mite preparations for identifications - biodiversity mite...preservation mite stored in alcohol mite...

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

Preservation Mite

stored in alcohol

Mite soaked overnight in 90%

lactic acid (on warmer)

Mite placed on slide in PVA, coverslip

edges sealed with DPX

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

Identification What level?

- Order (Collembola or Mite)

- Lineage (Mesostigmata/Oribatida)

- Supercohort

(Macropyline/Brachypyline)

- Cohort (Palaeosomata/Mixonomata)

- Superfamily (Phthiracaroidea/Lohmannioidea)

Methods of identification

Computer based key Lucid

Available online

Major mite taxa home page

http://itp.lucidcentral.org/id/mites/invasive_mite/Invasive_Mite_Identification/key/Major_Mite_taxa/Media/Html/Home_Major_Mite_Taxa.html

Unfortunately doesnt cover that much

Order: Opilioacarida, Holothyrida, and Ixodida; Suborder: Mesostigmata;

Supercohort: Oribatida and Prostigmata.

http://itp.lucidcentral.org/id/mites/invasive_mite/Invasive_Mite_Identification/key/Major_Mite_taxa/Media/Html/Home_Major_Mite_Taxa.htmlhttp://itp.lucidcentral.org/id/mites/invasive_mite/Invasive_Mite_Identification/key/Major_Mite_taxa/Media/Html/Home_Major_Mite_Taxa.htmlhttp://itp.lucidcentral.org/id/mites/invasive_mite/Invasive_Mite_Identification/key/Major_Mite_taxa/Media/Html/Home_Major_Mite_Taxa.htmlhttp://itp.lucidcentral.org/id/mites/invasive_mite/Invasive_Mite_Identification/key/Major_Mite_taxa/Media/Html/Home_Major_Mite_Taxa.html

Different Lucid Key

Greater scope

- COHORT

Mesostigmata, Oribatid and Prostigmata.

http://keys.lucidcentral.org/key-server/player.jsp?keyId=42

http://keys.lucidcentral.org/key-server/player.jsp?keyId=42http://keys.lucidcentral.org/key-server/player.jsp?keyId=42http://keys.lucidcentral.org/key-server/player.jsp?keyId=42http://keys.lucidcentral.org/key-server/player.jsp?keyId=42http://keys.lucidcentral.org/key-server/player.jsp?keyId=42http://keys.lucidcentral.org/key-server/player.jsp?keyId=42http://keys.lucidcentral.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 / cant see it easy to make a mistake and misidentify

Dichotomous keys

Greater depth

Orders

Lineages

Families

Genus

Species

Acari

Parasitiformes Acariformes

Sub-Class

Super-Order

Order Opilloacarida Holothrida Mesostigmata Ixodida Sarcoptiformes Trombidiformes

Sub-Order Sejida

Trigynaspida Monogynaspida Endeostigmata

Oribatida

Sphaerolichida

Prostigmata

Super-Cohort

Palaeosomata

Parhyposomata

Brachypylina Enarthronota

Mixonomata Desmonomata

Cohort

Cercomegistina

Antennophorina

Microgynina

Heatherellina

Heterozerconina

Uropodina

Gamasina

Astigmata

Labidostommatides

Eupodides

Anystides Eleutherengonides

Anystina

Parasitengonina

Raphignathina

Heterostigmata

Sub-Cohort / Infra-Order

Arctacariae

Parasitiae

Epicriiae

Dermanyssiae

Pycnonticae

Poronoticae

Euptyctima

Dichosomata

Trachytidae; Dithinozerconidae; Polyaspididae; Protodinychidae; Dinychidae; Trachyuropodidae; Trematuridae; Oplitidae; Metagynellidae; Uropodidae

Microgyniidae

Epicriidae; Zerconidae

Parasitidae Antennophorida; Celaenopsidae Veigaiidae; Ologamasidae;

Rhodacaridae; Digamasellidae; Macrochelidae; Pachylaelapidae; Eviphididae; Podocinidae; Laelapidae; Amerosidae; Phytoseidae; Ascidae

Sejida

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; 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.

Canestriniidae; Histiostomatidae; Winterschmidtiidae; Glycophagidae; Acaridae

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.

Canestriniidae; Histiostomatidae; Winterschmidtiidae; Glycophagidae; Acaridae

Alicohagiidae; Nanorchestidae; Alycidae; Terpnacaridae

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)

Three main orders

Mesostigmata

Oribatids

Prostigmata

45,000 described spp

Approx 64 spp in 1 grassland

Stable Community Composition: Mites

11%

23%

35%

31%

Diversity mites in grassland (+/- 0.05 s.e.)

ASTIGMATA MESOSTIGMATA

ORIBATID PROSTIGMATA

16%

14%

61%

9%

Diversity of mites in willow woodland

(+/- 0.05 s.e.)

ASTIGMATA MESOSTIGMATA

ORIBATID PROSTIGMATA

Oribatid

Soil Mite or Tick?!

Mesostigmata Ixodida

Parasitiformes

Soil Mite or Tick?!

Mesostigmata Ixodida

Parasitiformes

- Smaller than ~ 5mm - Peritremes and stigmatal opening

present (at level of coxae II-IV) - Four pairs of setae on subcapitulum - Apotele with 2 or 3 tines - Tritosternum present - Female covered by 1-4 epigynal

shields

- Greater than ~5mm - Peritremes and stigmatal opening

absent - Subcapitulum with denticulate

hypostome - Palps usually 4 or fewer segments,

without apotele - Tritosternum absent

Soil Mite or Tick?!

Mesostigmata Ixodida

Parasitiformes

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 co