Halolaelaps sexclavatus, (Oudemans, 1902)

Kontschán, Jenő & Hornok, Sándor, 2019, New records, a completed list and identification key of mites (Acari) associated with the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), Acarologia 59 (1), pp. 3-11 : 4

Halolaelps sexclavatus ( Oudemans, 1902)

Distinguishing characters of the deutonymphs. All dorsal setae short, smooth and needle-like. Ventral setae also smooth and needle-like, three pairs club-like setae visible on the gnathosoma (setae h4 or subcoxal setae), and on coxae II and III ( Figure 1 , C & D).

Notes. This is the first report of this mite in association with the stable fly. The deutonymph of H. sexclavatus is known to be present on the body of various insect species (like: beetles Bahrami et al. 2011) or in bird nests ( Krištofík et al 2013), but it was never collected from stable flies. Nevertheless, McGarry & Baker (1997) listed a Halolaelaps species from this fly species in the UK. Halolaelps sexclavatus is not a parasitic mite: this species occurs in compost and dung, therefore we suppose that this species uses the host only for dispersal between different sites.

Figures

Figure 1 Mites associated with stable fly I: A – dorsal view ofMacrocheles subbadius(Berlese, 1904), female, B – ventral view; C – dorsal view of Halolaelps sexclavatus(Oudemans, 1902), deutonymph, D – ventral view. Scale bars inႜζ.