Caeculidae

Berlese, 1883

rake-legged mites

Caeculidae, commonly called rake-legged , is a of large prostigmatic mites (750–3000 µm) and the sole family of the superfamily Caeculoidea. The family contains approximately 100 described in seven distributed worldwide, with the oldest fossil records dating to the Cenomanian (approximately 100 million years ago) in Burmese amber. These mites are specialized ambush of arid environments, using modified forelegs to capture .

Procaeculus by (c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Trevor Van Loon. Used under a CC-BY license.Procaeculus by (c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Trevor Van Loon. Used under a CC-BY license.Caeculus by (c) https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.926.48741, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Caeculidae: /siːˈkjuːlɪdiː/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Distinguished from other prostigmatic by the presence of elongated, thickened spiniform on leg I, which function as structures for capture. These 'rake-like' forelegs are a of the . Additional diagnostic features include the presence of different-sized on leg I and absence of bothridia in the of legs in some (e.g., Neocaeculus).

Images

Habitat

Arid and semi-arid environments including rocky substrates, sandy soils, and open exposed soil surfaces with thin hardened crusts. Specific documented include cold semi-arid steppe (BSk) climate zones with chernozem soils, coulee slopes, and disturbed plains with non- vegetation.

Distribution

Worldwide distribution across arid and semi-arid regions. Most of the Caeculus occur in North America; the genus Neocaeculus was previously known from the Australian Region (9 species) and Argentina, with recent records from Brazil. Canadian records include Alberta and southern inland British Columbia. Fossil specimens known from (Burmese amber), Eocene, and Miocene .

Seasonality

Active during the hottest part of the day; one observed active between 13:45–15:30 at temperatures ≥ 32°C.

Diet

Small including collembolans.

Life Cycle

The first fossil of Caeculidae was recently described from approximately 100-million-year-old Kachin amber, indicating the has maintained similar over this time period.

Behavior

Ambush using spiniform on legs I for raking . Individuals are camouflaged against rocky or sandy substrates and remain motionless until prey approaches.

Ecological Role

of small in arid and semi-arid .

Tags

Sources and further reading