Eylaidae Leach, 1815

Gerecke, Reinhard, 2020, The early derivative water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia, superfamilies Eylaoidea, Hydrachnoidea and Hydryphantoidea) of Madagascar, Zootaxa 4727 (1), pp. 1-77 : 8

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4727.1.1

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D8F65A52-614E-4888-8D93-6071DFBE710C

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5919129

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/C771B067-FFCF-CF0C-FF7F-FCCD8ADAFA7A

treatment provided by

Plazi (2020-01-20 08:16:35, last updated 2023-10-31 18:50:58)

scientific name

Eylaidae Leach, 1815
status

 

Family Eylaidae Leach, 1815 View in CoL View at ENA

The only known genus of the family, Eylais , is distributed worldwide, but the documentation of its diversity is at a preliminary stage. In the northern hemisphere, until the mid-20 th century, high numbers of species were described on the base of small differences in the shape of the frontal eye sclerite. Recently, many were synonymized when the high intraspecific variability of many character states was detected. Studies of B.P. Smith (1986) demonstrated the existence of species easily distinguishable at the larval stage, but not displaying remarkable differences as adults. Therefore, future taxonomic work should concentrate on all developmental stages, and at best include also molecular analyses.

As far as data are available, Eylais larvae are parasites of adult water beetles belonging to at least 6 different families (e.g., Zawal 2004). The fact that many of these host insects are highly active and have extensive flight ranges, probably explains why many Eylais species have an extended distribution area and are able to colonize isolated habitats in arid areas or remote oceanic islands. The eylaid fauna of Madagascar is still strongly underdocumented. In addition to two species with a wide distribution over several continents, for two further, possibly endemic, but uncertain species, we are provided with single records only. The new records given here are based on the very old, probably outdated systematics of Koenike (1898).

Koenike, F. (1898) Hydrachniden-Fauna von Madagaskar und Nossi-Be. Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen naturforschenden Gesellschaft, 21 (2), 295 - 435.

Smith, B. P. (1986) New species of Eylais (Acari: Hydrachnellae: Eylaidae) parasitic on water boatmen (Insecta: Hemiptera: Corixidae), and a key to North American larvae of the subgenus Syneylais. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 64, 2363 - 2369. https: // doi. org / 10.1139 / z 86 - 352

Zawal, A. (2004) Parasitism of water mite (Hydrachnellae) larvae of the genus Eylais on water beetles in Poland. Acarologia, 43, 39 - 47.