First record of a Leptus Latreille mite (Trombidiformes, Erythraeidae) associated with a Neotropical trapdoor spider (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Actinopodidae)

Abstract: The first occurrence of a parasitic mite, Leptus Latreille (Trombidiformes, Erythraeidae) parasitizing an adult male of a trapdoor spider Actinopus Perty, 1833 (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Actinopodidae) and the first occurrence of Leptus sp. larvae in the municipality of Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil are reported. The cosmopolitan genus Leptus Latreille, 1796 (Prostigmata: Parasitengona: Erythraeidae) has a total of 10 species described for Brazil, 27 species for the Neotropical region, and more than 270 described species worldwide After hatching from eggs, the mite larvae pierce the cuticle of the invertebrate host and gain access to the host's hemolymph and interstitial fluids via a straw-like stylostome. After engorging, larvae drop off the host and transform into eight-legged nymphs and then adults PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT Mites are among the most diverse and successful of all the invertebrate groups. Many mites are parasitic on plants and animals. Most hostparasitic association is poorly described and understood. Investigations of the host-parasitic association can elucidate the biology and animal behavior, the link between parasites and pathogens, and define the role of the mite in transmission and pathogenesis. This article reports the first occurrence of larva of the genus Leptus parasitizing an adult male of a trapdoor spider Actinopus