Diagnosis: These mites are parasitic on lizards, with the exception of Pimeliaphilus podapolipophagus Tragardh which is a parasite of cockroaches, and P. isometri Cunliffe, found on a scorpion. They are red and small to medium in size (from 0.160 to 1.30 mm. long). Those found on lizards are flat, baglike in outline, and about twice as wide as they are long. The body setae range from few to many and are usually rodlike, leaflike, or fanlike. A shield, either whole or divided, may or may not be present on the propodosoma. Also the pterygosomids may or may not possess a pair of lenslike eyes. The gnathosoma is terminal or deeply inserted into the body and the chelicerae are narrow, with a distorted, movable chela in the lizard parasites and a sharp, piercing, movable chela in the cockroach parasites. At the base of the gnathosoma are prominent peritremes. The palpus has a thumb-claw complex but the thumb is not prominent. The coxae are located anteriorly in the lizard parasites while they are more normal in those parasitizing the cockroach. The tarsi have a pair of claws, each with a pair of tenent hairs. No genital suckers are present and the anal opening is posterior.
The Pterygosomidae, for the most part, are parasites of lizards, usually being found beneath the scales of their host. According to Hirst 1925: "When more than one form of Geckobia is found on the same host, one form usually lives beneath the ventral scales and is flattened, being considerably wider than long and having scales instead of hairs on the venter. The second form occurring on the same host is usually to be discovered between the claw and pad of the toes, between the laminae of the pad, or between the toes themselves: this form is normally practically spherical in shape and has hairs instead of scales on the venter." Lawrence 1935 states: "Generally speaking, therefore, mite parasites are absent (i) in families of lizards in which scales are entirely absent or which lack imbricating scales, (ii) in genera where degeneration of the limbs has taken place, whether these degenerate forms are burrowing as in the Scincidae, or surface living as in the Zonuridae and Gerrhosauridae, and (iii) in certain isolated species of genera in which the majority of forms are parasitized."
In the United States Pimeliaphilus podapolipophagus Tragardh has proved to be a pest in cockroach-rearing cages, at times causing enough damage to hamper rearing. Geckobiella texana (Banks) was described from Sceloporus fioridanus in Texas. Hirstiella trombidiformes Berlese is known from San Luis Potosi, Mexico, although its host is unknown.
Very little is known about the biology of most of these species. The life cycle of all Pterygosomidae consists of larva, nymphochrysalis, nymph, teleiochrysalis, and adult in the female mites, but only the larva, chrysalis, and adult stages in the male mites. Lawrence 1935 figures the larval, nymphal, and adult stages of Zonurobia cordylensis Lawrence. The immature forms are very similar to the adult; larva and nymph each possess a small eye plate or shield containing one seta; the adult does not have such a plate but does have the two eyes. In Pimeliaphilus podapolipophagus Tragardh, a parasite of cockroaches, all stages are very similar and differences are small. Although this species has been placed in other families by various workers, it is truly related to the lizard parasites, being the more primitive, free-living type. P. isometri Cunliffe is a parasite of scorpions in the Philippine Islands.
Pterygosomatidae is a family of prostigs in the order Trombidiformes. There are at least two genera and two described species in Pterygosomatidae.[1][2][3][4][5]
Pterygosomatidae is a family of prostigs in the order Trombidiformes. There are at least two genera and two described species in Pterygosomatidae.
Pterygosomatidae Oudemans, 1910
Синонимы Типовой род
Pterygosomatidae (лат.) — семейство простигматных клещей из надсемейства Pterygosomatoidea (или Anystoidea; инфраотряд или когорта Anystina). Более 150 видов[1]. Встречаются повсеместно. Паразиты ящериц[2][3]. Древнейшие представители семейства были обнаружены в раннемеловом французском янтаре[4].
Красного цвета клещи микроскопического размера. Длина от 0,16 до 1,30 мм. Тело расширенное, его ширина вдвое больше длины. Лапки с парой коготков[3].
Известны, в основном, как паразиты ящериц (Agamidae, Iguanidae, Xantusiidae, Eublepharidae, Gekkonidae, Pygopodidae, Tropiduridae). Два вида паразиты членистоногих: Pimeliaphilus podapolipophagus Tragardh обнаружен на тараканах, а вид Pimeliaphilus isometri Cunliffe найден на скорпионах[3]. Вид Bharatoliaphilus punjabensis Prasad, 1975 — паразит кольчатой горлицы[5].
В жизненном цикле Pterygosomidae наблюдаются половые различия и выделяют следующие стадии развития: личинка, два типа нимф (nymphochrysalis и собственно нимфа), teliochrysalis, и взрослая стадия у самок; но только личинка, chrysalis и взрослая стадия у самцов (Baker and Wharton, 1952)[6].
13 родов, более 150 видов[1]. Согласно традиционным взглядам семейство Pterygosomatidae принадлежит к когорте Anystina (Krantz, 1978[7]; Kethley, 1982). Однако, ещё Кетли (Kethley, 1982)[8], заметил сходство между этими клещами и представителями когорты Eleutherengona. На трёх диаграммах, показывающих взаимоотношения среди высших таксонов подотряда Prostigmata, предложенных Кетли (Kethley в работе Norton et al., 1993)[9] это семейство выводится из клады eleutherengone. Семейство было выделено в 1910 году голландским акарологом Антоном Корнелисом Удемансом.
Pterygosomatidae (лат.) — семейство простигматных клещей из надсемейства Pterygosomatoidea (или Anystoidea; инфраотряд или когорта Anystina). Более 150 видов. Встречаются повсеместно. Паразиты ящериц. Древнейшие представители семейства были обнаружены в раннемеловом французском янтаре.
