Comparison of the cuticular profiles of several dung beetles used as host carriers by the phoretic mite Macrocheles saceri (Acari: Mesostigmata)

Year 2017, Volume: 4 Issue: 1, 8 - 13, 05.03.2017

Jerome Niogret Jean-pierre Lumaret Michel Bertrand

Abstract

Macrochelid mites have developed phoretic interactions with coprophilous arthropods in order to disperse and colonize new
substrate. Macrocheles saceri (Acari: Mesostigmata) is a mite phoretically specialized on the dung beetles of the Scarabaeus genus. A
previous study has demonstrated that M. saceri can discriminate among available hosts and showed host preferences using the host
cuticular material. In this present study, we have compared the cuticular chemicals including the volatiles present among several
species of Scarabaeus and Bubas genera. By comparing the host chemical profiles to the host preferences, several hypotheses
regarding the role of some of these volatile chemicals in host discrimination based on attractiveness and repellency, are proposed.

Keywords

Cuticle, dung beetle, phoresy, Macrocheles, aliphatic alkanes

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