AN UNUSUAL NEW SPECIES OF TARSONEMUS (ACARINA: TARSONEMIDAE) ASSOCIATED WITH THE INDIAN HONEY BEE

Abstract

The female of Tarsonemus indoapis n. sp. is described, illustrated, and its unusual morphological features are discussed. This mite is apparently restricted to the head region, where its microhabitat is possibly the posterior tentorial pits, of the adult host, Apis indica Fabricius. It is compared briefly with other tarsonemid symbionts of bees, that is, species of Acarapis and Tarsonemus apis Rennie.