Acarid phylogeny and evolution : adaptation in mites and ticks : proceedings of the IV Symposium of the European Association of Acarologists, Italy, July 24-28, 2000

The words pronounced by Serge Kreiter during the meeting come to mind. They could record exactly the situation of Acarology in Europe and in the World: "I think that in many European countries there are very few full time acarologists. It is very rare to have new positions available . . . . And public money, from the European Community but also from national countries, is very hard to get when you want to work on mites . . . . Could two acarological associations in Europe (Eur. A. Ac. and S. I. A. L. F) work together or, better, get married?" So, the fourth symposium of the European Acarologists has not only been the occasion to have an idea on which direction the research is addressed today, but also it pointed out the difficulties of our "scientific hranch". On the basis of the presentations and invited papers we had evidences of a "new" Acarology based on modern techniques and methods of investigations but also the importance, often sheltered even if of relevant value, of the "old" Acarology made on the alpha taxonomy and basic studies. So, a "new" Acarology needs the "old" one. In this context, the hope to put together the European acarologists has been coming up. This fact, of political meaning, can surely improve the acarological movement and the discussion on this point showed clearly the importance of several other activities and efforts in this direction. We hope that the meeting in Siena will represent a significative stone for the progress of Acarology. Front Matter....Pages I-XVII As time goes by: a profile of Italian acarology....Pages 1-20 Mites as models in development and genetics....Pages 21-26 Speciation and biogeography in eriophyid mites: a review....Pages 27-34 Mitochondrial DNA variation and phylogeography of Steganacarus on Tenerife (Canary Islands)....Pages 35-39 Preliminary report on fossil oribatid mites from the Florisbad Quaternary Research Station, South Africa....Pages 41-44 An Early Ordovician oribatid mite (Acari: Oribatida) from the island of Öland, Sweden....Pages 45-47 Genetic polymorphism in prey preference at a small spatial scale: a case study of soil predatory mites ( Hypoaspis aculeifer ) and two species of astigmatic mites as prey....Pages 49-64 Experimental hybridization of Rhizoglyphus robini and R. echinopus (Acari: Acaridae)....Pages 65-68 The water mites (Acari, Hydrachnidia) of a little disturbed forest stream in southwest Germany — a study on seasonality and habitat preference, with remarks on diversity patterns in different geographical areas....Pages 69-89 The biodiversity of Neotropical water mites....Pages 91-99 Life history strategies of Hygrobates nigromaculatus , a widespread palaearctic water mite (Acari, Hydrachnidia, Hygrobatidae)....Pages 101-110 The impact of human activity on the water mite fauna (Acari, Hydrachnidia) of the ‘Lasy Janowskie’ Landscape Park (South-Eastern Poland)....Pages 111-117 The occurrence of water mites (Hydrachnidia, Acari) in saline waters from a stone coal-mine in Bogdanka (South-Eastern Poland)....Pages 119-124 Reproductive systems of gamasid mites (Acari, Anactinotrichida) reconsidered....Pages 125-139 Morphological variability between and within populations of Tectocepheus (Acari, Oribatida, Tectocepheidae) from the velatus -complex in Central Europe....Pages 141-152 Endogynium types in Parasitidae as revealed by SEM (Acari: Gamasida: Parasitina)....Pages 153-168 Colonization of primary sterile soils by epedaphic gamasina mites....Pages 169-173 Colonization of a dolomitic dump by mesostigmatid mites (Acari, Mesostigmata)....Pages 175-184 Zoogeographical survey on the Phthiracaroidea (Acari, Oribatida) of the Ethiopian Region....Pages 185-197 The occurrence of Macrocheles mites (Acari: Macrochelidae) in relation to the activity of dung beetles: a field study in Southern France....Pages 199-207 Development of oribatid mite communities (Acari, Oribatida) on a mine dump....Pages 209-215 Three-dimensional structure of the gut system of the mites Ameronothrus lineatus (Oribatida: Ameronothridae) and Hyadesia fusca (Astigmata: Hyadesiidae)....Pages 217-225 Ultrastructural investigations of Haller’s organ in Dermacentor reticulatus (Fabr.) (Acari: Ixodida: Ixodidae)....Pages 227-231 Morphologic adaptations to parasitism on reptiles: Pterygosomatidae (Prostigmata: Raphignathina)....Pages 233-240 Fine structure of the phytoseiid-type sperm access system (Acari, Gamasida, Phytoseiidae)....Pages 241-252 Fine morphology of the bothridial receptor organs of Pediculaster mesembrinae (Acari: Siteroptidae) adult female....Pages 253-261 Fine structure of a putative pedipalpal thermo/hygrosensillum in Tarsonemus nodosus Schaarschmidt, 1959 (Acari: Tarsonemidae)....Pages 263-267 Mouthparts of Tarsonemus nodosus Schaarschmidt, 1959 (Acari: Tarsonemidae): fine structure and functional morphology....Pages 269-281 Some future prospects in Agricultural Acarology, with focus on phytoseiid mites — host plant relationships....Pages 283-302 Mite communities on linden trees ( Tilia sp.) in an urban environment....Pages 303-313 Effect of prey density on functional and numerical responses of the predatory mite Typhlodromus negevi (Acari: Phytoseiidae)....Pages 315-318 Dietary influence on life history and predation of the phytoseiid mite, Amblyseius deleoni (Acari: Phytoseiidae)....Pages 319-323 Dispersion of Amblyseius andersoni (Chant) (Parasitiformes, Phytoseiidae) on grapevines and hazelnut near apples and peaches in the province of Caserta (Southern Italy)....Pages 325-329 How can molecular data contribute to the analysis of the colonization of vineyards by Kampimodromus aberrans (Acari: Phytoseiidae)?....Pages 331-340 Interspecific predation and cannibalism in four phytoseiid species of the Mediterranean area (Acari: Phytoseiidae)....Pages 341-349 Effects of Neem oil ( Azadirachta indica A. Juss) on Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acariformes, Tetranychidae) in laboratory tests....Pages 351-362 Influence of different types of grass mulching on the communities of Oribatid mites in the vineyards....Pages 363-371 Phytoseiid mites — pollen relationships: observations in a vineyard and the surrounding vegetation....Pages 373-387 Influence of carmine spider mite Tetranychus cinnabarinus Boisd. (Acarida: Tetranychidae) feeding on ethylene production and the activity of oxidative enzymes in damaged tomato plants....Pages 389-392 Changes in the content of soluble sugars in leaves of cucumber plant infested with Tetranychus urticae Koch and treated with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR)....Pages 393-398 Adaptation of mites and ticks to parasitism. Medical and veterinary aspects....Pages 399-418 Comparison of rabbit skin changes after feeding of Ixodes ricinus (L) and Dermacentor reticulatus (Fabr.)....Pages 419-424 House-dust mite infestation in temporary prefabricated homes in Central Italy....Pages 425-430 Observations on the spread of Pyemotes ventricosus (Prostigmata: Pyemotidae) in houses in Umbria, Central Italy....Pages 431-434 Linden-leaf morphology and the host-plant susceptibility to Eotetranychus tiliarium (Hermann) (Acarida: Tetranychidae)....Pages 435-440 In vitro effects of ivermectin on adult and developmental stages of two species of blood feeding arthropods....Pages 441-447 Back Matter....Pages 449-451 This volume covers several aspects of the Acarology as presented at The Fourth Symposium of the European Acarologists held in Siena, Italy, July 24-28, 2000. The meeting addressed the direction of today's research, as well as highlighted the challenges of this scientific field. On the basis of the presentations and invited papers, there is evidence of a "new" Acarology based on modern techniques and methods of investigations. It also demonstrated the importance of the "classical" Acarology, based on the alpha taxonomy and original studies. The Proceedings include selected original works on taxonomy, systematics, phynology, molecular biology, genetics, ecology (relationships between Acari and their plant/animal host), life strategies, morphology (reproductive anatomy, sperm transfer, structure and functioning of various organs of Acari), physiology, control and behaviour of mites and ticks