An ant-associated mesostigmatid mite in Baltic amber

Jason A Dunlop; Jeno Kontschan; David E Walter; Vincent Perrichot

doi:10.1098/rsbl.2014.0531

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An ant-associated mesostigmatid mite in Baltic amber

Journal article

Peer reviewed

An ant-associated mesostigmatid mite in Baltic amber

Jason A Dunlop, Jeno Kontschan, David E Walter and Vincent Perrichot

Biology Letters, Vol.10(9)

2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2014.0531

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Abstract

arachnida

parasitiformes

hymenoptera

myrmecophily

fossil record

Fossil mesostigmatid mites (Acari: Parasitiformes: Mesostigmata) are extremely rare, and specimens from only nine families, including four named species, have been described so far. A new record of Myrmozercon sp. described here from Eocene (ca 44-49 Myr) Baltic amber represents the first-and so far only-fossil example of the derived, extant family Laelapidae. Significantly, modern species of this genus are habitually myrmecophilous and the fossil mite described here is preserved attached to the head of the dolichoderine ant Ctenobethylus goepperti (Mayr, 1868). It thus offers the oldest unequivocal evidence for an ecological association between mesostigmatid mites and social insects in the order Hymenoptera.

Details

Title: An ant-associated mesostigmatid mite in Baltic amber
Authors: Jason A Dunlop (Author) - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Germany
Jeno Kontschan (Author) - Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungary
David E Walter (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering
Vincent Perrichot (Author) - Universite de Rennes, France
Publication details: Biology Letters, Vol.10(9); 4
Publisher: Royal Society Publishing
Date published: 2014
DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2014.0531
ISSN: 1744-9561
Organisation Unit: School of Science and Engineering - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99449080202621
Output Type: Journal article

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