#histiostoma — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #histiostoma, aggregated by home.social.
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Years ago, with my then-host in the USA, John C. Moser, I described the #myrmecophilous #phoretic #mite #Histiostoma #blomquisti as a new #species (S.F.Wirth & J.C.Moser, 2010).
In a recent #sciencecomm. #article, I reconstructed its #biology, being found on active #queens of ant #Solenopsis #invicta, from my current perspective (S.F.Wirth,2026).
©#StefanFWirth 2026Please support me with a coffee https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth
Ref
https://doi.org/10.1051/acarologia/20101979#Photos
©S F.Wirth -
Years ago, with my then-host in the USA, John C. Moser, I described the #myrmecophilous #phoretic #mite #Histiostoma #blomquisti as a new #species (S.F.Wirth & J.C.Moser, 2010).
In a recent #sciencecomm. #article, I reconstructed its #biology, being found on active #queens of ant #Solenopsis #invicta, from my current perspective (S.F.Wirth,2026).
©#StefanFWirth 2026Please support me with a coffee https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth
Ref
https://doi.org/10.1051/acarologia/20101979#Photos
©S F.Wirth -
Years ago, with my then-host in the USA, John C. Moser, I described the #myrmecophilous #phoretic #mite #Histiostoma #blomquisti as a new #species (S.F.Wirth & J.C.Moser, 2010).
In a recent #sciencecomm. #article, I reconstructed its #biology, being found on active #queens of ant #Solenopsis #invicta, from my current perspective (S.F.Wirth,2026).
©#StefanFWirth 2026Please support me with a coffee https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth
Ref
https://doi.org/10.1051/acarologia/20101979#Photos
©S F.Wirth -
Years ago, with my then-host in the USA, John C. Moser, I described the #myrmecophilous #phoretic #mite #Histiostoma #blomquisti as a new #species (S.F.Wirth & J.C.Moser, 2010).
In a recent #sciencecomm. #article, I reconstructed its #biology, being found on active #queens of ant #Solenopsis #invicta, from my current perspective (S.F.Wirth,2026).
©#StefanFWirth 2026Please support me with a coffee https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth
Ref
https://doi.org/10.1051/acarologia/20101979#Photos
©S F.Wirth -
Years ago, with my then-host in the USA, John C. Moser, I described the #myrmecophilous #phoretic #mite #Histiostoma #blomquisti as a new #species (S.F.Wirth & J.C.Moser, 2010).
In a recent #sciencecomm. #article, I reconstructed its #biology, being found on active #queens of ant #Solenopsis #invicta, from my current perspective (S.F.Wirth,2026).
©#StefanFWirth 2026Please support me with a coffee https://ko-fi.com/sfwirth
Ref
https://doi.org/10.1051/acarologia/20101979#Photos
©S F.Wirth -
Very small #mites are subject of my research as they are associated with other arthropods (#phoretic#dispersal), and even #influence the #microclimate in their #habitats in complex ways, by fungal #spore transport+chemical fungal growth regulation via own #fungicides. #Histiostoma #sapromyzarum is subject of my current#Behance project exploring it also #aestheticslly.
I depend on support, please buy me a coffee
https://ko-fi.com/sfwirthBehance S F.Wirth
https://www.behance.net/gallery/244398767/Fragile-Transparency -
Very small #mites are subject of my research as they are associated with other arthropods (#phoretic#dispersal), and even #influence the #microclimate in their #habitats in complex ways, by fungal #spore transport+chemical fungal growth regulation via own #fungicides. #Histiostoma #sapromyzarum is subject of my current#Behance project exploring it also #aestheticslly.
I depend on support, please buy me a coffee
https://ko-fi.com/sfwirthBehance S F.Wirth
https://www.behance.net/gallery/244398767/Fragile-Transparency -
Very small #mites are subject of my research as they are associated with other arthropods (#phoretic#dispersal), and even #influence the #microclimate in their #habitats in complex ways, by fungal #spore transport+chemical fungal growth regulation via own #fungicides. #Histiostoma #sapromyzarum is subject of my current#Behance project exploring it also #aestheticslly.
I depend on support, please buy me a coffee
https://ko-fi.com/sfwirthBehance S F.Wirth
https://www.behance.net/gallery/244398767/Fragile-Transparency -
Very small #mites are subject of my research as they are associated with other arthropods (#phoretic#dispersal), and even #influence the #microclimate in their #habitats in complex ways, by fungal #spore transport+chemical fungal growth regulation via own #fungicides. #Histiostoma #sapromyzarum is subject of my current#Behance project exploring it also #aestheticslly.
I depend on support, please buy me a coffee
https://ko-fi.com/sfwirthBehance S F.Wirth
https://www.behance.net/gallery/244398767/Fragile-Transparency -
Very small #mites are subject of my research as they are associated with other arthropods (#phoretic#dispersal), and even #influence the #microclimate in their #habitats in complex ways, by fungal #spore transport+chemical fungal growth regulation via own #fungicides. #Histiostoma #sapromyzarum is subject of my current#Behance project exploring it also #aestheticslly.
I depend on support, please buy me a coffee
https://ko-fi.com/sfwirthBehance S F.Wirth
https://www.behance.net/gallery/244398767/Fragile-Transparency -
#Ascospores are the result of the sexual reproduction of #Ascomycota #fungi, being single celled or #septate. There are different ways of #dispersal. One option is obligatory or accidental transport via animals, such as #mites. The photos show mating mites of #Histiostoma sp. seemingly covered with 4 chambered ascospores. J. Karakehian et al. (2021) studied "Methods for observing, culturing, and studying living ascospores".
© #StefanFWirth 2025
Ref
https://doi.org/10.5943/ajom/4/2/1#SEM
©S.F.Wirth -
#Mites of the #Histiostomatidae (#Astigmata) not only have highly #modified #mouthparts (see photo) that form a #filterfeeding organ, but their #copulatoryposition is also an #evolutionary #modification. Other Astigmata mate back-to-back, while Histiostomatidae have the male riding on top of the female, head over head. See here the dorsal #copulationopening of a #female of #Histiostoma sp..
©#StefanFWirth 2025
Further reading S.F. Wirth ( 2024)
https://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/gsid24/posters/en/SEMphotos ©S.F. Wirth
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#Mites of the #Histiostomatidae (#Astigmata, #Acariformes) are adapted due to #evolution to form #species with #small sizes of about 200-400 micrometers in adults. Their thin #cuticles and modified #filterfeeding #mouthparts for #fungus-bacterial #food intake allowed their #radiation within shortliving moist and bacteria/fungus rich habitats.
©#StefanFWirth October 2025,
Photos
Females of #Histiostoma sp., from #sapropel #mud around gravel pit ponds, #Berlin #Grunewald, 2019, New edit 2025 -
#Socialinsect #nests are #ecosystems with a #diversity of #organisms.
In #leafcutterant #Atta #texana nests, mite #Histiostoma #bakeri reduces harmful #fungi in detritus chambers (S.F. Wirth & J.C. Moser 2008).
A. Panchal et al. (2025) found #termite #Odontotermes #obesus to reduce harmful fungi from its food #funguscultivar using fungicides of #bacteria.Ref
(2008)
Proceed. 6th EURAAC(2025)
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adr2713pic
O. obesus, Nikhil More, 2020,
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en -
In #Astigmata #mites #chemosensitive/#tactile interactions take precedence over #visualsenses. #Histiostomatidae (here, #Histiostoma sp., H. feroniarum complex, ex #rottinglemons, #Italy) communicate using various #pheromones/allomones produced by the #opisthonotal #glands. See here a #glandularopening on the upper hindbody #(hysterosoma) of a #female, #SEM.
© #StefanFWirth, 2025
Reference:
Stefan F. Wirth about a lemon mite (2024): https://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/gsid24/posters/en/
Photos:
© SFWirth Bln, 2006-25 -
In #Astigmata #mites #chemosensitive/#tactile interactions take precedence over #visualsenses. #Histiostomatidae (here, #Histiostoma sp., H. feroniarum complex, ex #rottinglemons, #Italy) communicate using various #pheromones/allomones produced by the #opisthonotal #glands. See here a #glandularopening on the upper hindbody #(hysterosoma) of a #female, #SEM.
© #StefanFWirth, 2025
Reference:
Stefan F. Wirth about a lemon mite (2024): https://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/gsid24/posters/en/
Photos:
© SFWirth Bln, 2006-25 -
In #Astigmata #mites #chemosensitive/#tactile interactions take precedence over #visualsenses. #Histiostomatidae (here, #Histiostoma sp., H. feroniarum complex, ex #rottinglemons, #Italy) communicate using various #pheromones/allomones produced by the #opisthonotal #glands. See here a #glandularopening on the upper hindbody #(hysterosoma) of a #female, #SEM.
© #StefanFWirth, 2025
Reference:
Stefan F. Wirth about a lemon mite (2024): https://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/gsid24/posters/en/
Photos:
© SFWirth Bln, 2006-25 -
In #Astigmata #mites #chemosensitive/#tactile interactions take precedence over #visualsenses. #Histiostomatidae (here, #Histiostoma sp., H. feroniarum complex, ex #rottinglemons, #Italy) communicate using various #pheromones/allomones produced by the #opisthonotal #glands. See here a #glandularopening on the upper hindbody #(hysterosoma) of a #female, #SEM.
© #StefanFWirth, 2025
Reference:
Stefan F. Wirth about a lemon mite (2024): https://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/gsid24/posters/en/
Photos:
© SFWirth Bln, 2006-25 -
In #Astigmata #mites #chemosensitive/#tactile interactions take precedence over #visualsenses. #Histiostomatidae (here, #Histiostoma sp., H. feroniarum complex, ex #rottinglemons, #Italy) communicate using various #pheromones/allomones produced by the #opisthonotal #glands. See here a #glandularopening on the upper hindbody #(hysterosoma) of a #female, #SEM.
© #StefanFWirth, 2025
Reference:
Stefan F. Wirth about a lemon mite (2024): https://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/gsid24/posters/en/
Photos:
© SFWirth Bln, 2006-25 -
When #animals #carry other organisms: If it is a regular dispersal strategy it can be #phoresy. When phoretic #mites, such as soil mite #Histiostoma sp. (#Astigmata) here, disperse #fungi themselves, this can be hyperphoresy. The mating adult mites in my #SEM carry #macroconidia, presumably of Ascomycota. Adult mites aren't the phoretic stage, thus they can disperse a fungus only within their limited #habitat.
©#StefanFWirth Berlin 2025Reference
S. F. Wirth (2023)
https://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/GSP/GSOIL4N/GSOIL4N-Posters/ID_167.pdf -
My #SEM shows a female of the #mite #Histiostoma sp. (H. feroniarum-complex, special fixation) on #rottenlemon from Italy, #feeding a mixture of #fungi and #bacteria. It is seen from above and displays the symmetrically #fenestrated #proterosomashield that i.a. stabilizes muscle origins and still needs research. I published research information on that mite as poster #publication.
© #StefanFWirth Berlin (2006-) 2025
Poster S. F. Wirth, FAO, Global Soil Partners. (2024)
https://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/gsid24/posters/en/ -
This is the first #freeliving #instar of a #mite from the #Histiostomatidae (#Astigmata, #Acariformes) : named the #larva and being characterized by having only #3pairs of #legs, which is a phylogenetically old character. #Specific and thus #apomorphic for Histiostomatidae is that there is a #dorsalpattern of #sclerites, differing between subtaxa. The photo shows the species #Histiostoma sp. (H. feroniarum-complex) from rotting #lemonfruits in Italy (Sorrento).
© #StefanFWirth Berlin 2024
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#Lemon #tree #Citrus × #limon, its fruits, their insecticidal effect, about tree-#endophytic #organisms (#microbiota) and the rotting #fruits as #habitats for #phoretic #mites (#Histiostomatidae). #Ecology, #phoresy, #phoresis, #soil, #decomposition
© #StefanFWirth Berlin2024My #blog on #biologe + #literature:
wp.me/p2l6XU-1TF
Photos 2+3: details of small #lemontree from plant trade Berlin, 1: #Histiostoma sp. (H. #feroniarum-complex) from lemons in #Sorrento (#Italy,2006) © S. F. Wirth 2024
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What is a #mite of the #Histiostomatidae doing in nests of an #antnest? About behavior, dispersal, #phoresy, life strategy. A 2008 study about the life strategy of mite #Histiostoma #bakeri (Histiostomatidae) in nests of the leafcutting ant #Atta #texana.
According to this, the desired location of the mites for mating and reproduction is the detritus chambers of the ant nest.
© #StefanFWirth Berlin 2023Paper Wirth & Moser (2008), short summary and PDF for download: https://wp.me/p2l6XU-1Mt