Report of the mite Lasioseius prorsoperitrematus Abo-Shnaf, Sánchez & Moraes, 2016 (Acari: Blattisociidae) in Brazil associated with the insect Sphenophorus levis Vaurie, 1978 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Abstract

The sugarcane weevil, Sphenophorus levis Vaurie, 1978 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a pest of sugarcane in Brazil. Lasioseius prorsoperitrematus Abo-Shnaf, Sánchez & Moraes, 2016 (Acari: Blattisociidae), described from the Dominican Republic, is reported from Brazil in association with S. levis in Iracemápolis, São Paulo state. The actual role of each organism in this association needs to be verified. A key to species of Lasioseius Berlese, 1916 recorded from Brazil associated to Coleoptera is provided.

A newly recognized family of the Ascoidea (Acari: Mesostigmata: Gamasina), based on a revised concept of the subgenus Lasioseius (Endopodalius) Christian and Karg, 2006

“…The systematic placement of Endopodalius had been problematical prior and subsequent to the description and illustration of the spermathecal structure of any of its species (e.g., by Loots, 1980, figure 28 for mouchei; by Esteca et al, 2020, figure 3F for prorsoperitrematus Abo-Shnaf et al, 2016; and by Moraza and Balanzategui, 2023. What are its sister-group relationships, and in what family of the cohort or infraorder Gamasina should Endopodalius be placed?…”

“…(7) Peritremes of adults conspicuously bent or elbowed subapically at level of setae s1. (8) Adult mites are closely associated as females phoretic on tropical insects, all coleopterans in families of the infraorder Cucujiformia, suborder Polyphaga: Antennocheles with chrysomelid hispine beetles; Endopodalius with beetles of various other families, i.e., E. tectus with Hololepra humilis Payk (sic for Hololepta humilis Paykull, 1811) (Histeridae) in Venezuela (Hyatt, 1964) and with Scyphophorus acupunctatus Gyllenhaal, 1838 (Dryophthoridae) in southern Spain (Moraza and Balanzategui, 2023); E. americanus with a scarabaeid and with a curculionioid Metamasius in Brasil and Costa Rica, respectively (Lindquist, 1964); E. prorsoperitrematus Abo-Shnaf et al 2016 with Sphenophorus levis Vaurie, 1978 (Curculionidae) in Brasil (Esteca et al, 2020); E. scutalis (Banks, 1914) with Scarabaeidae in Brasil; E. imitans (Berlese, 1910) with Oryctes rhynoceros (Linnaeus, 1758) (Scarabaeidae) in India; and an undescribed species of Endopodalius with a curculionid in Costa Rica (E.E.L., personal observation).…”