ARACHNIDA (MITES, TICKS, SPIDERS) by E. E. Lindquist

Acari | Araneae | Personnel | Publications | Links

Acari (Mites, Ticks)

The Canadian National Collection of Acari, including mites and ticks, is by far the largest such collection in Canada. Excepting taxa of ticks and mites parasitic on vertebrates, it is the largest collection of Acari in North America and perhaps the world. Approximately three million specimens of Acari (including some two million water mites) are curated and preserved in alcohol (or in the case of most water mites in modified Koenike's solution) in 50 cabinets, and about 350,000 slide preparations of mites and larval ticks are curated and mounted in Hoyer's medium (or in the case of most water mites in glycerine jelly) in over 600 linear feet (ca 200 linear meters) of slide boxes and slide cabinets. About 70% of the collection is curated to the genus level. Curation to the species or species group level varies greatly, depending largely on whether revisions for particular families are available for the North American fauna. For example, about 95% of the collection of well-known families of ticks is curated to the species level whereas about 20% of the collection of families of Eupodoidea are so curated. These collections include about 1000 primary types, including more than 500 primary types of water mites, in part through the indefinite deposition of most of the extensive water mite collections of U.S. researchers of R. Mitchell and D. Cook, and the long-term loan of the water mite collection of H. Habeeb from the New Brunswick Museum. The collections of Phytoseiidae developed by D. Chant and most of the Acari diversi by H. Nesbitt (retired Canadian researchers) are also housed in the CNC. In addition, the mite collections formerly housed at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto are now part of the CNC.

Specimens of ticks are mostly from temperate and boreal areas of North America, primarily in Canada. The holdings of mites represent a much broader coverage of North America as a whole, including substantial material from Mexico. Considerable material from Central and South America and a scattering of material from Europe, Asia and elsewhere is also included. There are large holdings of free-living mites from arctic localities in North America and Russia.

Araneae (Spiders) & Minor Orders of Arachnida

The Canadian National Collection of Araneae is one of the two largest collections of spiders in Canada. Nearly 200,000 specimens of spiders are curated and preserved in alcohol in 22 cabinets. About 70% of the collection is curated to the level of species or species group, and 85% of the collection is curated to the genus level. About 200 primary types are housed in the Araneae collection, in part through the acquisition of the spider collections of D. Jennings. The holdings of spiders are mostly from temperate and boreal areas of North America, primarily in Canada. Scattered material is also included from Central and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

The holdings of minor orders of Arachnida in the Canadian National Collection include, in order of descreasing representation, Opiliones, Pseudoscorpionida, Scorpionida, Solifugae, Ricinulei and Uropygi. Curated and preserved mostly in alcohol in two cabinets, these specimens are mostly from temperate and boreal areas of North America including Mexico, with scattered material also from subtropical to tropical areas mainly from southern Mexico and Central America.

The Opiliones consist of about 1800 vials of specimens, about 40% of which is curated to the species level, including 1 primary type, and 70% to genus. The collection of Pseudoscorpionida includes approximately 200 slides preparations and 1200 vials of material, of which about 15% is curated to the species level, including 1 primary type, and 25% to genus. There are about 160 jars or vials of scorpions, mostly uncurated and from the southwestern United States and Mexico, except for a few vials of specimens determined to species from southwestern Canada, and 37 jars or vials of uncurated solpugids, mostly from the southwestern United States and Mexico. A few specimens of Ricinulei from Central America and two specimens of Uropygi from southwestern North America, are preserved in alcohol.

Personnel

Staff Photos

Hardcopy Arachnida Publications

A Handbook to the Ticks of Canada
The Insects and Arachnids of Canada (Handbook Series):
     Part 5 - The Crab Spiders of Canada and Alaska (Araneae: Philodromidae and Thomisidae)
     Part 9 - The Sac Spiders of Canada and Alaska (Araneae: Clubionidae and Anyphaenidae)
     Part 17- The Wolf Spiders, Nurseryweb Spiders, and Lynx Spiders of Canada and Alaska (Araneae:
     Lycosidae, Pisauridae, and Oxyopidae)
     Part 19 - The Ground Spiders of Canada and Alaska (Araneae: Gnaphosidae)

Arachnida Links

Acari of Canada
Assessment of Mite Species Diversity in the Montane Cordillera Ecozone
Acari Web Pages on "Tree of Life" Web Site

This page last updated on 20-Sep-2016

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