A further revision of Charletonia (Acarina : Erythraeidae) based on larvae, protonymphs and deutonymphs

Abstract

A world-wide revision of Charletonia Oudemans, 1910 (Acarina : Erythraeidae) is given, based on larvae, protonymphs and deutonymphs . Revised definitions are given for the larva and adult / deutonymph instars . The genus now includes some 50 species, as larvae, known from all continents except Antarctica . About 22 further species, as adults, have been described in the genus Sphaerolophus Berlese, 1910, including three placed in the subgenus Cavannea Berlese, 1910 . Seven new species are described (larvae): C. striaticeps (on Orthoptera, Acrididae), C. ishiii (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae), C. enghoffi (Phalangida, Phalangiidae), C. naivashae (Acarina, Erythraeidae), C. nishidai (Acrididae), C. philometra (Araneida, Philodromidae) and C. wrighti (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae). Redescriptions are given of the following Asian species: C. shiroyama Yaita. Kato & Toriyama, and C. okinawaensis (Kitahara & Takara). Protonymphs and deutonymphs, from experimental rearings, are described of C. oudemansi Southcott, C. ishiii and C. nishidai. New distributional records of the following species (as larvae) are given: C. banski Southcott, C. barbata Southcott, C. buforania (Womersley), C. feideri Southcott, C. keyi Southcott, C. oudemansi, C. perthensis (Womersley), C. striaticeps, C. shiroyama, C. vitzthumi Southcott, C. okinawaensis, C. shiroyama, C. cardinalis (C. L. Koch) and C. areolata (Trägårdh).

New host records are given for the following species: C. feideri (Lepidoptera, Anthelidae), C. oudemansi (Phasmatodea, Phasmatidae), C. okinawaensis (Mantodea and undetermined 'grasshopper'), C. shiroyama (Orthoptera, undetermined 'grasshoppers'), C. cardinalis (Lepidoptera, Geometridae), C. areolata (Araneida, Araneidae; Coleoptera, Melyridae and Tenebrionidae; Diptera, Dolichopodidae; Hemiptera-Heteroptera, Lygaeidae and Miridae; Hymenoptera, Braconidae).

Two new specific synonymies are proposed for larvae: C. domrowi Southcott = C. shiroyama Yaita et al., C. grandjeani Southcott = C. barbata Southcott. Revised generic name-placings are proposed for two Australian adults: Sphaerolophus goliathus Berlese = Charletonia goliatha (Berlese), comb. nov.; Sphaerolophus westraliense Womersley = C. westraliensis (Womersley), comb. nov.

Keys are given for the larvae (43 species), protonymphs (5) and deutonymphs (5).

Larval Charletonia have now been recorded from the following host arachnids and insects: Arachnida: Araneida (Araneidae, Philodromidae, Theridiidae and undetermined), Phalangida (Gagrellidae, Opilionidae, Phalangiidae), Acarina (Erythraeidae, Trombidiidae sens. lat.); Insecta: Odonata (Libellulidae and undetermined Anisoptera), Mantodea (Mantidae), Orthoptera (Acrididae, Tetrigidae, Tettigoniidae), Phasmatodea (Phasmatidae), Hemiptera-Hornoptera (Cercopidae, Delphacidae, Psyllidae), Hemiptera-Heteroptera (Lygaeidae, Miridae and undetermined), Coleoptera (Curculionidae, Melyridae, Tenebrionidae), Diptera (Bombyliidae, Dolichopodidae, Tabanidae, Tachinidae), Lepidoptera (Anthelidae, Geometridae, Lycaenidae, Noctuidae, Notodontidae, Pyralidae, Thaumetopoeidae), Hymenoptera (Braconidae).