Hairy orange mite - Curteria

Moved

… Ray Fisher, 2 November, 2020 - 11:28am

Nice work!

Wow it's nice to see slide mounts supporting live photos! Regarding ID, it's definitely a nymphal erythraeine. And the only erythraeines in the US without spine-like setae on the palp tibia are Curteria. This genus is a wastebasket taxon, certainly comprising multiple genera. But they are common, especially in open areas, and it is not surprising to find them. At present, there are no species known from North America; but I have at least a dozen sitting on my desk, awaiting description. Best way to collect these mites is with pitfall traps. Nice find!

… Ray Fisher, 2 November, 2020 - 11:28am

Thanks Ray!

Cool! I'm really glad you were able to identify this, even if Curteria is a wastebasket genus. I was going to try to i.d. it using the OSU key by Cal Welbourn, but it requires counting setae that aren't too obvious in the photos.

… Heather Proctor, 6 November, 2020 - 2:29pm

Awesome -

thanks so much Ray and Heather!

That explains (in part) why I had trouble with the Welbourn key, that genus isn't in it... :)

I *hope* to do many more of these live photo/slide mount combos now that I have the proper equipment.

… Ken Schneider, 2 November, 2020 - 1:02pm

Added -

four photomicrographs of the slide-mounted specimen.

Heather - if you get time, could you give me some feedback? I cleared overnight in 88% lactic acid, mounted in the Bioquip PDA medium, cured slide at 40 C for four days. Looks like the body sorta disintegrated and I can't see the eyes, but legs and claws pretty good? I don't know how to use the key in Welbourn and Young 1987 without having the body more intact? Thanks!

… Ken Schneider, 31 October, 2020 - 3:58pm

slide mount

Hi Ken:
Sometimes slightly exploded is better than not exploded! The pigment in the eyes would have been lost in the clearing process, but the eye lenses are still there somewhere. The crista metopica (long sclerite with setae on the 'forehead') is nice and clear and the palps are lying sideways, so this is a good mount for i.d. purposes if not for aesthetics :-)

If you close the stage diaphragm down a bit to get more contrast you may be able to find the eye lenses.

Cheers,
Heather

… Heather Proctor, 2 November, 2020 - 10:57am

Hi Ken: I will try to iden

Hi Ken:

I will try to identify your mite when I'm back in the lab next week (I don't have the relevant key with me). Based on the original photos, it looks like there were two pairs of lenses per eye. I'll let you know if I need any more photos.

Of course, Ray Fisher might i.d. it before I have the chance to try :-)

Cheers,
Heather

… Heather Proctor, 31 October, 2020 - 5:31pm

Thanks!

An ID would be very cool, but I'm especially interested in whether the slide prep looks reasonable or not - did I do something wrong to make the body tear or disintegrate? Is this a good slide mount or a terrible one? :) It's my first, so I'm trying to learn.

… Ken Schneider, 31 October, 2020 - 6:45pm

Moved

Moved from Parasitengona - velvet mites (including chiggers) & water mites.

… Ray Fisher, 25 October, 2020 - 10:04pm

Thanks -

Ray!

Thanks to Heather's help, I just made a slide mount of this mite and hope to post some compound photomicrographs in a few days, after the slide is heat-cured.

I don't suppose the key to genera in Welbourn and Young 1987 is still useful? It looks like it could be, but I bet there are new genera?

… Ken Schneider, 26 October, 2020 - 10:05am

Moved

Moved from Mites and Ticks.

Thanks Heather! I will try your suggestions. The only thing I don't have at home is a slide warmer - I don't suppose there are small affordable slide warmers out there anywhere? :)

… Ken Schneider, 29 August, 2020 - 4:39pm

inexpensive slide warmers

You're welcome! With regard to an inexpensive slide warmer, maybe an electric mug warmer set at the lowest temperature would do the trick? The 'VOBAGA Coffee Mug Warmer & Cup Warmer' on Amazon has 104 F (= 40 C) as it lowest temp. Given it's size, though, it wouldn't be of much use if you are making more than 2 slides at a time. Culinary warming trays would have lots more space but the temperatures are a little too high.

… Heather Proctor, 29 August, 2020 - 7:12pm

Cool!

This one is a bit pricey, but I would think should work:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EP0SZIU/?coliid=I8JLLAT2KOOYZ&colid=2EERLCCKAYYGW&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

… Ken Schneider, 29 August, 2020 - 8:41pm

Looks like a good slide warme

Looks like a good slide warmer! Definitely more appropriate than a mug warmer :-)

… Heather Proctor, 30 August, 2020 - 11:05am

Prostigmata: Parasitengona

A very young-looking parasitengone mite, maybe a deutonymphal erythraeid. Re. making good mite slides, I suggest preserving in 70% EtOH and letting the mite sit for a few days to a week (this helps to get rid of some of the lipids in the body). Then clear overnight in lactic acid and mount in commercially available PVA (BioQuip: https://www.bioquip.com/search/DispProduct.asp?pid=6371A). Press down firmly on the cover slip to 'pop' the mites integument to allow PVA to enter the body, and to extend the mite's legs and palps, then put on a slide warmer at ~40 C. Leave on the warmer for 4 days to allow the PVA to dry and polymerize. Good luck!
Heather

… Heather Proctor, 29 August, 2020 - 4:09pm

One -

more question - I have the slide warmer and PVA medium, but now realize that I don't have lactic acid. I don't see anything at BioQuip or Carolina Biological. I see that 60-95% aqueous lactic acid is recommended by Krantz and Walter. Maybe this would be OK?

https://www.amazon.com/LD-Carlson-6111b-Lactic-Solution/dp/B06XQ4QVL6/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=lactic+acid&qid=1599750238&sr=8-8

… Ken Schneider, 10 September, 2020 - 10:17am

looks good!

I think that will work very well! I use 85% and the lactic acid from Amazon is 88%, so my suggestion to let the mite sit in it overnight should still hold. There is lactic acid in the PVA as well, so for very small, lightly pigmented mites you don't necessarily need to clear them in lactic beforehand. I would do overnight in lactic for your hairy orange mite, though.

… Heather Proctor, 10 September, 2020 - 1:28pm