TY  - JOUR
JF  - Acarologia
T1  - The mesostigmatid mite most commonly associated with stingless bees in southern Brazil: complementary description and generic reassignment to Bisternalis (Mesostigmata: Laelapidae)
VL  - 66
IS  - 2
SP  - 612
EP  - 630
PY  - 2026
SN  - 0044-586X
SN  - 2107-7207
PB  - Les Amis d'Acarologia
AU  - Godoy, Lucas Lorena
AU  - Da-Costa, Tairis
AU  - Castilho, Raphael de Campos
UR  - https://doi.org/10.24349/j9vz-z6j9
DO  - 10.24349/j9vz-z6j9
DA  - 2026-06-26
ET  - 2026-06-26
KW  - taxonomy
KW  - bee-associated mites
KW  - Meliponini
AB  - Nests of eusocial bees harbor diverse mite assemblages, yet the taxonomy of many associated Laelapidae (Mesostigmata) species remains poorly resolved. In this study, specimens collected from nests of Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata Lepeletier in three Brazilian states (Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, and São Paulo) were morphologically examined to assess their conspecificity and determine their generic placement. Specimens of both sexes were studied under differential interference contrast microscopy, photographed, measured, and illustrated. The examined material was identified as Laelaps (Hypoaspis) alphabeticus Berlese, 1904, a species that was recently treated as Hypoaspis and had an uncertain generic placement. Based on its morphological characteristics, it is here transferred to Bisternalis as Bisternalis alphabeticus (Berlese, 1904) n. comb. (Laelapidae). This transfer is supported by the combination of a modified sternal region with seta st1 partially detached from the main sternal shield, a snake-head-shaped epigynal shield, and a subtriangular anal shield, wider than long, and with a concave anterior margin. The diagnosis of Bisternalis is accordingly expanded to accommodate this species. In addition, an identification key to morphologically similar laelapid genera associated with Hymenoptera and a key to the currently recognized species of Bisternalis are provided. 
ER -