Table Of Content2007 (2008). The Journal ofArachnology 35:470^74
A NEW HOST RECORD FOR DASYCHERNES INQUILINUS
(ARACHNID PSEUDOSCORPIONES, CHERNETIDAE), WITH AN
A,
OVERVIEW OF PSEUDOSCORPION^BEE RELATIONSHIPS
Victor H. Gonzalez: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Haworth Hall,
1200 Sunnyside Avenue, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045-7523, USA.
E-mail: [email protected]
Bernardo Mantilla: Departamento de Biologia, Pontifkia Universidad Javeriana, Bogota,
Colombia
Volker Mahnert: Honorary Director ofthe Geneva Natural History Museum, 49, Route de
Collongette, F-74140 Douvaine, France
ABSTRACT. Dasycherries inquilinus Chamberlin 1929, the type species of the genus, was described from
specimens taken from colonies of the stingless honey bee Meiipona salti Schwarz 1932M(Hymenoptera,
Apidae). For the first time since its description, we report D. inquilinus from a nest of compressipes
(Fabricius 1804) and, to document intraspecific variation, we also provide descriptive notes on the female
pedipalp and leg. We discuss the rareness of D. inquilinus and summarize published information on
pseudoscorpiombeerelationships. Wefoundatotalof15 pseudoscorpionspecies (sixgenerainthreefamilies)
reported from colonies ofthree stingless bee species and two honey bee species. The role ofpseudoscorpions
within bee nests is still poorly known. Like our notes on D. inquilinus, most records ofpseudoscorpion-bee
relationships are sporadic observations, sparsely reported in the literature.
Keywords: Taxonomy, Colombia, neotropical, stingless bees, honey bees
The purposes of this note are to report icas, D. inquilinus has not been more frequently
Dasychernes inquilinus Chamberlin 1929 (Ara- recorded.
chnida, Pseudoscorpiones, Chemetidae) from We found a total of 15 pseudoscorpion
a nest of the stingless honey bee Meiipona species (six genera in three families) reported
compressipes (Fabricius 1804) (Hymenoptera, from colonies ofthree stingless bee species and
Apidae, Meliponini), and summarize published two honey bee species {Apis Linnaeus) (Ta-
information on pseudoscorpion-bee relation- ble 1). The role ofpseudoscorpions within bee
ships. DasychernesChamberlin 1929, aNeotrop- nests is still poorly known, and like our
ical genus ofmelittophilous pseudoscorpions or observations on D. inquilinus, most records of
pseudoscorpions exclusively associated with pseudoscorpion-bee relationships are sporadic,
bees, contains four species associated with sparsely reported in the literature. We hope to
colonies of the stingless bee genera Meiipona draw more attention to and encourage future
Illiger and Trigona Jurine (Mahnert 1982, 1987; studies on the ecological role of these in-
Harvey 1991). Dasychernes inquilinus, the type teresting associations.
species of the genus, was described from speci- On December 2004, we found specimens of
mens collected inside twMo colonies of Meiipona D. inquilinuswhile transferring a wild colony of
salti Schwarz 1932 (= interrupta Latr. var. M. compressipes to a wooden box. This bee
salti) on the Caribbean coast of Colombia colony was found in Cunday, Departamento
m
(Chamberlin 1929; Salt 1929; Mahnert 1982). of Tolima (4°00'5.5"N, 74°74A.4"W; --SOO
In addition to representing a new host associa- elev.), Colombia, inside a cavity formed by
tion, the record of D. inquilinus is noteworthy rocks at 40 cm above the ground.
because of the rareness of this species. Despite Voucher specimens of D. inquilinus are
the amount of stingless bee research and deposited in the Geneva Natural History
beekeeping in the tropical regions ofthe Amer- Museum, Switzerland (MHNG) (1 ?, 1 (3
470
GONZALEZ ET AL.—MELITTOPHILOUS PSEUDOSCORPIONS 471
—
Table 1. Melittophilous pseudoscorpions and their hosts or commensals. Bee host/commensal: 1 = the
presence of C. cancroides inside A. melUfera colonies seems to be sporadic because it has also been reported
from mammal and bird nests, and human constructions (Donovan & Paul 2005; Villegas=Guzman & Perez
2006); 2 = duetomorphologicalsimilarity betweenDasychernesand C sellowi, theonlyspecies ofCorosoma,
it has been suggested that the latter genus might also be associated with stingless bees (Mahnert 1982, 1987).
Species Bee host/commensal Location References
Cheliferidae Apidae; Apini
Cheiifer cancroides Apis melUfera Linnaeus Cosmopolitan Donovan & Paul 2005
(Linnaeus 1758) 1758^*^
ElUngseniusfulleri A. melUfera Spain, Cyprus, Iran, Beier 1948; Judson 1990;
(Hewitt & Godfrey 1929) Oman, South Africa Donovan & Paul 2005
E. giobosus Beier 1962 A. melUfera Rwanda Beier 1948; Donovan &
Paul 2005
E. hendrickxi Vachon A. melUfera Zaire Beier 1948; Donovan &
1954 Paul 2005
E. indicus Chamberlin A. melUfera, A. cerana India Beier 1948; Subbiah et al.
1932 Fabricius 1793 1957; Murthy &
Venkataramanan 1985,
1986; Donovan & Paul
2005
E. sculpturatus A. melUfera California (USA), Beier 1948; Harvey 1991;
(Lewis 1903) Namibia, Zaire, Donovan & Paul 2005
Zimbabwe, South
Africa
E. perpustulatus Beier A. melUfera Kenya Beier 1948; Donovan &
1962 Paul 2005
E. ugandanus Beier A. melUfera Uganda Beier 1948; Donovan &
1935 Paul 2005
Chernetidae
Chernes cimicoides A. melUfera Austria Beier 1948
(Fabricius 1793) Apidae: Meliponini
Corosoma sellowi Karsch Meliponini^^^ Brazil Mahnert 1982, 1987
1879
Dasychernes inquilinus Melipona salti Schwarz Colombia Salt 1929; this work
Chamberlin 1929 1932, M. compressipes
(Fabricius 1804)
D. panamensis Mahnert Trigona nigerrima Panama Mahnert 1987
1987 Cresson 1878
D. roubiki Mahnert 1987 T. nigerrima Panama Mahnert 1987
D. trigonae Mahnert T. nigerrima Panama Mahnert 1987
1987
WiTHIIDAE Apidae: Apini
Withius simoni (Balzan A. melUfera South Africa Beier 1948
1892)
and 1 tritonymph), the Institute de Ciencias ofthe bee nest cavity, as well as over bee fecal
Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, masses within the nest and brood combs
and in the Museo Javeriano de Historia containing old bee pupae (Fig. 1). We also
Natural Lorenzo Uribe, Pontificia Universi- found an oviposition or molting chamber ofD.
dad Javeriana, Bogota, Colombia (2 ?, 2 c?, 2 inquilinus made inside an empty bee cell. This
tritonymphs, 4 deutonymphs, and 3 proto- chamber was built up by a whitish silk
nymphs). membrane and had a single D. inquilinus adult.
—
Biological observations. We counted at least We did not make any effort to quantify and
ten individuals (males, females, and immatures) locate all D. inquilinus individuals to avoid
ofD. inquilinus crawling inside the inner walls damaging the bee colony.
—
472 THE JOURNAL OF ARACHNOLOGY
—
Figure 1. The melittophilous pseudoscorpion, Dasychernes inquilinus, on a Melipona compressipes brood
comb from a nest found in central Colombia.
—
Taxonomic observations. The two adult 2.0 times longer than broad (0.93/0.47), femur
specimens of D. inquilinus, deposited in 2.9 times (1.48/0.50), patella 2.7 times (1.40/
MHNG, possess the morphological and mor- 0.51), chela hand with pedicel 1.9 times (1.27/
phometric characters indicated in the original 0.66), movable finger 1.17 times longer than
description and subsequent publications hand with pedicel, length 1.49, chela with
(Chamberlin 1929, 1931; Mahnert 1982). To pedicel 4.0 times longer than broad, length
further document intraspecific variation, the 2.64; leg I: femur 1.55 times longer than deep
following are additional comments on the (0.63/0.40), patella 1.5 times longer than femur
female pedipalp and leg: pedipalp indistinctly and 2.7 times longerthan deep (0.96/0.35), tibia
granulate, chela hand near base of movable 4.0 times (0.89/0.22), tarsus 5.0 times (0.87/
finger with a cluster of finely dentate setae, 0.17); leg IV: femur + patella 3.6 times longer
both chelal fingers externolaterally with nu- than deep (1.70/0.48), tibia 5.7 times (1.32/
merous sense spots, lateral side of fixed finger 0.23), tarsus 5.6 times (1.05/0.19).
with numerous microchaetae in distal quarter; Pseudoscorpion-bee relationships. The pres-
fixed finger with approximately 95 small ence of adults and immatures of D. inquilinus
marginal teeth, 15 externolateral accessory inside the nest cavity, as well as the oviposition
teeth and 7 internolateral accessory teeth, or molting chamber within the brood comb of
movable fingerwith approximately 85 marginal M. compressipes, suggest that D. inquilinus was
teeth, 13 externolateral, and 9 internolateral not only occupying but also reproducingwithin
accessory teeth; nodus ramosus ofvenom duct the nest at the time it was found. These
at level of trichobothrium /. Setae on leg I of observations are similar toMthose of Salt
equal length, finely dentate and acute, setae on (1929) on D. inquilinus inside salti nests.
leg IV distinctly longer than those ofleg I, the Dispersal by phoresis is common among
ventral setae on femur + patella longer than pseudoscorpions in the family Chernetidae
lateral and dorsal ones, dorsal setae of tibia (e.g., Muchmore 1971; Zeh & Zeh 1992a,
distinctly longer than the ventral ones (like 1992b; Aguiar & Buhrnheim 1998). Pseudo-
those in species ofPachychernes Beier 1932, but scorpions associated with Apis could disperse
less numerous), tarsus without tactile seta. long distances when the colony swarms, as it
Measurements (in mm): total length 5.00; has been observed in Ellingsenius indicus
cephalothorax 1.50/1.90; pedipalps: trochanter Chamberlin 1932 (Murthy & Venkataramanan
GONZALEZ ET AL.—MELITTOPHILOUS PSEUDOSCORPIONS 473
1985, 1986). This might not be the case for might correspond to D. inquilinus is that of
those associated with stingless bees. Unlike Beier (1948), who mentioned an unidentified
Apis, new colonies of stingless bees depend pseudoscorpion from a colony of Melipona
entirely for weeks or months upon the mother scuteHaris Latreille 1811 (= Melipona mutata
colony. Thus, anewcolonyis usuallyveryclose Lepeletier 1836) inPara, Brazil. Itis likelyto be
to the old one, with workers bringing back and D. inquilinus because this is the only species
forth nesting materials and food (Michener associated with Melipona colonies, but without
2000). If pseudoscorpions are present in one examining the specimens, this record is still
colony, thentheyarelikely to be found in other uncertain. Therefore, D. inquilinus seems to be
nearby colonies. Likewise, host switching in specific to certain Melipona species and/or host
melittophilous pseudoscorpions is likely to switching is apparently not very common in
occur when bees forage for food or nesting this species. These suggestions are strengthened
materials on the sameflowerorcollectingareas. by the facts that no individuals ofD. inquilinus
For example, stingless bee colonies rapidly have been observedin anyofthecolonies ofM.
acquire flightless scotocryptine beetles (Coleop- fusdpeMs, a locally abundant sympatric species
tera, Leiodidae) in this manner, when infested with compressipes, and that it has not been
colonies are introduced to the same area more frequently recorded, despite its large size
(Roubik & Wheeler 1982). This suggests that and amount of stingless bee research and
melittophilous pseudoscorpions might disperse beekeeping in tropical America.
in the same way. In addition, although there is Like our observations on D. inquilinus, most
no evidence, melittophilous pseudoscorpions records on pseudoscorpion-insect relationships
might also disperse using parasitic bees. For are sporadic and, except for the works ofBeier
instance, Dasychernes could disperse during the (1948), Muchmore (1971), and Aguiar &
attacks of Lestrimelitta Friese, a genus of Biihrnheim (1998), sparsely reported in the
cleptoparasitic stingless bees. Lestrimelitta is literature. We found records for a total of 15
widely distributed in the Neotropical region pseudoscorpion species (six genera in three
andforageexclusivelyonnests ofotherstingless families) reported from colonies ofthree sting-
bees, including colonies of Melipona, Trigona less bee species and two honey bee species
and sometimes Apis (Michener 2000). (Table 1). Species of the genera Dasychernes
The two Mdipona speciesMassociated with D. and Ellingsenius Chamberlin 1932, and proba-
inquilinus {M. saiti and compressipes), bly Corosoma Karsch 1879, a monotypic genus
although widely spread in Colombia, are not showing morphological similarities to Dasy-
commonly found (Gonzalez, pers. obs.). While chernes, are apparently exclusively associated
wefound21 nests ofMM.fusdpesFriese, we only with bee colonies. There are no obvious
found one nest of compressipes despite an morphological characteristics associated with
intensive survey in more than 400 hectares in a melittophilous life style. However, Corosoma
Cunday (Mantilla, pers. obs.). Considering the andDasycherneshave abundantvestiturai setae
phoretic means of dispersal and potential host (Mahnert, pers. obs.), and we speculate that
switch, it would seem likely to find D. inquilinus might help them in disguising themselves from
associated witMh other abundant sympatric spe- the host. Other pseudoscorpions reported from
cies, such as fusdpes. However, no individ- bee colonies seem to be fortuitous cases. For
uals ofMD. inquilinus have been observed in any example, the cosmopolitan Chelifer cancroides
ofthe fusdpescolonies examined thus far. (Linnaeus 1758) has been collected from
Due to their small size and their smooth, colonies of Apis meiiifera Linnaeus as well as
slow movements or long periods ofimmobility, from mammal and bird nests, and even human
pseudoscorpions might be overlooked inside constructions (e.g., Donovan & Paul 2005;
&
bee colonies by bee biologists. However, the Villegas-Guzman Perez 2006).
large size ofD. inquilinus (5-6 mm, about half The role ofpseudoscorpions within bee nests
as long as the bees) would make them more is still poorly known. The predatory habits of
conspicuous than other pseudoscorpions. Sur- pseudoscorpions suggests that they might prey
prisingly, despite the amount of stingless bee on aged, decrepit, or sick bees and possibly
research and beekeeping in the tropical regions other associated arthropods inside the colony,
of the Americas, D. inquilinus has not been including pests. For instance, in colonies of
more frequently recorded. The only record that Apis meiiifera and A. cerana Fabricius 1793, E.
—
474 THE JOURNAL OF ARACHNOLOGY
indicus preys on Varroa destructor Anderson & (Arachnida, Chelonethi, Cheliferidae) with new
Trueman 2000, a mite that frequently causes records fromAfrica, Europe and the Middle East.
the death ofan entire colony by feeding on the Journal ofNatural History 24:1303-1310.
haemolymph ofboth adult and immature bees Mahnert, V. 1982. The pseudoscorpion genus Cor-
(Donovan & Paul 2005, 2006). Thus, some osomaKarsch, 1879,withremarksonDasychernes
Chamberlin, 1929 (Pseudoscorpiones, Cherneti-
pseudoscorpion species might be beneficial for
dae). Journal ofArachnology 10:11-14.
beekeepers but certainly negative effects on bee Mahnert, V. 1987. Neue oder wenig bekannte,
colonies cannot be ruled out. Further studies of vorwiegend mit Insekten vergesellschaftete Pseu-
the ecological role of pseudoscorpions within doskorpione (Arachnida) aus Siidamerika. Mittei-
bee colonies are needed. lungen der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Ge-
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