Megisthanus thorelli Womersley, 1937

Seeman, Owen D., 2019, The megisthanid mites (Mesostigmata: Megisthanidae) of Australia, Zootaxa 4563 (1), pp. 1-40 : 13-14

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4563.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A44D4C11-ADA1-48A8-9F00-B46BDF7B2A49
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5924257
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03B63A50-8D71-0172-FF60-10E80219428C
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Megisthanus thorelli Womersley, 1937
status

Treatment

Megisthanus thorelli Womersley, 1937: 177 .

Material examined. In addition to material listed in Seeman (2017), the following non-type material was examined from non-type localities in Queensland, Australia. Main Range NP, ex Mastachilus quaestionis . 3 females, 1 major male, Box Forest Track, Cunningham’s Gap, 28°02′S, 152°23′E, 18.iv.2012, H. Urbina, J. Bartlett & O. Seeman, beetle BG- 12-4-18-11 -1-1 (QMS 109455–8). 2 females, 1 major male, Mt Mitchell track, O. Seeman, 11.ii.1996, beetle #175 (log 1, passalid 1) ( QMS 109459–61 ) . Lamington NP, ex M. quaestionis . 2 females, Box Forest Circuit, 13.ii.1996, O. Seeman, beetle #321 (log 1, passalid 1) ( QMS 109464–5 ) ; 2 females, same data except beetle #322 (log 2, passalid 2) ( QMS 109462–3 ) ; 1 major male, same data except beetle #332 (log 3, passalid 3) ( QMS 109466 ) . Goomburra State Forest , ex M. australasicus (southern form). 1 female, 1 major male, 27°58′S 153°30′E, 18.iv.2012, H. Urbina, J. Bartlett & O. Seeman, beetle BG 12-4-18-14-6-1 ( QMS 109474– 5 ) GoogleMaps . Jimna State Forest , ex Pharochilus dilatatus . 4 females, 1 major male, 1 minor male, Peter’s Rd, Sunday Ck, 17.iii.1996, O. Seeman, beetle #201 ( QMS 109467–72 ) . 1 female, 2 km E Sunday Ck , 17.iii.1996, O. Seeman, beetle #197 ( QMS 109473 ) . All in QM. Imbil, ex passalid. 1 major male, 11.ix.1946, F.J. Gay (on several slides: J17337 View Materials –43, J17356 View Materials ). 1 female, same data (on several slides: J17345 View Materials –17352). 1 female, same data (two slides: J17317 View Materials , J17344 View Materials ). Lamington NP, ex passalid. 1 female, 1 major male, H. Womersley, 1949 ( J17329 View Materials , J17313 View Materials ). All in SAM .

Diagnosis. As per Seeman (2017).

Remarks. This common species from southeast Queensland is often found on Mastachilus quaestionis , Australia’s largest passalid beetle, but was also recorded from M. australasicus (the southern form only) and P. dilatatus . Mastachilus quaestionis is found only in rainforests, while M. australasicus tends to be found in sclerophyllous forests; the widespread species P. dilatatus tends to be found in wet sclerophyll to rainforest.