Diagnostic characters:

• Peritremes short, sinuous

• Sternal shield bearing 4 pairs of setae

• Metapodal shields small, nude

• Opisthogenital shield with 3-4 pairs of setae, abutting large ventrianal shield

• Body longer than broad.

 

Similar taxa.  Varroa mites are broader than long and have a separate anal shield and very large metapodal shields.  Tropilaelaps are longer than wide and have narrow genital shields.  Melittiphis have a well developed sternal keel.

 

Ecology & Distribution.  Parasites of honeybees (Apis spp.).

 

 

References

Casanueva ME.  1993.  Phylogenetic studies of the free-living arthropod associated Laelapidae (Acari: Mesostigmata).  Gayana Zoologica 57: 21-46.

Delfinado, M. D. and Baker, E. W. 1974. Varroidae, a new family of mites on honey bees (Mesostigmata: Acarina). Journal of the Washington Academy of Science 64 : 4-10.

Koeniger, K., Koeniger, G., de Guzman L.I. and Lekprayoon, C. 1993. Survival of Euvarroa sinhai Delfinado and Baker (Acari, Varroidae) on Workers of Apis cerana Fabr., Apis florea Fabr. and Apis mellifera L. in cages. Apidologie. 24 (4) : 403-410.

Lekprayoon, C. and Tangkanasing, P. 1991. Euvarroa wongririi, A new species of bee mite from Thailand. Internat. J. Acarol. 17 (4) : 255-258.

Lekprayoon, C. Tangkanasing, P. 1993. Comparative morphology of Euvarroa sinhai and Euvarroa wongririi: Parasites of Apis florea and Apis andreniformis. Asian Apiculture. p. 427-433.