Podocinum
Berlese, 1882
Podocinum is a of predatory in the Podocinidae, Mesostigmata. The genus contains more than 30 described distributed across six continents. Species have been collected from diverse including leaf litter and, in one documented case, from the fur of a wild rodent. The genus was established by Berlese in 1882 and has been subject to recent taxonomic revision, including the description of new species from China and the United States.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Podocinum: //ˌpoʊ.doʊˈsaɪ.nəm//
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Identification
females are the primary stage used for -level identification within the ; taxonomic to species rely on female morphological characters. Distinguishing features from related within Podocinidae are based on detailed morphological examination.
Habitat
Leaf litter has been documented as a collection for at least one (Podocinum guizhouense).
Distribution
Documented from six continents: Asia (China including Tibet, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, India, Russia/Siberia and Far East, Armenia), Europe (Germany, Italy), North Africa (Algeria), North America (United States, Florida, Canada), Australia, New Zealand, and New Guinea.
Host Associations
- Niviventer fulvescens - phoretic or accidentalWild rodent from which one was collected; authors explicitly note this association may be accidental rather than obligate
Similar Taxa
- Other Podocinidae generaPodocinum is distinguished from other in Podocinidae by morphological characters of females, as detailed in taxonomic
- Other MesostigmataPlacement in Podocinidae (superfamily Phytoseioidea) separates it from in other superfamilies within Mesostigmata
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- Wikipedia
- GBIF taxonomy match
- iNaturalist taxon
- NCBI Taxonomy
- Catalogue of Life
- Two New Podocinum from the United States with Distribution Notes on Three Described Species (Acarina: Podocinidae)
- A new species of Podocinum Berlese (Acari: Podocinidae) and a key to species of the genus from China
- A revised checklist and key to the genus Podocinum Berlese (Acari: Podocinidae) with description of a new species from Tibet, Southwest China