Survey results of Manduca species (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) with first record of Prasadiseius species (Acari: Otopheidomenidae) in Colombia, Cuba and USA: significance of their findings

Abstract

In July 2011, 668 dead moths of the genus Manduca (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) stored in the collection of Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, Florida, USA, were examined and revealed the following regarding the ectoparasitic otopheidomenid mites (Acari: Otopheidomenidae): (1) Prasadiseius cocytes (Prasad, 1970a) was found on Manduca rustica (Fabricius) in Brazil (new host record), on Manduca lefeburii (Guérin-Méneville) in Colombia (new country and new host), on Manduca occulta (Rothschild and Jordan) in Ecuador (new host), and on M. rustica (Fabricius) in Mexico (new country and host); (2) Prasadiseius donahuei (Prasad, 1970a) was found on M. rustica (Fabricius) in Cuba, Mexico and Arizona, USA (new countries and host); (3) infestation rate of sphingid moths with P. cocytes and P. donahuei was 1.8%; (4) infestation ratio of female to male sphingid moths with either/or P. cocytes and P. donahuei was 1:1 with the mites showing no preference for the sex of the moths; (5) female to male sex ratio of P. cocytes was 2:1 in the specimens from Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico but, unusually, 1:2.5 (less females than males) on a single M. occulta specimen from Ecuador; and (6) the female to male sex ratio in P. donahuei was 1:1.5 on M. rustica specimens from Cuba, Mexico and USA (unusually less females than males). The current geographical distribution and host range of all eight Prasadiseius species known from sphingid moths in the world are given. The significance of new finding of P. donahuei in Colombia, Cuba and southern USA (state of Arizona) is discussed. It is believed by the author that these parasitic mites are present on sphingid moths in some eastern–southern–western states of USA on other genera of Sphingidae indicating a wide range of distribution from South America to North America in the Neotropical ecosystem. Thus, a survey is required for these states and other genera of Sphingidae to confirm their presence and study their bioecology.

Keywords:

• ectoparasitic
• new records
• Brazil
• Colombia
• Cuba
• Ecuador
• Mexico
• Peru
• USA

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to the following entomologists of the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, SW 34th Street and Hull Road, Gainesville, FL 32611–2710, USA, for their permission and assistance in my work that led to the first discovery of otopheidomenid mites on sphingid moths in Colombia, Cuba and USA: Dr Thomas C. Emmel, Director; Dr Delano Lewis, Assistant Research Scientist; Dr Andrew Warren, Senior Collection Manager; Dr Andrei Sourakov, Collection Coordinator; and Dr Charles Covell, Curator. Thanks also to my wife Indira Prasad for her help in the collection and study of these mites and to Dr Harold A. Denmark, Gainesville, Florida, USA, for taking us to the above museum. Dr Farid Faraji, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and Dr Gregory A. Evans, Beltsville, USA, reviewed this paper and suggested necessary changes, which is greatly appreciated.