Mejía et al. 2012 (Conference Paper) Associated

Microarthropods (Collembola and Mites) found in two species of Tillandsia (Bromeliaceae) from Oaxaca.

Author(s):—B.E. Mejía R., J.G. Palacios V. & A. Franco

Publication:— (2012).

Abstract:—Field work was done at Peña Prieta (Santa Catarina Ixtepeji), Oaxaca in two seasons of two years, drought (March 2006 and March 2007) and at rainy season (September 2005 and August 2006). The vegetation is a forest of Quercus, where clime is subhumid, with summer rains, and a mean precipitation of 1,000 mm and average temperature of 14º C. Three species of Tillandsia were chosen, T. carlos-hankii, T. prodigiosa and T. oaxacana, 10 specimens of each species, which were from 2 to 16 meters high, were collected from oak trees at each date. They were put in plastic bags after they were taken from the trees. Collecting of the microarthropods was done by hand while isolating the leaves of the plants. They were preserved in jars with 70% alcohol. All the springtails and mites were prepared under slides for identification in the contrast phase microscope. Most abundant Collembola were Americabrya arida, Seira knowltoni and Willowsia mexicana; less abundant were Lepidocyrtus helenae, Hetermurus major and Sminthurinus quadrimaculatus. Very few mites were collected: Bdella longicornis, and some species of Bdellodes, Epidamaeus, Parasitellus, Anystis and Carinabella.