Mesostigmata 



75 



in these families is extremely large. Most of the gamasid mites found 

 in soil, moss, or organic debris belong to one of these three families. 

 It is probable that additional knowledge will reveal that a realignment 

 of the genera will be desirable. Pseudoparasitids are not known to be 

 of any economic or medical importance. 



References: 



Tragardh, I. 1936. Leptogamasus, a new genus of Acari from Sweden. 



Ent. Tidsk. 1936:228-234. 

 Vitzthum, H. G. 1926. Malayische Acari. Treubia. 8:1-198. 



Raillietidae Vitzthum, 1941 



Figure 57 



Diagnosis: Females can be recog- 

 nized by the reduction or absence of 

 the basal portion of the tritosternum, 

 a fairly well sclerotized epigynial 

 plate, and an oval shape. Males have 

 apophyses on leg ii and thus differ 

 from other males that have a two- 

 tined, specialized seta on the palpal 

 tarsus. The dorsal plate in both 

 sexes is undivided. All legs possess 

 pretarsi, caruncles, and claws. They 

 are parasites in the external auditory 

 meatus of cattle and antelopes. 



Genus: 



Figure 51 Raillietia aiiris (Leidy), 

 1872. Ventral view of female. 

 (After Hirst 1922) 



Raillietia Trouessart, 1902 

 Type. Gamasiis auris Leidy, 1872 



Discussion: Only two species have been described in this family: 

 Raillietia auris Leidy, 1872; and Raillietia hopkinsi Radford, 1938. 

 According to Hirst 1922, R. auris is present in North America and 

 Europe and in some places is rather common. R. auris is reported to 

 gain its nourishment from the wax and sloughed epidermal cells. It 

 probably does not suck blood. R. hopkinsi was found in the ears of 

 the antelope Kobus dejassa ugandae Neumann where it probably lives 

 a life similar to R. auris from cattle. No pathology is associated with 



