[NatureNS] re symbiosis (mutualism) between burying beetle and mites -- was

Date: Mon, 04 Sep 2006 15:22:44 -0300
From: Jim Wolford <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
To: NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
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Chris, Thanks for your details of this fascinating relationship between
Nicrophorus burying beetles and the "phoretic" mites -- more complexity
under the umbrella term of symbiosis (as I use it for a wide variety of
intimate relationships between species).  I think the term "phoresis" is
often used to describe just using a host species as a method of
transportation.  But the relationship you described is clearly one of
MUTUALISM, i.e. an interaction that is clearly beneficial to both host and
other symbiont.  Some authors would insist on the relationship being
obligate for both partners in order to qualify for mutualism, but I'm not
that strict -- if it is facultative for one or both partners, it still can
be mutualism in my mind.  Facultative means not required for survival, but
beneficial when present -- vs. obligate, meaning critter will not survive
without the relationship.

Cheers from Jim
----------
From: Christopher Majka <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Mon, 04 Sep 2006 14:16:31 -0300
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Strange beetle

Hi Ken,

On 3-Sep-06, at 7:28 PM, Ken MacAulay wrote:

Last Evening I saw a beetle I'd never seen before fly to my screen door
persistently (must have liked the smell of supper cooking).=A0 It was black
with two orange marks on its carapace but when flying its abdomen was yello=
w
& black like an elongated bee.=A0 I have tentatively identified it as
nicrophorus sayi, red & black beetle, from the bug guide site.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/51096
When I examined it closely, it appeared to have dozens of tiny light brown
mites crawling on it, mostly on the underside.=A0 Would these be parasites or
does it carry its young in this manner?=A0 The specimen picture on the
Bugguide site actually appears=A0 to have a similar "mite" just behind its
head.=A0 Can anybody advise how common these are and whether it was carrying
babies?=A0 It finally got by our screen door and in to the house, but was
quickly ejected to the screams of my wife and her visiting sister!
Chris, any comments.
Ken MacAulay
Port Mouton, NS=A0


The creatures on the Nicrophorus beetle (there are seven species of
Nicrophorus in Nova Scotia including N. sayi)=A0 are not young beetles
(I=A0don't believe there are any beetles which carry their young in
this=A0fashion), or parasites, but rather are so-called "phoretic" mites. Thy
may well be mesostigmatids and - going way out on a limb - they=A0might be in
the family Macrochelidae.

This functional group of mites (phoresy indicating=A0transportation of one
organism by another) are actually engaged in a=A0symbiotic relationship with
carrion beetles. The mites are specialized=A0predators on fly eggs. The
carrion beetles find decomposing material=A0using specialized chemoreceptors
on their antennae. Antennal=A0segments 8-11 are expanded and the surfaces of
these are covered with=A0such chemoreceptors. The mites are simply hitching=A0a
ride on the beetles.

As soon as the beetles find carrion and land, the phoretic mites disembark
and begin to=A0seek out and eat fly eggs. This is of great assistance to
the=A0beetles who "bury" their food source (they are also called=A0 "sexton"
or=A0"burying" beetles) on which they lay their own eggs. Fly larvae are=A0thei=
r
major competitors and the phoretic mites are their allies in=A0reducing the
number of maggots.

Cheers!

Chris


_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.

Christopher Majka - Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History

1747 Summer Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada=A0 B3H 3A6

(902) 424-6435 =A0 Email <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>

_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.




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<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>re symbiosis (mutualism) between burying beetle and mites -- was str=
ange beetle</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
Chris, Thanks for your details of this fascinating relationship between Nic=
rophorus burying beetles and the &quot;phoretic&quot; mites -- more complexi=
ty under the umbrella term of symbiosis (as I use it for a wide variety of i=
ntimate relationships between species). &nbsp;I think the term &quot;phoresi=
s&quot; is often used to describe just using a host species as a method of t=
ransportation. &nbsp;But the relationship you described is clearly one of MU=
TUALISM, i.e. an interaction that is clearly beneficial to both host and oth=
er symbiont. &nbsp;Some authors would insist on the relationship being oblig=
ate for both partners in order to qualify for mutualism, but I'm not that st=
rict -- if it is facultative for one or both partners, it still can be mutua=
lism in my mind. &nbsp;Facultative means not required for survival, but bene=
ficial when present -- vs. obligate, meaning critter will not survive withou=
t the relationship.<BR>
<BR>
Cheers from Jim<BR>
----------<BR>
<B>From: </B>Christopher Majka &lt;c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca&gt;<BR>
<B>Reply-To: </B>naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<BR>
<B>Date: </B>Mon, 04 Sep 2006 14:16:31 -0300<BR>
<B>To: </B>naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<BR>
<B>Subject: </B>Re: [NatureNS] Strange beetle<BR>
<BR>
Hi Ken,<BR>
<BR>
On 3-Sep-06, at 7:28 PM, Ken MacAulay wrote:<BR>
<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Last Evening I saw a beetle I'd never seen before fly to my scr=
een door persistently (must have liked the smell of supper cooking).=A0 It was=
 black with two orange marks on its carapace but when flying its abdomen was=
 yellow &amp; black like an elongated bee.=A0 I have tentatively identified it=
 as nicrophorus sayi, red &amp; black beetle, from the bug guide site. http:=
//bugguide.net/node/view/51096<BR>
When I examined it closely, it appeared to have dozens of tiny light brown =
mites crawling on it, mostly on the underside.=A0 Would these be parasites or =
does it carry its young in this manner?=A0 The specimen picture on the Bugguid=
e site actually appears=A0 to have a similar &quot;mite&quot; just behind its =
head.=A0 Can anybody advise how common these are and whether it was carrying b=
abies?=A0 It finally got by our screen door and in to the house, but was quick=
ly ejected to the screams of my wife and her visiting sister!<BR>
Chris, any comments.<BR>
Ken MacAulay<BR>
Port Mouton, NS=A0<BR>
 <BR>
</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
The creatures on the <I>Nicrophorus</I> beetle (there are seven species of =
<I>Nicrophorus</I> in Nova Scotia including <I>N. sayi</I>)=A0 are not young b=
eetles (I=A0don't believe there are any beetles which carry their young in thi=
s=A0fashion), or parasites, but rather are so-called &quot;phoretic&quot; mite=
s. Thy may well be mesostigmatids and - going way out on a limb - they=A0might=
 be in the family Macrochelidae.<BR>
<BR>
This functional group of mites (phoresy indicating=A0transportation of one or=
ganism by another) are actually engaged in a=A0symbiotic relationship with car=
rion beetles. The mites are specialized=A0predators on fly eggs. The carrion b=
eetles find decomposing material=A0using specialized chemoreceptors on their a=
ntennae. Antennal=A0segments 8-11 are expanded and the surfaces of these are c=
overed with=A0such chemoreceptors. The mites are simply hitching=A0a ride on the=
 beetles.<BR>
<BR>
As soon as the beetles find carrion and land, the phoretic mites disembark =
and begin to=A0seek out and eat fly eggs. This is of great assistance to the=A0b=
eetles who &quot;bury&quot; their food source (they are also called=A0 &quot;s=
exton&quot; or=A0&quot;burying&quot; beetles) on which they lay their own eggs=
. Fly larvae are=A0their major competitors and the phoretic mites are their al=
lies in=A0reducing the number of maggots.<BR>
<BR>
Cheers!<BR>
<BR>
Chris<BR>
 <BR>
<BR>
<FONT FACE=3D"Times">_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.=
_._._._._._._._._.</FONT> <BR>
<BR>
<FONT FACE=3D"Times">Christopher Majka - Nova Scotia Museum of Natural Histor=
y</FONT> <BR>
<BR>
<FONT FACE=3D"Times">1747 Summer Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada=A0 B3H 3A=
6</FONT> <BR>
<BR>
<FONT FACE=3D"Times">(902) 424-6435 =A0 Email &lt;c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca&gt;</=
FONT> <BR>
<BR>
<FONT FACE=3D"Times">_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.=
_._._._._._._._._.</FONT> &nbsp;<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
</BODY>
</HTML>


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