A new pattern of parasitism in water mites (Hydrachnidia)? An insight into their relationships with pupae of caddisflies (Trichoptera)

Andrzej Zawal; Edyta Buczyńska; Roksana Malicka; Paweł Buczyński; Edyta Stępień

doi:10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.04.001

A new pattern of parasitism in water mites (Hydrachnidia)? An insight into their relationships with pupae of caddisflies (Trichoptera)

Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl. 2022 Apr 10:18:45-51. doi: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.04.001. eCollection 2022 Aug.

Authors

Andrzej Zawal¹, Edyta Buczyńska², Roksana Malicka³, Paweł Buczyński⁴, Edyta Stępień¹

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Centre of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Szczecin, Wąska 13, 71-416, Szczecin, Poland.
² Department of Zoology and Animal Ecology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-033, Lublin, Poland.
³ Institute of Biology, University of Szczecin, Wąska 13, 71-416, Szczecin, Poland.
⁴ Department of Zoology and Nature Protection, Institute of Biological Sciences, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033, Lublin, Poland.

Abstract

To date, relatively few data have been available regarding the parasitism of water mite larvae on caddisflies; most available information relates to the adult stadia, fewer to caddisfly larvae, with just single references to pupae. The present paper examines the occurrence (phoresy and parasitism) of Piona stjordalensis larvae (119 individuals) on the larvae and pupae of Mystacides longicornis. It is possible that water mite larvae exhibit a new type of parasitism on caddisflies, with two consecutive parasitic larval stadia: one on the pupa, the other on the imago.

Keywords: Acari; Hosts; Hydrachnidia; Insecta; Larvae; Mystacides longicornis; Piona stjordalensis; Trichoptera.