Prevalence, intensity, and attachment sites of larval mites (Acari: Erythraeidae) infesting Erginulus clavotibialis, a Neotropical harvestman (Opiliones: Cosmetidae) from Belize

Larval erythraeid mites of the genus Leptus Latreille, 1796 are common ectoparasites of terrestrial arthropods, including harvestmen (Order Opiliones). In this study, we investigated sexual, ontogenetic, and geographic variation in infestations of the Neotropical cosmetid harvestmen Erginulus clavotibialis (Cambridge, 1904) by larval mites across multiple sampling locations in Belize. We did not observe any significant differences in the prevalence or intensity of mite infestation with respect to sex of the host or between juveniles and adults. However, there was significant variation in the prevalence of infestation between field sites, varying from 18-71%. The overall mean intensity of infestation was 3.2 mites/host. Larval mites exhibited a non-random distribution with respect to attachment sites, with significantly more mites occurring on femur IV. Larval mites were absent from the tarsi of the walking legs and were rarely observed attached to the pedipalps or chelicerae of the harvestmen. Of the ten mites attached to hosts that were examined with SEM, six larvae were found in close association to abandoned attachment cones.