| |
Grandjeanicus
GRANDJEANICIDAE
Kethley, 1977
Grandjeanicus Theron
1974: 63.
Type species:
Grandjeanicus uncus Theron 1974 – dry soil, South Africa
Grandjeanicus
gabonensis
Coineau & Theron 1997 – Africa; Grandjeanicus spp. – subtropical
forest leaf litter in Neotropics (NA-SA); deep soil WNA; Grandjeanicus theroni
Walter - tree hollows, Queensland
DIAGNOSIS.
Prodorsum with 1 pair of filiform trichobothria (bo) and 4 pairs of setae
(exp absent); naso well developed and bearing setae ro; median
and lateral eyes absent. Subcapitulum with 3 pairs of adoral setae and
2 pairs of hypostomal setae; rutella slender, distally dentate; chelicerae chelate-dentate,
each with 2 setae. Body globular with 3-4 pairs of pilose-acicular setae
in row c, and 11 pairs of pilose and truncate setae in rows d-h;
3 pairs of genital papillae; 8 pairs of genital setae; ovipositor, eugenital
setae present. Pretarsus I without claws or empodium, but with auditory
complex and flagellum. Gut boluses of fungal material and/or arthropod
cuticle often present. Males unknown.
REMARKS.
The globular body and highly modified legs I are reminiscent of Sphaerolichus,
but the long
flagellum, single prodorsal sensillus, and array of pilose, cuneiform opisthosomal
setae are distinctive. These mites are relatively rare and primarily tropical
in distribution. Legs I are used as antennae, and the complex arrangement
of setal structures distally on tarsus I has been interpreted as an auditory-stridulatory
complex (Coineau & Theron 1997). The gut contents of the specimens
from Queensland contain some fungal matter, but mostly consist of the cuticle
of small mites, especially immature Oribatida (Walter 2001).
References
Kethley
JB. 1977. The status of Hybalicus Berlese, 1913 and Oehserchestes
Jacot, 1939 (Acari: Acariformes: Endeostigmata). Fieldiana Zoology 72(4)
1977: 59-64.
Kethley
JB. 1982. Endeostigmata. pp. 118-120, In: Parker SP (ed.) Synopsis and
classification of living organisms. McGraw-Hill, NY.
Kethley
JB. 1990. Acarina: Prostigmata (Actinedida). pp. 667-756, In: DL Dindal (ed),
Soil Biology Guide. John Wiley & Sons, Brisbane.
Theron
PD. 1974. Hybalicidae, a new family of endeostigmatic mites (Acari:
Trombidiformes). Acarologia 16: 397-412.