Management of mould mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) (Acarina: Acaridae): A case study in stored animal feed

An integrated pest management (IPM) strategy was developed to manage infestations of mould mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) in stored animal feed, due to the increasing importance of these mites as pests of feed processing and storage facilities in Australia. This strategy involved several aspects such as limiting the moisture content of the processed feed to 12%, admixing vegetable oil to some feed (2% w/w), strict hygiene practice in and around the processing and storage facility, and rejection of infested grain at the receiving point. Additionally, seven contact insecticides and the fumigant phosphine were evaluated for their effectiveness against the mould mite to assess their potential integration into the IPM strategy. Among them, pyrethrin synergised with piperonyl butoxide, the insect growth regulator s-methoprene and a newly developed bacterium-based material spinosad controlled the mites. Moreover, the fumigant phosphine at 1 mg/litre over a six days exposure period also controlled these mites. So far, the IPM strategy, without any involvement of insecticides or fumigant has resulted in a complete eradication of the mite population in this particular case of stored animal feed.

Incidence of arthropods in dried fish products

Arthropods have been recorded from various types of insect infested dried fish products stored in the laboratory. They have been identified as Suidesia nesbetti Hughes (Acaridae) infesting dried anchovies and dried mussel, Dermestes ater Dermestidae coleoptera) attacking wet cured sardines and smoked catfish and Stegobium panicium infesting smoked catfish and dried mussel. Incidences of Stegobium panicium in dry fish products and Suidesia nesbetti in dried mussel has been recorded for the first time.

Actinedida e Acaridida (Arachnida: Acari) edáficos de Piracicaba, estado de São Paulo

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Record of mimetism between mites and eggs of the neotropical termite Cornitermes cumulans (Isoptera : Termitidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Development of a methodology of collection and rearing of the invasive ant Paratrechina longicornis Latreille (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the laboratory.

The genus Paratrechina is a cosmopolitan group, with some species invading residences and hospitals. In Brazil, the most important species are: Paratrechina fulva and Paratrechina longicornis. In spite of the importance of these species as urban pests, there is a lack of information on their biology, since studies on urban ants are rather recent in our country and also due to the difficulty of keeping colonies of P. longicornis in the laboratory. Therefore, the present study was aimed at developing two methodologies: one suitable for collecting and another for keeping colonies of P. longicornis in the laboratory. Concerning the collections, four methodologies were analyzed, while for keeping colonies in the laboratory, the types of containers where the colonies would be stored as well as the food items that would comprise their diet were evaluated. The most adequate methodology for collecting was the one performed using an entomological aspirator. Regarding the maintenance of colonies, the most adequate container was the test tube with cotton steeped in water, while in the tests on food attractiveness, the workers showed preference for sugary liquids and dead insects, mainly termites. Moreover, two infestations of mites from the families Acaridae, Macrochelidae (genus Macrocheles) and Uropodidae in the colonies of P. longicornis have occurred, which caused a significant mortality of the colonies, due to an unbalance in the social behavior of the ants.

Predation potential and biology of Protogamasellopsis posnaniensis Wisniewski & Hirschmann (Acari: Rhodacaridae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Diversidade de ácaros em cultivo orgânico de citros e na vegetação natural circundante, e perspectivas para a criação massal de Iphiseiodes zuluagai (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Efeitos do fogo recorrente na serrapilheira: consequências para artrópodes, decomposição e mineralização de carbono e nitrogênio em uma floresta de transição da Amazônia

Os artrópodes possuem uma importante função no ecossistema, pois participam da ciclagem de nutrientes, decomposição, trituração e mistura da serrapilheira. Os incêndios florestais, cada vez mais freqüentes na Amazônia, destroem a camada de serrapilheira e os artrópodes que nela vivem. O objetivo desta tese é investigar como o fogo recorrente atua sobre este processo, investigando a abundância e densidade de artrópodes de serrapilheira e as taxas de decomposição da matéria orgânica e a mineralização de C e N em uma floresta de transição da Amazônia no município de Querência, estado do Mato Grosso. Para tanto, uma parcela de 50 ha de floresta primária (500 x 1000 m) foi queimada experimentalmente a cada ano a partir de 2004, e outra área de mesmo tamanho foi mantida intacta para controle. Os artrópodes foram coletados aleatoriamente em 40 pontos distribuídos dentro da parcela, por meio de armadilhas de solo (“pitfalls”) e em 40 pontos sendo extraídos da serrapilhaira através de funis de Berlese. As coletas foram realizadas em fevereiro, abril (estação chuvosa), junho e agosto (estação seca) de 2007, após a terceira queima experimental anual. Os artrópodes foram analisados até o nível taxonômico de ordem e as formigas foram identificadas até gênero. O estudo de decomposição foi feito com 480 bolsas se serrapilheira distribuídas aleatoriamente, com 240 em cada parcela, quatro meses após a última queimada. As bolsas foram confeccionadas com malhas de nylon com aberturas de 2 mm (malha fina), e em metade delas foram feitos três orifícios de 1 cm² de cada lado, permitindo a entrada de macroartrópodes (malha grossa). Em cada bolsa foi inserido cerca de 10 g de folhas secas. A cada dois meses 30 bolsas de cada tipo de malha foi retirada de cada parcela, totalizando duas retiradas na estação seca e duas na estação chuvosa. As bolsas foram secas em estufa e pesadas novamente. A diferença entre peso seco inicial e final representou a taxa de decomposição. A cada retirada de um lote de bolsas de cada tipo de malha e de cada parcela, uma subamostra (10) destas bolsas foram selecionadas aleatoriamente para análises de análise de C e N das folhas. Os artrópodes apresentaram fortes diferenças sazonais. Na estação seca os colêmbolas ocorreram em menor abundância e as formigas ocorreram em maior abundância. Concomitantemente aos efeitos de sazonalidade, os artrópodes apresentaram diversas respostas ao fogo, com alguns grupos apresentando aumento e outros redução em abundância e densidade em diferentes datas pós-fogo, em comparação a floresta controle. Os ortópteros se destacaram por terem apresentado maior abundância em todas as datas pós-fogo em comparação a floresta controle. Em geral os macropredadores freduziram sua abundância e densidade após o fogo (formigas, besouros, dentre outros) e os engenheiros de ecossistema e decompositores foram mais abundantes (baratas, ácaros, dentre outros) em relação à floresta controle. As formigas também apresentaram diferenças entre as parcelas: maior diversidade e modificações na composição de gêneros durante a estação seca, pois o fogo favoreceu o aumento em abundância de formigas generalistas. As taxas de decomposição na parcela queimada foram menores do que na parcela controle, e as bolsas de malha fina com menores taxas de decomposição do que as bolsas de malha grossa. As taxas de C e N também foram diferentes entre as parcelas, e a razão C/N, na parcela queimada se manteve estável em todas as datas pós-fogo, enquanto na parcela controle houve declínio gradual durante o experimento seguindo as estações. Estes resultados indicam que o fogo modifica a fauna de serrapilheira, reduzindo diversas populações de artrópodes e modificando a composição deste grupo. As bolsas de malha fina indicam que a exclusão de macroartrópodes reduzem a taxa de decomposição da matéria orgânica e que os microartrópodes são mais prejudicados. O fogo também reduz o processo de mineralização de C e N já que a razão C/N se manteve estável na parcela queimada. Este estudo demonstra que o fogo recorrente tem forte efeito sobre artrópodes de serrapilheira e ciclagem de nutrientes em florestas de transição da Amazônia.

Life cycle of Cosmolaelaps jaboticabalensis (Acari: Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) on Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and two factitious food sources

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Phytophagous and fungivorous mites (Acari: Prostigmata, Astigmata) from Peru

This is an updated checklist of phytophagous and fungivorous mites from Peru (Prostigmata: Tetranychidae, Tarsonemidae, Tenuipalpidae, Tydeidae, Eriophyidae, Diptilomiopidae; Astigmata: Acaridae, Winterschmidtiidae). The data are mainly based on an extensive survey carried out in the Peruvian territory in 2006, as well as on the new records of mites from minor collections and previous records. In addition to the new data collection, the presence of predators associated with the phytophagous mites collected is noted.

Two Loci on Chromosome 5 Are Associated with Serum IgE Levels in Labrador Retrievers

Crosslinking of immunoglobulin E antibodies (IgE) bound at the surface of mast cells and subsequent mediator release is considered the most important trigger for allergic reactions. Therefore, the genetic control of IgE levels is studied in the context of allergic diseases, such as asthma, atopic rhinitis, or atopic dermatitis (AD). We performed genome-wide association studies in 161 Labrador Retrievers with regard to total and allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels. We identified a genome-wide significant association on CFA 5 with the antigen-specific IgE responsiveness to Acarus siro. We detected a second genome-wide significant association with respect to the antigen-specific IgE responsiveness to Tyrophagus putrescentiae at a different locus on chromosome 5. A. siro and T. putrescentiae both belong to the family Acaridae and represent so-called storage or forage mites. These forage mites are discussed as major allergen sources in canine AD. No obvious candidate gene for the regulation of IgE levels is located under the two association signals. Therefore our studies offer a chance of identifying a novel mechanism controlling the host's IgE response.

Free living astigmatid mites (Astigmatina): new taxa, rearing and use for mesostigmatid (Mesostigmata) predatory mite production

The cohort Astigmatina is divided in two major groups: Psoroptidia, composed mainly by feather and fur mites, and Non-psoroptidia, a dominant component of the acarofauna in ephemeral habitats. In these environments Astigmatina usually are saprophages or feed on fungi or bacteria. Astigmatina protonymphs undergo a complete reorganization of the body structure leading to the production of heteromorphic deutonymphs, generally specialized for dispersion through phoresy using arthropods and vertebrates as phoronts. Although most Astigmatina occur in natural environments, some species live in anthropic environments, such as food deposits, where some of them became pests; some Astigmatina infest subterraneous plant organs. Despite their economic and ecological importance, studies on the diversity and taxonomy of Astigmatina in Brazil have been rare over the last decades. The general objective of this thesis was to collaborate to the knowledge of the diversity and to evaluate the potential practical uses of these mites in Brazil. For this, new genera and species were described, method for rearing dust mites was studied and the efficiency of Astigmatina as prey for edaphic predators was evaluated. A new species of Thyreophagus (Astigmatina: Acaridae) was described based on specimens collected in Brazil, the association of three other species of this genus with stored food was reviewed and a key to all species of this genus was prepared. The genus Neotropacarus (Astigmatina: Acaridae), commonly found on plant leaves, was reviewed with the redescription of two species and description of new species collected in Brazil and from the Philippines. Two new genera and seven new species of Acaridae associated with the bee family Apidae was described and a key to Acaridae genera in subfamily Horstiinae was prepared. Several species of Astigmatina were evaluated as prey for predatory mites Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Womersley) (Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) and Protogamasellopsis zaheri Abo-Shnaf, Castilho and Moraes (Mesostigmata: Rhodacaridae), which oviposited on all evaluated astigmatids, with Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) and Aleuroglyphus ovatus (Tropeau) (Acaridae) being the most suitable prey. Seven foods and two development period, 30 and 60 days, after the introduction of 400 females of two important dust mite species, Blomia tropicalis van Bronswijk, de Cock e Oshima and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Trouessart) were evaluate. With the most suitable foods, the population growth were higher than 20.2 and 15.3 for B. tropicalis and D. pteronyssinus, respectively.

Acariens ...

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