Ameroseius fungicola Masan , 1998

Masan, Peter, 2017, A revision of the family Ameroseiidae (Acari, Mesostigmata), with some data on Slovak fauna, ZooKeys 704, pp. 1-228 : 1

Ameroseius fungicola Masan, 1998

Plates 11 , 12 , 13

Ameroseius fungicolis Mašán, 1998: 645.

Ameroseius fungicolis . - Kazemi and Rajaei 2013: 65.

Ameroseius (Ameroseius) fungicolis . - Hajizadeh et al. 2013a: 150.

Type depository.

Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.

Type locality and habitat.

Slovakia, Podunajská Nížina Lowland, Brunovce, in floodplain forest, on fruiting body of willow bracket fungus, Phellinus igniarius ( Basidiomycota, Hymenochaetaceae ).

Published material from Slovakia.

Cerová Vrchovina Highland: Teplý Vrch Village, Hikóriový Porast Forest ( Fenďa and Mašán 2009). Malé Karpaty Mts.: Bratislava Capital, Železná Studienka Forest ( Mašán 1998). Trnavská Pahorkatina Wold: Brunovce Village; Horná Streda Village ( Mašán 1998).

New material from Slovakia.

Ipeľská Kotlina Basin: 141 ♀♀ - 23. 6. 1997, Ipeľské Predmostie Village , Ryžovisko Forest, willow-poplar flood-plain forest ( Salici-Populetum ), wood-destroying fungus Trametes sp., altitude 130 m, leg. P. Mašán ; 5 ♀♀ - 24. 6. 1997, Ipeľské Predmostie Village , pasture in degraded willow-poplar flood-plain forest ( Salici-Populetum ), wood-destroying fungus Trametes sp., altitude 130 m, leg. P. Mašán ; 17 ♀♀ - 13. 11. 2015, Santovka Village , park, growth of horse-chestnut ( Aesculus hippocastanum ), on unidentified wood-destroying fungi, altitude 155 m, leg. P. Mašán. Malé Karpaty Mts. : 36 ♀♀ - 7. 4. 1995, Bratislava Capital , Železná Studienka Forest, broad-leaved deciduous forest, individual collecting on wood-destroying fungus ( Trametes sp.), altitude 350 m, leg. P. Mašán. Považský Inovec Mts. : 20 ♀♀ - 17. 5. 1997, Hradok Village , Hrádocká Dolina Valley, broad-leaved deciduous forest, individual collecting on wood-destroying fungi, altitude 450 m, leg. P. Mašán ; 32 ♀♀, 11 ♂♂ - 26. 5. 2013, Luka Village , Srnia Dolina Valley, alluvium of brook, wood-destroying fungus ( Phellinus sp.) growing on old walnut tree ( Juglans regia ), altitude 175 m, leg. P. Mašán ; 136 ♀♀, 41 ♂♂ - 1. 11. 2013, Luka Village , garden, wood-destroying fungus ( Phellinus sp.) growing on old walnut tree ( Juglans regia ), altitude 175 m, leg. P. Mašán. Trnavská Pahorkatina Wold : 49 ♀♀ - 15. 4. 1995, Horna Streda Village , Váh River (alluvium), degraded willow-poplar flood-plain forest ( Salici-Populetum ), individual collecting on wood-destroying fungus Trametes sp., altitude 170 m, leg. P. Mašán ; 7 ♀♀ - 18. 5. 1997, Brunovce Village , Váh River (alluvium), degraded willow-poplar flood-plain forest ( Salici-Populetum ), individual collecting on wood-destroying fungus Trametes sp., altitude 170 m, leg. P. Mašán.

Remarks.

Ameroseius fungicola appears to be a specialised mycetobiont primarily colonising the fruiting bodies of the willow bracket fungus, Phellinus igniarius , where it occurs on the active hymenophore. This polypore fungus is common mostly throughout the temperate Northern Hemisphere, where it grows mainly on living willow, poplar and aspen. A. fungicola is a very common and abundant species, often with several hundred mites in a single fungus, occasionally including all post-embryonic stages.

Figures

Plate 11. Ameroseius fungicola, female, dorsal idiosoma.

Plate 12. Ameroseius fungicola, female, ventral idiosoma.

Plate 13. Ameroseius fungicola, female. A Dorsal idiosoma with legs B Sternal and epigynal shield C Hypostome, ventral view D Anal shield E Chelicera, lateral view F Epistome.