NEW RECORD OF SANCASSANIA  MITE ON  WORKERS OF TERMITE IN IRAQ AND ITS EFFECT  ON MORTALITY

A.R. Al-Zubaidy, R.; F. Al-Jassany, R.

	NEW RECORD OF SANCASSANIA MITE ON WORKERS OF TERMITE IN IRAQ AND ITS EFFECT ON MORTALITY
The Iraqi Journal of Agricultural Science
Article 1, Volume 43, Issue 4, 2013, Pages 49-56
Authors
R. A.R. Al-Zubaidy; R. F. Al-Jassany
Abstract
Mites Sancassania sp. Oudemans from the family (Acaridae) Order Astigmata was registered first time in Abu–Gharib city in Iraq on individuals of termites (Miceocerotermes diversus (Silv.)) in 2010 .The presence of large numbers second nymphyl instar (hypopus instar ) on the body of workers especially at head , chest , and limbs , had caused weakness and death to workers due to paralysis and inability to feed . This 2nd nemphal instar is completely differ in morphology and behavior with other nymphyl instar and adult stage .Deutonymph stage is characterized by yellowish or Brown color, cylindrical or oval form , the upper convex ,the front legs most clear than other legs . Mouth part is vestigial and the abdominal surface with sucker plates .While the adult stage and other stages are characterized by oval soft bodies , light yellowish color , all legs cleared , setaceous distributed with all parts of body. Mouth part active and free fasting movement . It was also seen that the adults and other stage of mites were feeding on workers cadavers under laboratories condition leaving corpuses with head capsule and thin layer of cuticle . The effects of different densities of mite (4 , 8 , 10 ) mite / worker that may cause death of workers on culture media revealed that (8 , 10) caused a similar effect on killing workers , with an advantage on density 4 (mites / worker).. Mortality percentage rate was 33.50 , 93.75 ,95.31 % after 15 days of infection to densities 4, 8 ,10 mite worker respectively, incubation condition 30 ± 5o C. Whenever the number of mite increase the death of workers be faster , from a biological control point of view , the mites were not good candidates for controlling termites.

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