Bovidromus, Coineau, Theron & Fernandez, 2006

Alberti, G., Coineau, Y., Fernandez, N. A. & Theron, P. D., 2010, Fine Structure Of The Male Genital Systems, Spermatophores And Unusual Sperm Cells Of Saxidromidae (Acari, Actinotrichida), Acarologia 50 (2), pp. 243-256 : 243

Bovidromus and Rhinodromus , is a family of mites regarded to be close to the basis of the speciesrich and highly diverse Prostigmata ( Coineau, 1979; Coineau et al., 2006). However, some authors include the few species known into the Adamystidae , which is considered to represent an early derivative group within the very diverse Anystides ( Evans, 1992; Krantz and Walter, 2009). All species known occur on bare rocks, which are exposed to bright sunlight. They live in rock crevices but appear on rock surfaces from early summer to mate. Despite the different systematic views on their rather basal position, they are known to perform a very unusual mating behaviour ( Coineau, 1976; Coineau et al., 2006).

The male catches a female with its forelegs and impales it ( S. delamarei ) onto or place it over a spermatophore previously produced. Males of B. roussouwi provided with two and R. lootsi possessing one dorsoanteriad projecting processus of the idiosoma insert these into the female’s progenital chamber prior to spermatophore deposition. In contrast to S. delamarei , which deposits a rather large stalked spermatophore, these latter two species deposit very tiny spermatophores bearing a small spherical droplet. The female takes only the droplet and the stalk can be replenished several times by the male with a further droplet, which contains sperm material. Following a first investigation on Saxidromus delamarei ( Alberti et al., 2007) , we have studied the fine structure of the male genital systems, the spermatophores and sperm of two further species and found remarkable and peculiar similarities but also pronounced differences.