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Description and Mating Behaviour of Allothrombium lerouxi, new species, (Acarina: Trombidiidae), a Predator of Small Arthropods in Quebec Apple Orchards
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 May 2012
Extract
The genus Allothrombium Berlese, 1903, is an heterogeneous assemblage of about 45 species of mites, of which 13 species have been described from both the Palaearctic and Ethiopian realms, nine from the Australian and three from the Oriental. Five species are Neotropical, while to date only two species have been reported from the Nearctic. A. brevitarsum (Berlese), 1888, A. sericoideum Berlese, 1910, A. crassicomum Berlese, 1910, and A. succinctum Berlese, 1917, are listed by Thor and Willmann (1941) from South America; A. metae Boshell and Kerr, 1942 was described from Colombia and subsequently recorded from Panama (Michener, 1946). Ewing (1909, 1917) described two species from the United States: A. missouriense (Ewing), 1909, from Missouri and A. pulvinum Ewing, 1917, from Illinois. The characters of the mite described below are distinct from those of the Palaearctic species. Its affinities appear to be to the Neotropical and Nearctic forms but it differs from them in the following particulars: from A. sericoideum, A. crassicomum, A. succinctum and A. metae in having shorter body setae clothed with longer pectinations; from A. brevitarsum in having a wider crista metopica and more slender pedipalps; from A. missouriense in having a body over three times greater in length and width. A. pulvinum is similar to the species herein described in some respects but as the original description does not mention characters such as crista metopica or tarsus length it is imposible to be certain of this. Furthermore, no quantitative measurements are given save overall length (3.30 mm.) and width (2.50 mm.). These measurements fall within the ranges observed for the species described below but should not be used as absolute criteria because of pronounced intraspecific variability produced by the integumental flexibility. Howard (1918) figures the pedipalps, chelicerae and body setae of A. pulvinum; the former appendages appear much more slender and elongate, while the body setae possess shorter pectinations. Considering as well the facts of geographic distribution and habitat, I am inclined to consider the two as distinct species.
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