Chaussieria capensis Meyer & Ryke

Halliday, R. B., 2005, Predatory mites from crops and pastures in South Africa: potential natural enemies of redlegged earth mite Halotydeus destructor (Acari: Penthaleidae), Zootaxa 1079, pp. 11-64 : 18-19

Chaussieria capensis Meyer & Ryke

Chaussieria capensis Meyer & Ryke, 1960a: 185 .

Chaussieria venustissima (Berlese) : Meyer & Ueckermann, 1987: 20 (South African records only); Meyer, 1996: 79.

Chaussieria capensis: Otto, 1999a: 264 .

Specimens examined: Site 94­22, 1 N; Site 99­1, 12 females, 14 males; Site 99­7, 1 female; Site 99­11, 8 females, 1 male, 8 N; Site 99­12, 9 females, 14 males,; Site 99­13, 6 females, 8 males, 2 N; Site 99­14, 6 females, 3 males; Site 99­15, 9 females, 2 males; Site 99­16, 1 female, 1 male; Site 99­19, 1 male, 2N; Site 99­20, 7 females, 8 males, 1 N; Site 99­21, 2 females, 3 males, 1 N; Site 99­23, 4 females, 2 males; Site 99­25, 1 male; Site 99­26, 1 male; Site 99­27, 4 N; Site 99­30, 1 male; Site 2000­1, 9 female, 20 males, 1 N; Site 2000­ 3, 1 N; Site 2000­4, 1 male; Site 2000­5, 1 female; Site 2000­6, 1 female; Site 2000­8, 2 females, 1 male; Site 2000­9, 1 female; Site 2000­10, 1 male; Site 2000­13, 1 female; Site 2000­14, 1 N; Site 2000­16, 1 male; Site 2000­17, 2 males; Site 2000­18, 1 male; Site 2000­19, 1 female, 1 male, 2 N; Site 2000­21, 2 females; Site 2000­23, 1 male; Site 2000­ 26, 1 male; Site FT204­18, Somerset West, 29 July 1965, M. M. H. Wallace, pasture, 1 male, 1 female; Site FT204­23, Swellendam, 29 July 1965, M. M. H. Wallace, pasture, 1 female, 1 N; Site FT204­28, Albertinia, 30 July 1965, M. M. H. Wallace, pasture, 2 males; Site FT204­30, Robertson, 30 July 1965, M. M. H. Wallace, pasture, 1 female; Nuwerus, 16 July 1967, M.C. Walters, pasture, 1 male.

Chaussieria capensis was described from grass and soil in the Cape Province ( Meyer & Ryke, 1960a). Subsequent records showed that this species is abundant and widespread in South Africa in a variety of agricultural and natural habitats (African collections ascribed to C. venustissima by Meyer & Ueckermann, 1987). The present collections confirm this observation, and it was easily collected wherever it was sought. Living specimens varied in colour from bright red to brown or almost black, the variation caused at least in part by variable gut contents visible through the transparent integument. Specimens ran over the soil surface at high speed, and then became very difficult to see when they suddenly stopped among grains of sand. This is a large aggressive predatory mite, apparently endemic to South Africa, and is found wherever H. destructor occurs. It was therefore thought to have potential as a biological control agent for introduction into Australia. Results of experiments on its biology and behaviour are reported elsewhere, on the basis of specimens from sites 99­1, 99­12, and 2000­1 ( Halliday, 2003a, 2003b; Halliday & Paull, 2004). It was found that C. capensis can feed on H. destructor and did not attack other species of predatory mites. However, it occurs in geographic areas where H. destructor does not, and is active in summer when H. destructor is not available as prey. It remains to be determined what C. capensis feeds on in these areas and seasons.