Mesostigmatid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) on rainforest tree trunks: arboreal specialists, but substrate generalists?

• Published in: Experimental & applied acarology Vol. 39; no. 1; pp. 25 - 40
• Main Authors: Beaulieu, F, Walter, D.E, Proctor, H.C, Kitching, R.L, Menzel, F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01.05.2006; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Abundance; Acari; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Bark; bark roughness; bark texture; Biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; Composition; Ecosystem; epicorticolous mites; forest habitats; forest trees; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geographical distribution; habitat preferences; habitat specificity; Habitats; Herbivores; Highways; host plants; host specificity; host trees; Insecticides; Insecticides - administration & dosage; Mesostigmata; Mites; Mites - classification; Mites - physiology; Plant Bark; Plant species; Population Density; predatory mites; rain forests; Rainforests; Roughness; Soils; Species composition; species diversity; Species richness; Substrates; subtropical rain forests; Synecology; Terrestrial ecosystems; tree trunk; Trees; Trees - classification; Trees - parasitology; Queensland; Australia; Oceania; Parasitiformes; Trunk; Bark; Host specificity; Tropical rain forest; Hardness; Substrate; Bark roughness; Arachnida; Predators; Acari; Animal community; Arthropoda; Host plant; Epicorticolous mites; Habitat specificity; Tree; Habitat; Subtropical rainforest; Predator; Invertebrata; Gamasida; Arboricole
• ISSN: 0168-8162; 1572-9702
• DOI: 10.1007/s10493-006-0022-2

Predatory mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) on tree trunks without significant epiphytic growth in a subtropical rainforest in Eastern Australia were assessed for habitat specificity (i.e. whether they are tree trunk specialists or occupying other habitats) and the influence of host tree and bark structure on their abundance, species richness and species composition. The trunks of nine tree species from eight plant families representing smooth, intermediate and rough bark textures were sampled using a knockdown insecticide spray. In total, 12 species or morphospecies of Mesostigmata (excluding Uropodina sensu stricto) were collected, most of which are undescribed. Comparison with collections from other habitats indicates that epicorticolous Mesostigmata are mainly represented by suspended soil dwellers (six species), secondarily by generalists (four species) and a bark specialist (one species). A typical ground-dwelling species was also found but was represented only by a single individual. In terms of abundance, 50.5% of individuals were suspended soil dwellers, 40.7% bark specialists, and 8.3% generalists. Host species and bark roughness had no significant effect on abundance or species richness. Furthermore, there was no clear effect on species composition. The distribution of the most frequently encountered species suggests that most mesostigmatid mites living on bark use many or most rainforest tree species, independent of bark roughness. These findings support the hypothesis that some epicorticolous Mesostigmata use tree trunks as 'highways' for dispersing between habitat patches, while others use it as a permanent habitat.