Cerophagus | Bee Mite ID

Harmfulness rating

HARMFUL | NOT HARMFUL | UNCERTAIN

disperses on bees and lives in bee nests, but feeding behavior is unknown

Name

Cerophagus Oudemans, 1903 (year verified; different authors cite the year as 1904 or 1902)

Taxonomy

Superorder Acariformes » Order Sarcoptiformes » Suborder Oribatida » Infraorder Desmonomata » Hyporder Astigmata » Family Gaudiellidae » Genus Cerophagus

Type species

Glycyphagus bomborum Oudemans, 1902 (=Hypopus granulatus Dujardin, 1849)

Diagnosis

Adult: PalpsPalp:
Second (after chelicera) paired appendage of the gnathosoma. Has a sensory function, but may be variously modified for other functions (e.g., raptorial, attachment to host, or filtering).
attenuated distally, palpal solenidionsolenidion:
Thin-walled, terminally rounded or pointed filiform or peglike structure that is not birefringent in polarized light (unlike common setae in Acariformes). Often appears striated because of its internal structure. Found on the palpal tarsus on the gnathosoma and may also occur on the tarsus and tibia, less frequently on the genu, and occasionally on the femur of legs I-IV. In Acariformes, leg solenidia often arise from unsclerotized areas.
as long as basal palpal segment (Fig. 11). Setae h3 situated on well developed, sclerotized projection on posterior body of female (Fig. 9).

Other diagnostic characters

Phoretic phoretic:
Pertaining to phoresy; using another organism (i.e., a host) for dispersal to new habitats. Phoresy can be distinguished from parasitism because feeding typically does not occur during phoresy.
deutonymph: Setae ve present (Fig. 4). Dorsal scleritessclerite:
A component section of an exoskeleton; a plate forming the skeleton of an arthropod.
strongly punctate (Fig. 1). Coxal apodemesapodeme:
Internal sclerite that serves as an attachment site for muscles. Most commonly used (as "coxal apodeme") to describe elements of coxae fused to the ventral body in Acariformes (coxae are free and not fused to the body in Parasitiformes), and may be variously referred to as ventral, sternal, anterior, or posterior.
III-IV ending freely (Figs. 4, 5). All coxal fields completely open (Figs. 4, 5). TarsiTarsus:
Terminal segment (also known as podomere or palpomere) of legs or palps. In Parasitoformes it can be subdivided into telotarsus and basitarsus.
IV unmodified, similar to tarsitarsus:
Terminal segment (also known as podomere or palpomere) of legs or palps. In Parasitoformes it can be subdivided into telotarsus and basitarsus.
III (Fig. 7). PretarsiPretarsus:
Terminal leg or palpal segment distal to tarsus.
without long membranous ambulacraambulacrum:
The claws and empodium of the apotele or pretarsus.
, empodial clawsempodial claw:
Claw-like, membranous, or pad-like structure of setal origin. Present only on the pretarsus in Acariformes. In Astigmata, it is the only claw on the pretarsus and often referred to simply as the claw. In the remaining Acariformes, may be accomanied by two lateral claws. Also known as empodium, pretarsal empodium, or central claw.
arising from tarsal apices, borne on short condylophorescondylophore:
In Acariformes, pretarsal paired sclerotized structures arising from the distal end of the tarsus and forming a joint with lateral claws (in Endeostigmata, Oribatida and Trombidiformes) and the empodial claw. Not to be confused with vertical sclerites of Parasitiformes.
(Fig. 6). Empodial clawsEmpodial claw:
Claw-like, membranous, or pad-like structure of setal origin. Present only on the pretarsus in Acariformes. In Astigmata, it is the only claw on the pretarsus and often referred to simply as the claw. In the remaining Acariformes, may be accomanied by two lateral claws. Also known as empodium, pretarsal empodium, or central claw.
I-IV well developed, strongly hooked, with basal flange (Fig. 7). Tarsal setae ba I-II present (correlates with character in adult) (Fig. 6). Tarsal seta aa I absent (Fig. 6).

Adult: Ventral subcapitulumsubcapitulum:
Ventral faces of the fused palpcoxae.
without a prominent pattern of external transverse and oblique ridges (Fig. 11). Prodorsumprodorsum:
Dorsal surface of propodosoma.
with external vertical setae (ve) present, about half the length of vi, situated on the same transverse line with vi (Fig. 9). Dorsal body surface with rounded mammillations (Fig. 9). Discrete coxal apodemesapodeme:
Internal sclerite that serves as an attachment site for muscles. Most commonly used (as "coxal apodeme") to describe elements of coxae fused to the ventral body in Acariformes (coxae are free and not fused to the body in Parasitiformes), and may be variously referred to as ventral, sternal, anterior, or posterior.
III and IV present (Fig. 10). Anus situated in the middle between oviporeovipore:
Opening of female which serves as an outlet for oviposition. In Astigmata and non-astigmatan Oribatida, situated between genital valves. In Astigmata, not to be confused with the copulatory opening (which serves for sperm intake).
and posterior edge of body (Fig. 10). Empodial clawsEmpodial claw:
Claw-like, membranous, or pad-like structure of setal origin. Present only on the pretarsus in Acariformes. In Astigmata, it is the only claw on the pretarsus and often referred to simply as the claw. In the remaining Acariformes, may be accomanied by two lateral claws. Also known as empodium, pretarsal empodium, or central claw.
arise from tip of short condylophorescondylophore:
In Acariformes, pretarsal paired sclerotized structures arising from the distal end of the tarsus and forming a joint with lateral claws (in Endeostigmata, Oribatida and Trombidiformes) and the empodial claw. Not to be confused with vertical sclerites of Parasitiformes.
, close to tarsustarsus:
Terminal segment (also known as podomere or palpomere) of legs or palps. In Parasitoformes it can be subdivided into telotarsus and basitarsus.
(not from elongated condylophorescondylophore:
In Acariformes, pretarsal paired sclerotized structures arising from the distal end of the tarsus and forming a joint with lateral claws (in Endeostigmata, Oribatida and Trombidiformes) and the empodial claw. Not to be confused with vertical sclerites of Parasitiformes.
accompanied by enlarged pretarsal ambulacraambulacrum:
The claws and empodium of the apotele or pretarsus.
) (Fig. 12). Claws simplesimple:
Of claws or setae; not modified or not bi- or trifurcate at tip.
(Fig. 12). Solenidionsolenidion:
Thin-walled, terminally rounded or pointed filiform or peglike structure that is not birefringent in polarized light (unlike common setae in Acariformes). Often appears striated because of its internal structure. Found on the palpal tarsus on the gnathosoma and may also occur on the tarsus and tibia, less frequently on the genu, and occasionally on the femur of legs I-IV. In Acariformes, leg solenidia often arise from unsclerotized areas.
ω2 of tarsustarsus:
Terminal segment (also known as podomere or palpomere) of legs or palps. In Parasitoformes it can be subdivided into telotarsus and basitarsus.
I subterminal (Fig. 12). Tarsal setae e and f filiform (Fig. 12). Body outline round (Fig. 9).

Species identification

The two described species, Cerophagus granulatus and Cerophagus nearcticus, can be separated using OConnor, 1992OConnor, 1992:
OConnor, B. M. 1992. Ontogeny and systematics of the genus Cerophagus (Acari: Gaudiellidae), mites associated with bumblebees. Great Lakes Entomologist . 25 : 173-189..

Distribution

Holarctic region

Bee hosts

bumble bees (Bombus)

Host association level

permanentpermanent:
associated exclusively with bees or their close relative, wasps; cannot live without these hosts

Host associations, feeding, and dispersal

All stages live in nests of bumble bees, Bombus spp. Food preferences and biology in the nest are unknown.
Phoretic phoretic:
Pertaining to phoresy; using another organism (i.e., a host) for dispersal to new habitats. Phoresy can be distinguished from parasitism because feeding typically does not occur during phoresy.
deutonymphsdeutonymph:
Ontogenetic stage between protonymph and tritonymph (or adult, if tritonymph is absent). See <a href="index.cfm?pageID=1720">Life stages page</a> for more details.
disperse on their bumble bee hosts, concentrating under tegulae (Fig. 14).

Fig. 1. Cerophagus nearcticus phoretic deutonymph, dorsal view.	Fig. 2. Cerophagus nearcticus phoretic deutonymph, ventral view.
Fig. 3. Cerophagus nearcticus phoretic deutonymph dorsal propodosoma.	Fig. 4. Cerophagus nearcticus phoretic deutonymph ventral propodosoma.
Fig. 5. Cerophagus nearcticus phoretic deutonymph ventral hysterosoma.	Fig. 6. Cerophagus nearcticus phoretic deutonymph legs I-II, dorsal view.
Fig. 7. Cerophagus nearcticus phoretic deutonymph legs III-IV, lateral view.	Fig. 8. Cerophagus nearcticus phoretic deutonymph legs I-IV; drawing by Barry OConnor, University of Michigan.
Fig. 9. Cerophagus nearcticus female, dorsal view; drawing by Barry OConnor, University of Michigan.	Fig. 10. Cerophagus nearcticus female, ventral view; drawing by Barry OConnor, University of Michigan.
Fig. 11. Cerophagus nearcticus female chelicera (lateral view) and gnathosoma (ventral view); drawing by Barry OConnor, University of Michigan.	Fig. 12. Cerophagus nearcticus female legs I-II; drawing by Barry OConnor, University of Michigan.
Fig. 13. Cerophagus nearcticus female legs III-IV; drawing by Barry OConnor, University of Michigan.	Fig. 14. Phoretic deutonymphs of mite Cerophagus nearcticus on bumblebee queen Bombus impatiens. Only one deutonymph is visible from the outside; large clusters of deutonymphs are situated under tegulae.