Polydiscia deuterosminthurus

Taxobox
name = "Polydiscia deuterosminthurus"


image_width = 240px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
subphylum = Chelicerata
classis = Arachnida
subclassis = Acari
superordo = Acariformes

ordo = Prostigmata
subordo = Anystina
unranked_familia = Parasitengona
superfamilia = Trombidioidea (disputed)
familia = Tanaupodidae
genus = "Polydiscia"
species = "P. deuterosminthurus"
binomial = "Polydiscia deuterosminthurus"
binomial_authority = Baquero, Moraza & Jordana, 2003

"Polydiscia deuterosminthurus" is a species of mite recently discovered in the autonomous community of Navarre in Spain.

Only the six-legged larval stage is so far known. This lives as a parasite on the springtail "Deuterosminthurus bisetosus", which was discovered at the same time as the parasite. The association between the two species only seems to last for a few weeks in May and June. Both creatures appear to be entirely restricted to a single host plant at this stage of their life cycle: the broom "Genista hispanica".

These red mites are tiny, less than 0.3 mm in length but are huge in comparison to their hosts, averaging a third of the length of "Deuterosminthurus bisetosus", to which they attach piggyback-fashion, the jaws embedded in the joint between head and prothorax. The remainder of the life cycle of this mite remains a total mystery.

References

*Cite journal |quotes=no |url=http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2003f/zt00188.pdf |title=A new species of "Polydiscia" (Acari, Prostigmata, Tanaupodidae) with reference to its host: a new species of "Deuterosminthurus" (Collembola, Symphypleona, Bourletiellidae) |author=E. Baquero, M. L. Moraza and R. Jordana |journal=Zootaxa |volume=188 |pages=1–16 |year=2003