Roubikia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Roubikia | |
|---|---|
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| Roubikia imberba phoretic deuteronymph | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Oribatida |
| Family: | Chaetodactylidae |
| Genus: | Roubikia O'Connor, 1993 |
Roubikia is a genus of bee-associated mites occurring in the neotropics. They are mutualists or commensals, and feed on fatty acids from floral oils and most likely on fungi.[1] The type species is Chaetodactylus panamensis.[2]
Phoretic deutonymph: Gnathosomal solenidion and palp setae present and free palps absent. Coxal fields IV closed. Apodemes of ps1 partially fused anteriorly. Dorsal cuticular folds of ambulacra I-III weakly developed, with distal part smaller than proximal.
Adult: Supracoxal setae scx spiniform, with rounded tip.
Female: Spermatophores present. Inseminatory canal cylindrical, well sclerotized, protruding into spermatheca. Condylophores with short sclerotized portion and distinct proximal unsclerotized portion connected to the tarsus.
Male: Genital setae (g) represented by transparent disk . Genital setae distinctly (more than their diameter at base) anterior to progenital sclerites . Tarsal setae e III-IV absent. Setae s and w IV separated: w submedial, s subapical. Sclerotized portions of condylophores fused and incorporated into disto-ventral sclerotized tarsal wall. Pretarsal suckers not developed. Heteromorphic male present.[1]
Species identification
A dichotomous key to phoretic deutonymphs is available from the bee-associated mites website and Klimov and OConnor, 2008. Adults are known only from one species, Roubikia panamensis, and are described in Baker et al., 1987 and Klimov and OConnor, 2008.
