PJZ_58_1_455-464

Introduction

Insect-mite association is quite a long relationship, of which, it leads to phoretic, parasitic and predatory in nature. The placement of attachment may vary from insects to insects along with the associations. The overloading of mites in the insect body reduces the day today activity of host insects. These mites belong to orders Mesostigmata, Astigmata and Prostigmata. The detailed review on Acari- Insect association is summarized hereunder.

Order: Mesostigmata

More than 8,280 species have been described under Mesostigmata order in the world under 887 genera; 2 genera and 2 species in the fossil as reported by Lindquist (2005a). These groups are characterized by a single pair of breathing pores or stigmata, located laterally in the middle of the idiosoma between the second and third or third and fourth pair of legs. It also possesses two to three tined palpal claws and a tritosternum, for most mesostigmatid mites. It ranges from less than 0.2 mm to more than 4 mm in length and distributed globally. Mesostigmatid mites associated with economically important pests as well as biocontrol agents. It also found in quarantine inspections.

The principal host insect orders for the mesostigmatid mites are Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera and Lepidoptera. Almost 93 percent of the insect mites are associated with this particular mite order. Treat (1975) has narrated, comprehensive summary of mite-Lepidoptera association with 41 lepidopteran families. Even the association was also recorded from termite nests. Some of the mites are also having the characteristic features of predacious or parasitic in nature. The Phytoseiidae family are beneficial to humans as predators of the destructive spider mites.

Order: Astigmata

Lindquist (2005b) reported around 3,419 species of Astigmata in the world under 1096 genea; 2 genera and 3 species in the fossil. The mite super family Canestrinioidea attached as external commensals or parasites of most of the beetle families viz., Scarabaeidae, Chrysomelidae, Carabidae, Passalidae, Tenebrionidae and Lucanidae. Olynyk and Freitag (1979) stated that the mites are not site-specific on numerous insects especially carabids. The soil-dwelling bees and wasps are also attached with astigmatid mites which also establishing symbiotic relationships with both vertebrates and invertebrates.

Order: Prostigmata

More than 47 per cent are parasites or parasitoids of other arthropods and 7 percent of the species are free- living predators. The mite families viz., Pygmephoridae and Scutacaridaeare associated with social insects, whereas mite family Podapolipidae invade as parasites on beetles, grasshoppers and honey bees. A single mite genus i.e., Leptus spp. associated with extensive range of insect orders and it act as a parasitoid.

PHORESY

Phoresy means one animal (phorent) attaches another animal (carrier or host) for a limited time and period. At that time of migration, the phorent enters in to the quiescent stage and becomes active after its detachment. Soroker et al. (2003) narrated the steps of phoresy i.e., Initiation of phoretic behaviour, active host seeking, recognition of attractant behaviour and attachment to the host surface. The winged insects possess higher dispersal ability than the mites (Holte et al., 2001). Scutacarids are encountered as phoretic in behaviour (Baumann and Juli, 2024). Parasitellus species prefers as better host on Bombus sp. for its phoretic purpose (Kolster et al., 2024) and Uroobovella species attached on the thoracic region of grasshopper as phoretic relationship (Radhakrishnan et al., 2024a).

The mesostigmatid mites and ectoparasitic larvae of the prostigmatid were attached with adult Culicoides impunctatus Goetghebuer (Wohltmann and Wendt, 1996). Whiteflies have strong phoretic potential with Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks) and the mites reduces the mobility and its biology to some extend (Palevsky et al., 2001). The phoretic relationships will be highly complex, but often are manipulative of the carrier’s resources or progeny (Seeman and Walter, 2023). Dung beetles are possessing mesostigmatid mites on the ventral region of the head and it is purely phoretic in nature (Radhakrishnan et al., 2024b). Phoretic association with bumble bees were recorded no risk for their host (Revainera et al., 2020). Some of the phoretic mites associated with Diptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Hemiptera and Orthoptera have been summarized in Table I.

ACARI-SOCIAL INSECTS ASSOCIATION

Eickwort (1994) stated that mites are significant associate with the beneficial insects i.e., honeybees. Out of these association, a tracheal mite, Acarapis woodi is an obligate parasite of the honey bees Apis mellifera (L.) occurs many countries in the world (Matheson, 1993). The host insect termite had associated with Histiostoma, parasitic on the subfamilies viz., Otopheidominae, Treatiinae and Katydiseiinae (Zhang, 1995). Noel et al. (2020) stated that, the integrated pest management decreases the acaricide usages to control the Varroa mite in bees. The lists of very few mites associated with social insects are summarized in Table II.

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENTS

PARASITIC MITES

Podapolipidae (Acari: Tarsonemina) family were parasitized on various insect orders and the mite species was parasitic on the metanotum, metathoracic wing region, abdominal dorsal surface in carabid beetles (Husband and Kurosa, 2013) and four species from Australian carabid beetles (Seeman and Katlav, 2024).

The parasitic mites are divided into two groups based on their feeding sites.

Parasitic mites of insects (Ectoparasites)

The mite species Pyemotes tritici (Newp.) (Prostigmata: Pyemotidae), Blattisicius tarsalis (Berlese) (Mesostigmata: Ascidae), Acarophenax mahundai Steinkraus and Cross (Prostigmata: Acarophenacidae) are devoured as natural enemies of stored product insect pests (Faroni et al., 2001). Certain mite species are also act as egg parasites of various insects and their biology was not known (Goldarazena et al., 2001). Tenebrioniid beetles act as a parasitic host of canestriniid mite, Bircericola bertrami Haitlinger (Acari: Astigmata: Canestriniidae) (Haitlinger, 2000a). European butterfly adults are parasitized by bright red mite larvae of the family Trombidiidae (Southcott, 1986).

Endoparasitic mites of insects

Alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica Gyllenhall was parasitized by the larvae of Trombidium newelli Welbourn and Flessel (Acari: Trombidiidae) (Mohamed and Hogg, 1997). The insect order Orthoptera and Coleoptera were occupied the tracheae of Podapolipus and Locus tacarus. Sharma et al. (1983) stated that the mites pierce the cavity walls of the ear and destroy the ultrasonic sound.

Table I. Phoretic mites associated with different orders of insects.

Insect order and mite family	Mite name	Host insect name	Habit and habitat	References
Order: Diptera
Arctoseiidae	Iphidozercon sp.	Psychodid flies	Mites are phoretic on the abdomen of the flies	Whitsel and Schoepphenr, 1973
Rhizoglyphidae	Rhizoglyphus echinopus (F.andR.)	Narcissus fly	Phoretic	Hussey et al., 1969
Uropodidae	Fuscuropoda vegetans De Geer	Musca domestica	Phoretic	Greenberg, 1961
Order: Coleoptera
Canestriniidae	Grandiella batocerae (Vis.and Moh.)	Hylastes sp.	Mites found beneath the elytra	Vishnupriya and Mohanasundaram, 1988
Diplogyniidae	Diplogynium oryctae (Vis.and Moh.)	Batocera rufomaculata De Geer	Phoretic	Vishnupriya and Mohanasundaram, 1988
Eviphididae	Alliphis serrochaetae (Ram. and Moh.)	Helicopris sp.	Phoretic	Ramaraju and Mohanasundaram, 1996a
Macrochelidae	Macrocheles scarabae (Vis. and Moh.)	Catharsius molossus (L.)	Phoretic	Vishnupriya and Mohanasundaram, 1988
Macrochelidae	Macrocheles sukabumiensis Hartini and Takaku	Cantharsius pithpcius (F.)	Phoretic	Hartini and Takaku, 2003
Parasitidae	Poecilochirus coimbatorensis (Vis. and Moh.)	Onthophagus sp.	Phoretic	Vishnupriya and Mohanasundaram, 1988
Pachylaelapidae	Pachylaelaps catharsiae (Vis.and Moh.)	Onitis philemon (F.)	Phoretic	Vishnupriya and Mohanasundaram, 1988
Uropodidae	Urobovella texana (Wis and Hirsch.)	Pholeomyia sp.	Phoretic	Moser, 1976
Winterschmidtiidae	Calvolia longireticulatae (Ram. and Moh.)	Meloid beetle	Phoretic	Ramaraju and Mohanasundaram, 1999a
Uroactiniidae	Centrouropoda almerodai	Rhynchophorus phoenicis	Phoretic	Monzenga et al., 2021
Neopygmephoridae	Allopygmephorus coelostomus	Australian hydrophilid beetles	Phoretic	Hamid et al., 2022
Order: Hymenoptera
Cheyletidae	Cheletophyes xylocopae (Ram. and Moh.)	Xylocopa sp.	Phoretic	Ramaraju and Mohanasundaram, 1999b
Chaetodactylidae	Samsinakia carabae (Ram. and Moh.)	Carabid beetle	Phoretic	Ramaraju and Mohanasundaram, 1999b
Chaetodactylidae	Sennertia carpenteri (Ram. and Moh.)	Carpenter bees	Phoretic	Ramaraju and Mohanasundaram, 2001
Laelapidae	Blattisocius trigonae	Trigona iridipennis	Phoretic	Radhakrishnan and Ramaraju, 2017a
Order: Hemiptera
Tarsonemidae	Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks)	Whiteflies	Phoretic	Palevsky et al., 2001
Erythraeidae	Erythraeus ankaraicus (Saboori et al.,)	Hyalopterus pruni Geoffroy	Ectoparasite	Saboori et al., 2004
Order: Orthoptera
Erythraeidae	Leptus laviniacus Haitlinger	Catantops innotabilis (Walk.)	Phoretic	Haitlinger, 2002
Erythraeidae	Leptus astrubali Haitlinger	C. innotabilis	Phoretic	Haitlinger, 2002
Scutacaridae	Imparipes bengalensis	Labidura bengalensis	Phoretic	Radhakrishnan and Ramaraju, 2017b

Table II. Mites associated with social insects.

Insect order and mite family	Mite name	Host insect name	Habit and habitat	References
I. Ants
Acaridae	Tyrophagus formicetorum (F and C)	Ant’s nest	Phoretic	Fain and Chmielewski, 1987
Uropodidae	Trichocylliba gibbata (E.)	Army ants	Phoretic	Elzinga, 1995
Scutacaridae	Scutacarus unicosimilis Metwali	Cataglyphus bicolor (Lighton et al.,)	Large ant nest	Metwali, 1984
Macrodinychidae	Macrodinychus multispinosus	Ants	Ectoparasite	Lachaud et al., 2016
II. Honeybees
Acaridae	Acarus immobilis (G.)	Apis mellifera (L.)	Facultative scavenger	DeJong et al., 1982
Acaridae	Horstiella snellingi (Och. and OCon.)	Neotropical Epicharis bees	Phoretic	Ochoa and OConnor, 2000
Laelapidae	Androlaelaps bayoumi (Bas. and Yous.)	Trigona albipennis Almedia	Found inside the nest	Basha and Yousef, 2001
Laelapidae	Suracarus inusitatus (Flech.)	T. albipennis	Found inside the nest	Flechtmann, 2005
Laelapidae	Blattisocius trigonae	Trigona iridipennis	Phoretic	Radhakrishnan and Ramaraju, 2017a
Tarsonemidae	Acarapis woodi (Re.)	Euglossa sp.	Parasite	Pettis and Wilson, 1996
Tydeidae	Tydeus sp. Pronematus sp.	A. mellifera	Found in bee hive	Malabanan and Corpuz Raros, 1998
Varroidae	Varroa jacobsoni (Oud.)	A. cerana A. mellifera	Found in bee hive	Malabanan and Corpuz Raros, 1998
III. Other bees
Parasitidae	Parasitus fimetorum Berlese	Nest of Ciconia ciconia (L.)	Phoretic	Bloszyk et al., 2005
IV. Wasp
Glycyphagidae	Acaroglyphus robustus (Del.)	Eumenine wasp	Mites isolated from the body	Baker and Baker,1976
V. Termite
Otopheidomenidae	Eickwortius termes Zhang	Macrotermesmichaelseni Sjostedt	Phoretic	Zhang, 1995
Ascidae	Proctolaelaps hypadari (Oud.)	Termite	Parasitic on termite	Myles, 2002

Table III. Parasitic mites associated with different orders of insects.

Orders of insects and families of mites	Name of the mite	Host insect name	Habitat and nature of attack	References
Ectoparasitic mites
Order: Orthoptera
Erythraeidae	Leptus oxyae (Vis. and Moh.)	Oxya nitidula (Wal.)	Ectoparasite	Vishnupriya and Mohanasundaram, 1998
Erythraeidae	Ramsayellar angitata Zhang	Grasshopper	Ectoparasite	Zhang, 2000
Erythraeidae	Charletonia keralicus (Ram. and Moh.)	Oxya sp.	Parasite	Ramaraju and Mohanasundaram, 1998b
			Table continued on next page...............
Orders of insects and families of mites	Name of the mite	Host insect name	Habitat and nature of attack	References
Podapolipidae	Podapolipoides mohanasundarami (R. and S.)	Oxya sp.	Ectoparasite	Ramaraju and Suresh, 1999
Podapolipidae	Podapolipoides cohni (Hus. and Ma.)	Grasshopper	Ectoparasite	Husband and Martin, 2005
Podapolipidae	Podapolipus sundarababui (Ram. and Moh.)	Attractomorphasp	Ectoparasite	Ramaraju and Mohanasundaram, 1996c
Eutrombidiidae	Eutrombidium laosanum Haitlinger	Undetermined Gryllidae	Ectoparasite	Haitlinger, 2006b
Order: Dictyoptera
Podapolipidae	Blaberpolipus cavernicola (Hus. and OCon.)	Blaberusparabolicus (Wal.)	Ectoparasite	Husband and OConnor, 2003
Order: Hemiptera
Trombidiidae	Podothrombium gossypium Zhang	Aphids	Ectoparasite	Zhang, 2001
Order: Diptera
Trombidiidae	Trombidium poriceps (Oud.)	Ochlerotatus notoscriptus Skuse	Ectoparasite	Pugh et al., 1991
Order: Lepidoptera
Pyemotidae	Pyemotes sp.	Tribolium sp. Cryptolestes sp.	Parasitize the immature stages	Pajni and Virk, 1982
Podapolipidae	Regenpolipus madrasensis (Hus. and Ram.)	Anthia sexguttata (Fab.)	Parasite	Husband and Ramaraju, 2006
Podapolipidae	Tarsopolipus ramakrishnai (Ram. and Moh.)	Scarab beetles	Parasite	Ramaraju and Mohanasundaram, 1996b
Podapolipidae	Eutarsopolipus dastychi (Hus. and Kha. )	Calathus fuscipesGoeze	Parasite	Husband and Khaustov, 2004
Canestriniidae	Haitlingeria longilobata Baker and Schwarz	Serrognathus platymelus Motschulsky	Parasite	Kim et al., 2006
Order: Odonata
Arrenuridae	Arrenurus sp.	Trithemis pallidinervis	Parasite	Radhakrishnan, Zawal and Ramaraju, 2010
Endoparasitic mites
Order: Lepidoptera
Otopheidonemidae	Dicrocheles phalaenodectes Treat	Noctuidae	Tympanum	Treat, 1975
Order: Coleoptera
Podapolipidae	Dorsipes auncinus Husband and Weatherby	Tefflus sp.	Endoparasites of orthoptera, hymenoptera especially coleoptera	Husband and Weatherby, 2005

Five mite species were recorded from Laelapidae family as first time in Pakistan in the soil ecosystem (Khan et al., 2024). Bountiful species are reported under parasitic mite association. Few examples are mentioned in Table III.

Predatory mites of insects

Ferguson (2001) stated that predaceous mites are generally feeds on springtails whereas, the pyemotid mites devastated scales and flies (Bregetova and Koroleva, 1960). The eggs of Lepidoptera were fed by the deutonymph and adults of Callidosoma metzi Sharma, Drooz and Treat (Sharma et al., 1983). Some of the predatory mites associated with the various orders of insects are given in Tables IV.

Table IV. Predatory mites associated with different orders of insects.

Orders of insects and families of mites	Name of the mite	Host insect name	Habitat and nature of attack	References
Order: Orthoptera
Trombidiidae	Eutrombium trigonum (Pes.)	Heiroglyphus nigrorepletus (Ph.)	Predator on immature stages	Peswani, 1960
Order: Thysanoptera
Pyemotidae	Adactylidium sp.	Thrips sp.	Predaceous on eggs and thrips	EL Badry and Tawfik, 1966
Order: Hemiptera
Hemisarcoptidae	Hemisarcoptes malus (Sh.)	Aspidiotus nerii (B.)	Predator	Beardsley and Gonzalez, 1975
Trombidiidae	Allothrombium mitchelli Davis	Cryptococcus fagisuga Lindinger	Predator	Wiggins et al., 2001
Order: Diptera
Trombidiidae	Allothrombium dipterae (Ram. and Moh.)	Musca domestica (L.)	Predator	Ramaraju and Mohanasundaram, 1998a
Trombidiidae	Allothrombium dipterae (Ram. and Moh.)	Cicindellid beetle	Predator	Ramaraju and Mohanasundaram, 1998a
Order: Lepidoptera
Ascidae	Blattisocius tarsalis Berlese	Ephestia cautella (Wal.)	Larvae and nymphs of mites feed eggs and host larvae	Graham, 1980
Pyemotidae	Pyemotes ventricosus (Newp.)	Sitotroga cerealella Olivier	Predatory on eggs	Navarro et al., 1987
Order: Coleoptera
Pyemotidae	Pyemotes tritici (Newp.)	Anthonomus grandis Boheman	Attacks immature stages	Cross and Moser, 1975
Order: Hymenoptera
Cheyletidae	Cheyletus eruditus Schrank	Cephalonom iatarsalis Ashmead	Biocontrol agent	Zdarkovaet al., 2003

Conclusion

The studies on Insect-Mite relationship were very scanty. Since, the attachment of mite in different insect host was predatory, phoresy and parasitic in nature, it can be utilized in all the ways and means. Insect associated potential predatory mite will be exploited for the pest management studies and if possible, the mites will be multiplied on the same insect host. On the other hand, to minimize the insect pest incidence, the ecto and endoparasitic mite studies have to be strengthened and it will pave way to enlighten the pest management aspects.

Declarations

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore for providing the lab facility to conduct the experiment.

Funding

No funding was provided /received for this experimental work.

IRB approval

The experimental work was carried out with the approval of Director of Research, TNAU, Coimbatore.

Ethical statement

All the applicable international, national or institutional guidelines for the care were followed.

Statement of conflict of interest

The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

References

Baker, M.D. and Baker, E.W., 1976. Notes on hypopi (Acarina) associated with bees and wasps (Hymenoptera). J. N. Y. entomol. Soc., 84: 76-90.

Basha, A.A. and Yousef, A.T.A., 2001. New species of Laelapidae and Ascidae from Egypt: genera Androlaelaps and Blasttisocius (Acari: Gamasida). Acaralogia, 41: 395-402.

Baumann, J., 2024. An update on the knowledge about scutacarid mites as phoronts and inquilines. Acarologia, 64: 3-17. https://doi.org/10.24349/sy16-8iqn

Beardsley, J.W. and Gonzalez, R.H., 1975. The biology and ecology of armored scales.
Annu. Rev. Ent., 20: 47-73. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.en.20.010175.000403

Bloszyk, J., Dariusz, J., Gwiazdowi, C.Z., Bajerlein, D. and Halliday, R.B., 2005. Nests of the white stork Ciconia ciconia (L.) as a habitat for mesostigmatic mites (Acari: Mesostigmata). Acta Parasitol., 50: 171-175.

Bregetova, N.G. and Koroleva, E.V., 1960. The Macrochelid mites (Gamasoidae: Macrochelidae) in the USSR. Dept. separatae, parasitological collection. Parasitology, 18: 132-154.

Cross, E.A. and Moser, J.C., 1975. A new dimorphic species of Pyemotes and a key to previously-described forms (Acarina: Tarsonemoidea). Annls entomol. Soc. Am., 68: 123-132. https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/68.4.723

DeJong, D., Roger, A. and Eickwort, G.C., 1982. Mite pests of Honeybees. Annu. Rev. Ent., 27: 229-252. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.en.27.010182.001305

Eickwort, G.C., 1994. Evolution and life-history patterns of mites associated with bees. In: Mites. Ecological and evolutionary analyses of life-history patterns (eds. M.A. Houck). Chapman and Hall, New York. pp. 218-251. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2389-5_9

El-Badry, E.A. and Tawfik, M.S.F., 1966. Life cycle of the mite Adactylidium sp., Acarina: Pyemotidae), a predator of thrips eggs in the United Arab Republic. Annls entomol. Soc. Am., 59: 458-461. https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/59.3.458

Elzinga, R.J., 1995. Six new species of Trichocylliba (Acari: Uropodina) associated with Army ants. Acarologia, 36: 107-115.

Fain, A. and Chmielewski, W., 1987. The phoretichypopi of two acarid mites described from ants nest; Tyrophagus formicetorum Volgin (1948) and Lasioacarus nidicolus Kadzhaja and Sevastianor (1967). Acarologia, 28: 58.

Faroni, L.R.D’A., Guedes, R.N.C. and Matioli, A.L., 2001. Effect of temperature on development and population growth of Acarophenax lacunatus (Cross and Krantz) (Prostigmata: Acarophenacidae) on Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae). Biocontr. Sci. Technol., 11: 5-12. https://doi.org/10.1080/09583150020029682

Ferguson, S.H., 2001. Changes in trophic abundance of soil arthropods along a grass-shrub-forest gradient. Can. J. Zool., 79: 457-464. https://doi.org/10.1139/z01-002

Flechtmann, C.H.W., 2005. Suracarus inusitatus (Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) from the nest of a stingless bee from Brazil. Int. J. Acarol., 31: 39-43. https://doi.org/10.1080/01647950508684414

Goldarazena, A., Ochoa, R., Jordana, R. and Oconnor, B.M., 2001. Revision of the genus Adactylium Cross (Acari: Heterostigmata: Acarophenacidae), mites associated with thrips (Thysanoptera). Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., 103: 473-516.

Graham, W.M., 1980. Warehouse ecology studies of bagged maize in Kenya. II. Ecological observations of an infestation by Ephestia (Cadracautella) (Walk.) (Lepidoptera: Phycitidae). J. Stored Prod. Res., 6: 157-167. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-474X(70)90004-4

Greenberg, B., 1961. Mite orientation and survival on flies. Nature, 190: 107-107. https://doi.org/10.1038/190107a0

Haitlinger, R., 2000a. A new species of larval Dasitrombium Zhang, 1994 (Acari: Prostigmata: Neothrombiidae) parasitic on grass hoppers from Nicaragua. Syst. Parasitol., 47: 65-67. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006469919082

Haitlinger, R., 2002. Two new species of Leptus Latrellie. 1796 and the first record of
Leptus astrubali Haitlinger (Acari: Erythraeidae) from India and Sri Lanka. Syst. appl. Acarol., 7: 177-184. https://doi.org/10.11158/saa.7.1.20

Haitlinger, R., 2006b. Two new species of Eutrombidium Verdun, 1909 (Acari: Prostigmata: Eutrombidiidae) from Asia and a new host record for this genus. Syst. Parasitol., 67: 111-116. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11230-005-9025-3

Hartini, S. and Takaku, G., 2003. Japanese species of the mite genus Macrocheles (Arachnida: Acari: Gamasina: Macrochelidae). Zool. Sci., 20: 1261-1272. https://doi.org/10.2108/zsj.20.1261

Holte, A.E., Houck, M.A. and Collie, N.C., 2001. Potential role of parasitism in the evolution of mutualism in astigmatid mites: Hemisarcoptes cooremani as a model. Exp. appl. Acarol., 25: 97-107.

Husband, R.W. and Kurosa, K., 2013. Eutarsopolipus asiaticus sp. nov., (Acari: Podapolipidae), subelytral parasite of Chlaeniuscostiger chaudoir (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from Japan. Syst. appl. Acarol., 18: 61–70. https://doi.org/10.11158/saa.18.1.7

Husband, R.W. and Khaustov, A.A., 2004. A new species of Eutarsopolipus (Acari: Podapolipidae) from Calathus fuscipes (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from Ukraine. Int. J. Acarol., 30: 329-333. https://doi.org/10.1080/01647950408684401

Husband, R.W. and OConnor, B.M., 2003. A new genus and species of mite (Acari: Tarsonemina: Podapolipidae) ectoparasite of the Peruvian cockroach, Blaberus parabolicus (Walker) and Eublaberus distanti (Kirby) (Blattoidea: Blaberidae). Int. J. Acarol., 29: 331-338. https://doi.org/10.1080/01647950308684349

Husband, R.W. and Weatherby, C.A., 2005. Description of the male Auncinius (Acari: Podapolipidae) from Tefflus sp., Coleoptera: Carabidae) in Kenya and comparision of adult and larval females of Dorsipes auncinius from democratic republic of the Congo and South East Kenya. Int. J. Acarol., 31: 245-248. https://doi.org/10.1080/01647950508684427

Husband, R.W. and Martin, J.M., 2005. A new species of Podapolipidae (Acari: Heterostigmata), parasite of Aidemona azteca (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in Honduras and redescription of the genus Podapolipoides. Int. J. Acarol., 31: 237-244. https://doi.org/10.1080/01647950508684426

Husband, R.W. and Ramaraju, K., 2006. A new species of Regenpolipus (Acari: Podapolipidae) from Anthia sexguttata (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from Southern India and a pictorial key to genera of world podapolipidae from Carabidae. Int. J. Acarol., 32: 153-161. https://doi.org/10.1080/01647950608684454

Hussey, N.W., Read, W.H. and Hesling, J.J., 1969. The pests of protected cultivation. Arnold, London. pp. 187.

Khadem-Safdarkhani, H., Hajiqanbar, H., Riegler, M., Seeman, O. and Katlav, A., 2022. Two new phoretic species of heterostigmatic mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Neopygmephoridae and Scutacaridae on Australian Hydrophilid beetles (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae). Insects, 13: 483. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13050483

Khan, A.K., Bruce, H.R. and Muhammad, H.B., 2024. New records of soil mites from Pakistan with description of a new species (Acari: Laelapidae). Persian J. Acarol., 13: 51.

Kim, W., Lee, S., Choi, J., Sim, H., Kim, J., Choi, J. and Kim, K., 2006. A new canestriniid mite, Haitlingeria longilobata (Acari: Astigmata: Canestriniidae) parasitising Serrognathus platymelus castauicolor Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) from South Korea. Syst. Parasitol., 65: 13-18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11230-006-9035-9

Kolster, J.M., Franziska, K., Heller, K., Mercado-Salas, N.F. and Husemann, M., 2024. Host range of the phoretic mite genus Parasitellus (Acariformes: Parasitidae) on wild bees (Hymenoptera: Apiformes), with specific notes on its morphological and genetic diversity in Northern Germany. Integ. Syst. Stuttgart Contrib. Natl. Hist., 7: 31-42. https://doi.org/10.18476/2024.396542

Lachaud, J.P., Hans, K. and Gabriela, P.L., 2016. Macrodinychus mites as parasitoids of invasive ants: An overlooked parasitic association. Sci. Rep., 6. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep29995

Lindquist, E.E., 2005a. Synopsis of the described Mesostigmata of the world. http://insects.tamu.edu.research/collection/hallan/acari/mesostigmata1.htm.

Lindquist, E.E., 2005b. Synopsis of the described Astigmata of the world. http://insects.tamu.edu.research/collection/hallan/acari/astigmata1.htm.

Malabanan, J.M. and Corpus-Raros, L.A., 1998. Mites associated with Apis mellifera Linnaeus and Apis cerana Fabricius in the southern Tagolog region, Phillippines. Philipp. Ent., 12: 123-135.

Matheson, A., 1993. World bee health report. Bee World, 74: 176-212. https://doi.org/10.1080/0005772X.1993.11099183

Metwali, S.H., 1984. Survey on the family Scutacaridae (Acari) in Egypt. II. Acarologia, 25: 241-248.

Mohamed, A.M.A. and Hogg, D.B., 1997. New ectoparasitic mite of alfalfa weevil in Wisconsin. Midwest Biol. Contr. News, 7: 5.

Monzenga, L., Jean, C., Le, G., Guillaume, J., Keyisu, K. and Hannce, T., 2021. Phoretic mites associated with Rhynchophorus phoenicis Fabricius (1880) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in the Kisangani region, D.R. Congo. Acarologia, 61: 291-296. https://doi.org/10.24349/acarologia/20214431

Moser, J.C., 1976. Surveying mites (Acarina) phoretic on the Southern pine beetle (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) with sticky traps. Can. Entomol., 108: 809-813. https://doi.org/10.4039/Ent108809-8

Myles, T.G., 2002. Observations on mite (Acari) associated with the Eastern Subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). Sociobiology, 39: 277-280.

Navarro, R., Luna, C. and Juarej, R., 1987. Tests of different substrates for the mass multiplication of Sitotroga cerealella. Agron. Trop., 33: 111-121.

Noël, A., Yves, L.C. and Fanny, M., 2020. Varroa destructor: How does it harm Apis mellifera honey bees and what can be done about it? Emerg. Top. Life Sci., 4: 45-57. https://doi.org/10.1042/ETLS20190125

Ochoa, R. and OConnor, B.M., 2000. Revision of the genus Horstiella (Acari: Acaridae) mites associated with neotropical Epicharis bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Annls entomol. Soc. Am., 93: 713-737. https://doi.org/10.1603/0013-8746(2000)093[0713:ROTGHA]2.0.CO;2

Olynyk, J.E. and Freitag, R., 1979. Some phoretic association of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and mites (Acarina). Can. Entomol., 3: 333-335. https://doi.org/10.4039/Ent111333-3

Pajni, H.R. and Virk, N., 1982. Observations on some aspects of the biology of Tribolium castaneum Herbst., Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Res. Bull. Punjab Univ. Sci., 33: 155-158.

Palevsky, E., Soroker, V., Weintraub, P., Mansour, F., Abo-Moch, F. and Gerson, U., 2001. How species-specific is the phoretic relationship between the broad mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Acari: Tarsonemidae) and its insect hosts. Exp. appl. Acarol., 25: 217-224. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010645315630

Peswani, K.M., 1960. Eutrombidium trigonum Herman., Trombidiidae: Acarina) a predatory red mite of Heiroglyphus nigrorepletus Bolivar., Phadka. Indian J. Ent., 28: 411-412.

Pettis, J.S. and Wilson, W.T., 1996. Life history of the honey bee tracheal mite (Acari: Tarsonemidae). Annls Ent. Soc. Am., 89: 368-374. https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/89.3.368

Pugh, P.J.A., King, P.E. and Fordy, M.R., 1991. Larvae of Trombidium (Trombidium) poriceps (Oudemans) (Trombidiidae: Prostigmata: Acarina) parasitic on Chersodromia speculifera Walker (Empididae: Diptera: Hexapoda). Acarologia, 32: 23-27.

Radhakrishnan, V. and Ramaraju, K., 2017a. New honeybee mite, Blattisocius trigonae sp. nov., Acari: Laelapidae), phoretic on Trigona iridipennis (Apidae: Hymenoptera) from Tamil Nadu, India. J. Ent. Zool. Stud., 5: 841-844.

Radhakrishnan, V. and Ramaraju, K., 2017b. First record on Imparipes bengalensis sp. nov., Acari: Scutacaridae) on Labidura bengalensis Dohrn (Forficulidae: Dermaptera) from Tamil Nadu, India. J. Ent. Zool. Stud., 5: 1606-1611.

Radhakrishnan, V., Vijay, S., Baskaran, V., Allwin, L., Ravi, M., Indiragandhi, P., Periyar Ramasamy, D., Ramaraju, K. and Sivakumar, S.D., 2024a. Description of Uroobovella tripophinae sp. Nov., Acarina: Uropodidae) phoretic association with grasshopper Trilophidia turpis Walker (Acrididae: Orthoptera) from Tamil Nadu, India. Pakistan J. Zool., pp. 1-4. https://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.pjz/20240307080135

Radhakrishnan, V., Zawal, A. and Ramaraju, K., 2010. First record of parasitized Trithemis pallidinervis (kirby) from Tamil Nadu, India by Arrenurus larvae, with a description of larval morphology (Anisoptera: Libellulidae; Acari: Hydrachnidia). Odonatologica, 39: 243-252.

Radhakrishnan, V., Allwin, L., Vijay, S., Baskaran, V., Ravi, M., Sivakumar, S.D., Indiragandhi, P. and Ramaraju, K., 2024b. Description of Gamasellus onitiae sp. nov., Ologamasidae: Mesostigmata) from dung beetle, Onitis philemon (Scarabaeidae: Coleoptera) in India. J. Ent. Sci., 60. https://doi.org/10.18474/JES24-21

Ramaraju, K. and Mohanasundaram, M., 1996a. A new species of Alliphis and Eviphis (Acari: Eviphididae) from Tamil Nadu, India. Turk. Ent. Derg., 20: 163-173.

Ramaraju, K. and Mohanasundaram, M., 1996b. New species of Podapolipus, Podapolipoides and Tarsopolipus (Acari: Podapolipidae) from South India. Int. J. Acarol., 22(10): 33-41. https://doi.org/10.1080/01647959608684079

Ramaraju, K. and Mohanasundaram, M., 1996c. A new Podapolipus species (Acari: Podapolipidae) from Tamil Nadu, India. Int. J. Acarol., 25: 189-194. https://doi.org/10.1080/01647959908684152

Ramaraju, K. and Mohanasundaramm M., 1998a. Two new predacious mite species of Allothrombium (Trombidiidae: Prostigmata) from Tamil Nadu. J. Insect. Sci., 11: 110-113.

Ramaraju, K. and Mohanasundaram, M., 1998b. Two new species of Charletonia Oudemans (Acari: Erythraeidae) from Tamil Nadu, India. J. Ent. Res., 22: 207-212.

Ramaraju, K. and Mohanasundaram, M., 1999a. A new hypopus of Calvolia longireticulatae (Acari: Winterschmidtiidae) from Tamil Nadu, India. J. Ent. Res., 23: 47-49.

Ramaraju, K. and Mohanasundaram, M., 1999b. Two new cheyletid mites (Acari: Cheyletidae) from Tamil Nadu, India. Int. J. Acarol., 25: 121-127. https://doi.org/10.1080/01647959908683623

Ramaraju, K. and Mohanasundaram, M., 2001. New phoretic mites (Acari: Chaetodactylidae) on carpenter bees from Tamil Nadu, India. Int. J. Acarol., 27: 107-112. https://doi.org/10.1080/01647950108684237

Ramaraju, K. and Suresh, S., 1999. A new species of Podapolipoides (Acari: Podapolipidae) from Tamil Nadu, India. Int. J. Acarol., 25: 195-199. https://doi.org/10.1080/01647959908684153

Revainera, P.D., Silvina, Q., Gregorio, F.L., Facundo, M.A., Mariano, L., Alberto, H.A., Santiago, P., Martín, J.E. and Matías, D.M., 2020. Phoretic mites on South American bumblebees (Bombus spp.) as parasite carriers: A historical input. Apidologie, 51: 455–464. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-020-00733-w

Saboori, A., Cakmak, I. and Gonbalani, G.N., 2004. A new species of larval Erythraeus (Zaracarus) (Acari: Erythraeidae) from Turkey. Int. J. Acarol., 30: 131-136. https://doi.org/10.1080/01647950408684381

Seeman, O.D. and Katlav, A., 2024. Podapolipid mites (Acari: Heterostigmata): Key to genera, biogeographical history and description of four new Australian species of Eutarsopolipus. Zootaxa, 5448: 301-347. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5448.3.1

Seeman, O.D. and Walter, D.E., 2023. Phoresy and mites: More than just a free ride. Annu. Rev. Ent., 68: 69–88. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-ento-120220-013329

Sharma, G.D., Drooz, A.T. and Treat, A.E., 1983. A new species of Callidosoma
(Acari: Prostigmata: Erythraeidae) parasite on adults of Anacamptodes vellivolata (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) as a larva, and predator of eggs of Lepidoptera as deutonymph and adult. Annls Ent. Soc. Am., 76: 120-129. https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/76.1.120

Soroker, V., Nelson, D.R., Bahav, O., Reneh, S., Yablonski, S. and Palevsky, E., 2003. Whitefly wax as a cue for phoresy in the broad mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Acari: Tarsonemidae), Chemoecology, 13: 163-168. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00049-003-0243-3

Southcott, R.V., 1986. Studies on the taxonomy and biology of the subfamily Trombidinae (Acarina: Trombidiidae) with a critical revision of the genera. Aust. J. Zool. Suppl. Ser., 123: 1-116. https://doi.org/10.1071/AJZS123

Treat, A.E., 1975. Mites of moths and butterflies. Cornell Univ. Press, Ithaca. pp. 362.

Vishnupriya, R. and Mohanasundaram, M., 1988. Mites associated with insects in Tamil Nadu, India. Entomology, 13: 247-257.

Whitsel, R.H. and Schoepphenr, R.F., 1973. Mites associated with aquatic and semi-aquatic Diptera from sanmateo county, California. Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., 75: 71-77.

Wiggins, G.J., Grant, J.F. and Welbourn, W.C., 2001. Allothrombium mitchelli (Acari: Trombidiidae) in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Incidence, seasonality and predation on Beech scale (Homoptera: Eriococcidae). Annls Ent. Soc. Am., 94: 896-901. https://doi.org/10.1603/0013-8746(2001)094[0896:AMATIT]2.0.CO;2

Wohltmann, A. and Wendt, F.E., 1996. Observations on the biology of two hygrobiotictrombidioid mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Parasitengonae), with special regard to host recognition and parasitism tactics. Acarologia, 37: 31-44.

Zdarkova, E., Lukes, J. and Horak, P., 2003. Compatibility of Cheyletus eruditus (Schrank) (Acari: Cheyletidae) and Cephalonomia tarsalis (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) in biological control of stored grain pests. Pl. Prot. Sci., 39: 29-34. https://doi.org/10.17221/3824-PPS

Zhang Z.Q., 1995. The genus Neophanolophus (Acari: Smarididae) and description of a new species parasitic on an Erythroneura leaf hopper (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in India. Orient. Insects, 29: 371-379. https://doi.org/10.1080/00305316.1995.10433746

Zhang Z.Q., 2000. Ramsayella, new genus of Erythraeinae (Acari: Erythraeidae) parasitic on grasshoppers in New Zealand. Int. J. Acarol., 26: 33-40. https://doi.org/10.1080/01647950008683633

Zhang Z.Q., 2001. Description of Podothrombium gossypium from cotton in Jiangxi, China, (Acari: Trombidiidae). Acta Zoot. Sin., 26: 172-178.