Gaeolaelaps

Abstract: This paper reports on ten species of laelapid mites associated with ants and bumblebees in Western Siberia. Androlaelaps myrmecophilus (Evans & Till), Cosmolaelaps dendrophilus (Davydova), C. neocuneifer (Evans & Till), C. siberiensis Joharchi sp. nov., Gaeolaelaps praesternalis (Willmann), Holostaspis isotricha Kolenati, H. montana (Berlese) and H. oophilus (Wasmann) were collected from ants’ nests, and Pneumolaelaps hyatti (Evans & Till), P. marginepilosa (Sellnick) on bumblebees. The new species is described and illustrated based on morphological characters of the adult female.

Abstract: Two new mite species of the genus Gaeolaelaps (Laelapidae), G. lankaensis sp. nov. and G. setillus sp. nov., collected from soil-litter in Sri Lanka, are described and illustrated based on morphological characters of the adult females. Both species have the unusual character state of a three-tined palp tarsal claw. The genus Gaeolaelaps is reported for the first time from Sri Lanka. An updated key to the species with a three-tined palp tarsal claw is presented.

Abstract: The concept of the genus Gaeolaelaps of the mite family Laelapidae is reviewed, based on species descriptions in the literature and the examination of specimens of selected described and undescribed species. A short diagnosis and a description of the genus is presented, showing the range of morphological character states and indicating species that depart from the typical character states. Gaeolaelaps is restored from subgeneric to generic rank. A new species, G. gillespiei n. sp., is described from adult female and male specimens. This species shows promise in the control of fungus gnats and thrips on greenhouse cucumbers in British Columbia, Canada. It is a relative of the well known biocontrol agent Gaeolaelaps (or Hypoaspis) aculeifer, but presents a set of morphological traits that distinguish it from G. aculeifer and other related species. The diversity of soil-dwelling mesostigmatic mites remains poorly explored, and so is their potential for biological control.

Abstract: This paper presents a new genus, two new species, and several new records of mites associated with insects and soil in Cuba. A new monotypic genus of Laelapidae, Acantholaelaps gen. nov., is described to accommodate a new species, A. strategus sp. nov., on the basis of adult female and male specimens collected on Strategus sarpedon (Burmeister) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) and Strategus surinamensis hirtus Sternberg (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). The other species recorded were Macrocheles merdarius (Berlese) (Macrochelidae), Asca quinquesetosa Wharton (Ascidae), Gaeolaelaps cubaensis sp. nov. (Laelapidae) and Pseudoparasitus missouriensis (Ewing) (Laelapidae).