidae (AcarhMosostigmata) Casanueva, Maria Eugenia, Ph.D. The Ohio State University, 1989 Copyright ©1080 by Casanueva, Marla Eugenia. All rights reserved. UMI 300 N. Zeeb R A Ann Aibor, MI 48106 COMPARATIVE AND PHYLOGENETIC STUDIES OF LAELAPIDAE (ACARI: MESOSTIGMATA) DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulilllment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University by Marla Eugenia Casanueva, B.Sc., M.Sc. • • * • The Ohio State University 1989 Dissertation Committee: Approved by S. W. Fisher C. A. Triplehom Department of Entomology Copyright by Marla Eugenia Casanueva 1989 To My Parents ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I express sincere appreciation to Dr. Donald E. Johnston for his advice, guidance and insight throughout the research. I want to thank the acarologists and curators of collections who provided me with the material studied. Special thanks to Dr. Marlsa Castagnoli of the Istltuto Sperimentale per la Zoologfa Agraria for her hospitality and for providing access to the Berlese collection. Gratitude is expressed to Dr. Calvin Welboum for h'is time helping me to get acquainted with the computer programs and systems, I thank the Graduate School and College of Biological Science of The Ohio State University for granting fellowships during my years at OSU. I am very grateful to the Unlversidad de Concepcion for granting me leave of absence during this period of time. Finally, my wannest thanks to my family and friends for all their support and unshakable faith in me and their willingness to endure with me the vicissitudes of my endeavors. To all of them, my deepest appreciation and love. ill VITA November 16, 1952 Bom Concepcion, Chile 1979 B.S., Concepcion University, Concepcion, Chile. 1976 - 1989 Instructor, Dept, of Zoology Concepcion University, Concepcion, Chile. 1985 M. Sc., Concepcion University Concepcion, Chile. 1985 - 1989 Graduate Teaching Associate, Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University 1989 - now Assistant Professor, Dept, of Zoology, Concepcion University Concepcion, Chile Publications Casanueva, Maria E. 1978. Licuodlstension: metodo para el estudlo del aparato reproductor del macho en Araneae (Chellcerata: Arachnida). Brenesla 16: 117-121 Casanueva, Maria E. 1980. Licosldos de Chile. Estudio Blologico y Taxonomlco por los metodos de Sistematlca Alfa y Taxonomia Numerica (Arachnida: Lycosldae). Gavana Zool. 42: 1-76, 76 figs. iv Angulo, A.O. y Marla E. Casanueva. 1981. Catalogo de los lepldopteros geometridos de Chile (Lepldoptera: Geometridae). Bol. Soc. Biol. Concepcion 51: 7-39. Artigas, J. N. y Maria E. Casanueva. 1984. Acaros del polvo de las habltaclones en Chile (Acarl). Gavana Zool. 47: 1-106, 76 figs. Casanueva, Marla E. y J. N. Artigas. 1985. Dlstribucion estaclonal y geografica de los acaros de habltaclon en Chile (Acarl). Gavana Zool. 49 (3-4): 3-75. Angulo. A. O. y Marla E. Casanueva. 1987. Estados inmaduros de Phoebis sennae amphttrite Feisthamel y clave para las pupas conocldas de Pleridos chilenos. Agro Sur 15 (2): 83-93. FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Entomology Studies in Taxonomy of Chilean spiders (Araneae) and Chilean house-dust mites (Acarl). Department of Zoology, University of Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile. Dr. Jorge N. Artigas (Director). Studies in Taxonomy of Free-living and Arthropod-associated Mesostlgmata (Acarl). Laboratory of Acarology, The Ohio State University, Columbus. Dr. Donald E. Johnston (Professor). v LIST OF FIGURES FIGURES PAGE 1. Families Laelapldae and Iphlopsldldae. Numbers on the figure refer to stems. Apomorphlc characters are listed for each stem. 101 2. Group I: Tribe Pseudoparasltlnl. Numbers on the figure refer to stems. Apomorphlc characters are listed for each stem. 103 3. Group II: Tribe Hypoaspldlni. Numbers on the figure refer to stems. Apomorphlc characters are listed for each stem. 105 4. Group III: Tribe Laelaspldlnl new tribe. Numbers on the figure refer to stems. Apomorphlc characters are listed for each stem. 107 5. Group IV: Tribe Mellttlphtdlnl. Numbers on the figure refer to stems. Apomoprhlc characters are listed for each stem. 109 6. Group V: Tribe Varrolnl. Numbers on the figure refer to stems. Apomorphlc characters are listed for each stem. Ill 7. Groups VI, VII and VIII: Family Iphlopsldldae. Group VI: Sclssuralaelaplnl new subfamily. Numbers on the figure refers to stems. Apomorphlc characters are listed for each stem. 113 vi 8. Group VII: Tribe Iphiopsidinl. Numbers In the figures refer to stems. Apomorphlc characters are listed for each stem. 115 9. Group VIII: Tribe Gecarclnolaelapinl new tribe. Numbers on the figure refer to stems. Apomorphlc characters are listed for each stem. 117 vll LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE 1. Ecological relationships of Laelapldae 12 2. Family Laelaptidae Berlese, 1882 sensu Vitzthum, 1941 Baker and Wharton, 1952 14 3. Family Laelaptidae sensu Karg, 1965 21 4. Family Laelapldae sensu Bregetova, 1977 23 5.- List of species included In Cosmolaelaps 161 vUi TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS................................................................... ill v h a ............................................................................................... iv LIST OF FIGURES.................................................................... vl LISTOFTABLES............................................................................. vill INTRODUCTION.............................................................................. 1 MATERIALS AND METHODS......................................................... 25 Methods . ........................................................ 26 Analytical methods ..................................................... 29 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION..................................................... 32 Comparative Dermanyssold External Anatomy .... 32 Cladistic Analyses ...................................................... 73 Classification of Laelapldae ............................... 91 CONCLUSION................................................................................. 118 LIST OF REFERENCES................................................................... 121 APPENDICES.................................................................................. 130 A.- Specimens included In study .............................. 130 B.-list of Characters ................................................ 147 C.- Data Matrix ........................................................ 151 D.- Redescription of Berlese's genera .................... 156 ix INTRODUCTION The dermanysslne family Laelapldae Is complex, species-rich, very diverse, and very poorly understood. Hypotheses concerning the evolutionary history of this family and its relatives are minimally developed and the classification of the group is consequently Inadequate. Early authors (e. g., Canestrinl, Berlese) described many genera and species especially from Europe. Subsequent workers have continued with the description of new forms and, at the same time, have attempted to formulate comprehensive classifications. These efforts have failed. These mites have been placed In a single family or in a number of different families. The difficulty In classification might be attributed to the wide range of anatomical forms as a result of diverse adaptation to parasitism and to the consequent concentration of studies on parasites on vertebrates while neglecting the numerous free-living and arthropod-associated species. The Laelapldae exhibits a fascinating range of habitats and associations, mostly not studied in detail. 1 2 Among the Laelapldae are many genera that developed ectoparasitic (nest-dwelling or host-dwelling) associations with mammals (35 genera), and also many free-living, soil-dwelling predatory