Mite (Acari) Communities Associated with 'Ohi'a, Metrosideros polymorpha (Myrtaceae), at Hono O Nal Pali and Kui'a Natural Area Reserves on Kaua'i Island, Hawaiian Islands

摘要

Native 'Ohi'a trees (Metrosideros polymorpha) were sampled for mites attwo natural area reserves on Kaua'i Island, Kui'a and Hono O Na Pali. Ninetysamples of leaves, flowers, bark, leaf litter, and soil under the 'Ohi'a canopieswere taken. Mites were extracted with use of Berlese-Tullgren funnels. Onehundred sixty-four species were found, with the suborder Prostigmata havingthe greatest number of species (74), followed by Mesostigmata (43), Oribatida(43), and Astigmata with the least (4). Leaf litter, leaf litter with soil, and barkhave the most species, composed of predaceous mesostigmatic and prostigmaticmites, but a certain amount of overlap of mite species between the leaf litter andsoil habitats was observed. The predominance of Collembola in the soil andlitter samples indicates a stable food source for the predaceous mites, partly explainingthe high number of mites in those habitats. Oribatid mites were collectedfrom leaves, but the species composition differs from that on flowers andlitter. Preliminary residency status of identified taxa shows 12% endemic, 17% adventive, and 71% of unknown status.