Mite preparations for identifications Day – 3 Felicity Crotty Collection • Most common method for mite collection is the use of Tullgren funnels. • Although others possible – floatation / pooters. • Collection / storage in 70% alcohol best method (unless want to further experiment) • Saturated salt solution also used Preservation • Dissecting microscope to sort through fauna • Compound microscope to observe external structures for key • Highly sclerotised mites need to be “cleared” and disected before mounting on slides • This is to make “permanent” slides Mite stored in Preservation alcohol • Dissecting microscope to sort through fauna • Compound microscope to Mite soaked observe external structures overnight in 90% lactic acid (on for key warmer) • Highly sclerotised mites need to be “cleared” and disected before mounting on slides • This is to make “permanent” Mite placed on slide in PVA, coverslip slides edges sealed with DPX Identification • What level? • - Order (Collembola or Mite) • - Lineage (Mesostigmata/Oribatida) • - Supercohort • (Macropyline/Brachypyline) • - Cohort (Palaeosomata/Mixonomata) • - Superfamily (Phthiracaroidea/Lohmannioid ea) • - Family (Phthiracaridae) Methods of identification • Computer based key “Lucid” • Available online - COHORT Mesostigmata, Oribatid and Prostigmata. http://keys.lucidce ntral.org/key- server/player.jsp? keyId=42 Dichotomous Keys • Used Tiling Key • Paired statements of either words or images • Have to follow specific order • If character unknown / can’t see it easy to make a mistake and misidentify Dichotomous keys • Greater depth Orders… Lineages… Families… Genus… Species Sub-Class Acari Super-Order Parasitiformes Acariformes Order Opilloacarida Holothrida Mesostigmata Ixodida Sarcoptiformes Trombidiformes Monogynaspida Endeostigmata Sphaerolichida Trigynaspida Prostigmata Sub-Order Sejida Oribatida Palaeosomata Eupodides Parhyposomata Labidostommatides Enarthronota Super-Cohort Brachypylina Eleutherengonides Anystides Mixonomata Desmonomata Astigmata Cercomegistina Microgynina Raphignathina Uropodina Cohort Anystina Heterozerconina Heterostigmata Antennophorina Heatherellina Gamasina Parasitengonina Epicriiae Euptyctima Pycnonticae Sub-Cohort / Arctacariae Infra-Order Parasitiae Dermanyssiae Dichosomata Poronoticae Trachytidae; Antennophorida; Epicriidae; Parasitidae Dithinozerconidae; Celaenopsidae Veigaiidae; Ologamasidae; Zerconidae Rhodacaridae; Polyaspididae; Digamasellidae; Protodinychidae; Sejida Macrochelidae; Dinychidae; Microgyniidae Pachylaelapidae; Trachyuropodidae; Eviphididae; Podocinidae; Trematuridae; Laelapidae; Amerosidae; Oplitidae; Phytoseidae; Ascidae Metagynellidae; Uropodidae Euphthiracarida; Phthiracaridae; Oribotritiidae; Oribotritiidae; Hydrozetidae; Peloppiidae; Autognetidae; Ctenobelbidae; Suctobelbidae; Caleremaeidae; Micreremidae; Amerobelbidae; Oppiidae; Scutoverticidae; Cepheidae; Tectocepheidae; Carabodidae; Thyrisomidae; Astegistidae; Cepheidae; Quadroppidae; Hermanneiellidae; Damaeidae; Poroliodidae; Eremaeidae; Ameronothridae; Damaeolidae; Cymbaeremaeid; Galumnidae; Microzetidae; Achipteriidae; Haplozetidae; Phenopelopidae; Oribatellidae; Ceratozetidae; Euzetidae; Schleloribatidae; Oribatulidae; Zetomimidae; Limnozetidae; Humerobatidae; Mycobatidae; Chamobatidae; Passlozetidae; Licneremaeidae; Enichthoniidae; Hypochthoniidae; Atopochthoniidae; Cosmochthoniidae; Brachychthoniidae; Gehypochthoniidae; Liacaridae; Gustaviidae; Malaconothrida; Trhypochthoniidae; Eulohmanniidae; Perlohmanniidae; Epilohmanniidae; Nanhermanniidae; Hermanniidae; Camisiidae; Nothridae; Adelphacaridae; Palaeacaridae Euphthiracarida; Phthiracaridae; Oribotritiidae; Oribotritiidae; Hydrozetidae; Peloppiidae; Autognetidae; Ctenobelbidae; Suctobelbidae; Caleremaeidae; Micreremidae; Amerobelbidae; Oppiidae; Scutoverticidae; Cepheidae; Tectocepheidae; CarabodidaeCanestriniidae; Thyrisomidae; Histiostomatidae; Astegistidae; Winterschmidtiidae; Cepheidae; Quadroppidae; Glycophagidae; Hermanneiellidae; Acaridae ; Damaeidae; Poroliodidae; Eremaeidae; Ameronothridae; Damaeolidae; Cymbaeremaeid; Galumnidae; Microzetidae; Achipteriidae; Haplozetidae; Phenopelopidae; Oribatellidae; Ceratozetidae; Euzetidae; Schleloribatidae; Oribatulidae; Zetomimidae; Limnozetidae; Humerobatidae; Mycobatidae; Chamobatidae; Passlozetidae; Licneremaeidae; Enichthoniidae; Hypochthoniidae; Atopochthoniidae; Cosmochthoniidae; Brachychthoniidae; Gehypochthoniidae; Liacaridae; Gustaviidae; Malaconothrida; Trhypochthoniidae; Eulohmanniidae; Perlohmanniidae; Epilohmanniidae; Nanhermanniidae; Hermanniidae; Camisiidae; Nothridae. Euphthiracarida; Phthiracaridae; Oribotritiidae; Oribotritiidae; Hydrozetidae; Peloppiidae; Autognetidae; Ctenobelbidae; Suctobelbidae; Caleremaeidae; Micreremidae; Amerobelbidae; Oppiidae; Scutoverticidae; Cepheidae; Tectocepheidae; CarabodidaeCanestriniidae; Thyrisomidae; Histiostomatidae; Astegistidae; Winterschmidtiidae; Cepheidae; Quadroppidae; Glycophagidae; Hermanneiellidae; Acaridae ; Damaeidae; Poroliodidae; Alicohagiidae; Nanorchestidae; Alycidae; Terpnacaridae Eremaeidae; Ameronothridae; Damaeolidae; Cymbaeremaeid; Galumnidae; Microzetidae; Achipteriidae; Haplozetidae; Phenopelopidae; Oribatellidae; Ceratozetidae; Euzetidae; Schleloribatidae; Oribatulidae; Zetomimidae; Limnozetidae; Humerobatidae; Mycobatidae; Chamobatidae; Passlozetidae; Licneremaeidae; Enichthoniidae; Hypochthoniidae; Atopochthoniidae; Cosmochthoniidae; Brachychthoniidae; Gehypochthoniidae; Liacaridae; Gustaviidae; Malaconothrida; Trhypochthoniidae; Eulohmanniidae; Perlohmanniidae; Epilohmanniidae; Nanhermanniidae; Hermanniidae; Camisiidae; Nothridae. Labidostommatidae; Cryptognathidae; Eriophyoidea; Penthalodidae; Scutacaridae; Tarsonemidae; Pygmephoridae; Acarophenacidae; Calyptostomatidae; Microtrombidiidae; Smarididae; Erythraeidae; Tanaupodidae; Johnstonianidae; Eutrombidiidae; Trombidiidae; Trombidulidae; Anystidae; Cheyletidae; Stigmaeidae; Bdellidae; Cunaxidae; Eupodidae; Penthaleidae; Rhagidiidae; Erynetidae; Tydaeidae; Iolnidae; Triophytdaeidae; Basic mite taxonomy Day – 3 Felicity Crotty Soil Mesofauna = Springtails and Mites Mites (Acari) • 45,000 described spp • Approx 64 spp in 1 grassland • Three main orders • Mesostigmata • Oribatids • Prostigmata Stable Community Composition: Mites Diversity of mites in Diversity mites in grassland willow woodland (+/- 0.05 s.e.) (+/- 0.05 s.e.) 9% 11% 16% 31% 23% 14% 61% 35% ASTIGMATA MESOSTIGMATA ASTIGMATA MESOSTIGMATA ORIBATID PROSTIGMATA ORIBATID PROSTIGMATA Oribatid Soil Mite or Tick?! Parasitiformes Mesostigmata Ixodida Soil Mite or Tick?! Parasitiformes Mesostigmata Ixodida - Smaller than ~ 5mm - Greater than ~5mm - Peritremes and stigmatal opening - Peritremes and stigmatal opening present (at level of coxae II-IV) absent - Four pairs of setae on subcapitulum - Subcapitulum with denticulate - Apotele with 2 or 3 tines hypostome - Tritosternum present - Palps usually 4 or fewer segments, - Female covered by 1-4 epigynal without apotele shields - Tritosternum absent Soil Mite or Tick?! Parasitiformes Mesostigmata Ixodida Acari Key to main groups • Stigmata usually without noticeable peritremes, and not situated at each side of the body near coxae I-IV. FEMALES: Genital shield jointed to open at one lateral edge of shield …………………………………………………..(next) • Stigmata, one on each side of the body, situated in the region of coxae I-IV and usually provided with an elongate peritreme; chelicerae chelate-dentate mainly. FEMALES: Genital shield jointed to open at base. – Mesostigmata (or Parasitiformes) Chelicerae 6 free segments: Tarsus, tibia, genu, Chelate-dentate femur, trochanter, coxae Stigmata and peritreme Probably male as epigynal shield not distinct, or hinged Mesostigmata ring-like coxae II-IV genital sternal opening peritremes shield genital opening meta- sternal shield sterno- genital stigmata shield genital shield anal shields Female Male anus Acari Key to main groups • Gnathosoma with conspicuous rutella; chelicerae chelate, rarely modified; pedipalps simple. Tracheal system opening through stigmata or ‘pores’ on various parts of the body or absent; Body weakly OR strongly sclerotized. – Oribatida • Tracheal system opening through a pair of stigmata situated on or near the base of the gnathosoma; chelicerae and pedipalps usually strongly modified. Body usually poorly sclerotized. – Prostigmata Figure 1 Oribatida Rutella Chelicerae Chelate Tracheal system Oxotaxic pores Genital and anal shields But this is also an Oribatid… AND this is an Oribatid too! Figure 2 Prostigmata Chelicerae and pedipalps modified Stigmata at base of gnathosoma 5 free segments: Tarsus, tibia, genu, femur, Body weakly trochanter. sclerotised CHARACTER PARASITIFORMES SARCOPTIFORMES TROMBIDIFORMES (MESOSTIGMATA) (ORIBATIDS & ASTIGS) (PROSTIGMATA) Chelicerae Chelate-dentate (except parasites) Usually chelate-dentate Often modified (spikes, stylets) Hypostomal groove Present Absent Absent Tritosternum Usually present Absent Absent Gnathosomal tectum Present Absent Absent Palps Usually well developed, limb-like 5-segmented in Oribatida; Often reduced or modified 2-segmented in Astigmata Palp apotele Present Absent Absent Palp thumbclaw Present Absent Sometimes present Dorso-sejugal suture Absent Present Often indistinct Eyes Absent (except Allothyridae) Absent (rare exceptions) Sometimes present Trichobothria Absent Present (except Nothroidea) Often present Dorsal & ventral plates Usually 1 or 2 dorsal plates and Usually well developed dorsal and Often absent or small