The First Report of Enterobacter Endosymbionts in the Dried Fruit Mite ( <i>Carpoglyphus lactis</i> L.) (Acari, Acarida) Reared on Apricots in the Laboratory

Carpoglyphus lactis (Linnaeus), a member of the family Carpoglyphidae, is recognised both as a common storage mite and a significant source of indoor allergens. Despite extensive studies on its biology and distribution, little is known about its associated microbiome. In this study, for the first time, we investigated the bacterial symbionts of C. lactis reared under sterile laboratory conditions on dried apricots. Following surface sterilisation, bacterial isolates were cultured and identified through biochemical tests and molecular analyses targeting the 16S rRNA and gapA genes. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the isolated strains shared over 98% similarity with Enterobacter hormaechei and clustered specifically within the E. hormaechei subsp. xiangfangensis clade. These findings confirm the presence of Enterobacter species as endosymbionts in C. lactis for the first time. The symbiotic relationship may contribute to host stress tolerance, nutritional efficiency and modulation of allergenic properties. This discovery opens new avenues for exploring mite-microbe interactions and developing innovative strategies for biological control and allergy mitigation.