A transitional fossil mite (Astigmata: Levantoglyphidae fam. n.) from the early Cretaceous suggests gradual evolution of phoresy-related metamorphosis.

ABSTRACT: Metamorphosis is a key innovation allowing the same species to inhabit different environments and accomplish different functions, leading to evolutionary success in many animal groups. Astigmata is a megadiverse lineage of mites that expanded into a great number of habitats via associations with invertebrate and vertebrate hosts (human associates include stored food mites, house dust mites, and scabies). The evolutionary success of Astigmata is linked to phoresy-related metamorphosis, namely the origin of the heteromorphic deutonymph, which is highly specialized for phoresy (dispersal on hosts). The origin of this instar is enigmatic since it is morphologically divergent and no intermediate forms are known. Here we describe the heteromorphic deutonymph of Levantoglyphus sidorchukae n. gen.

SUBMITTER: Klimov PB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8302706 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature