Morphology and Ontogeny of Histiostomatid Mites (Acari: Astigmata) associated with Cattle Dung in the Netherlands

Collections of histiostomatid mites from cattle dung and/or dung inhabiting insects from various localities in the Netherlands yielded 5 species which were cultured in the laboratory to obtain all ontogenetic stages. Descriptions are given for all stages in the life-cycles of Histiostoma brevimanus and Myianoetus simplex, species previously known only from deutonymphs, and Aphodanoetus teinophallus, gen. nov., spec. nov. A neotype is designated for H. brevimanus. Ontogenetic character transformations are described for two other species, Histiostoma phyllophorum and Rhopalanoetus fimetarius, species in which only deutonymphs and adults were previously described.