Mesostigs

Mesostigmata

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Subclass: Acari
Superorder: Parasitiformes
Order: Mesostigmata

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Mesostigmata: /ˌmɛsəˌstɪɡˈmɑːtə/

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

Images

Ornithonyssus bacoti infestation by Assafn. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Dermanyssus gallinae femelle by Di Palma et al.;"This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited".. Used under a CC BY-SA 2.5 license.

Vogelmilbe by No machine-readable author provided. Flodur~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims).. Used under a Public domain license.

Cycle annuel du varroa destructor by Adrien881. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

Varroa Mite by wikipedia. Used under a Public domain license.

Preferred feeding location of Varroa destructor mites on adult host bees by Samuel D. Ramsey. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Summary

Mesostigmata is an order of predatory and parasitic mites characterized by unique morphology with significant ecological and economic importance, particularly in agricultural and apicultural contexts.

Physical Characteristics

Mites ranging from 0.12–4 mm long; single pair of spiracles positioned laterally; palps with 5 (rarely 4) free segments; 3-segmented chelicerae; bifurcate or membranous corniculi; adults have a genital opening; larvae have six legs.

Identification Tips

Identifiable by the single pair of spiracles positioned laterally on the body.

Habitat

Varies; includes soil and litter, freshwater, and on plants.

Distribution

Globally distributed, occurring in various habitats.

Diet

Predatory on invertebrates; also parasitic on vertebrates and arthropods.

Life Cycle

Undergoes several life stages including larval (six legs) and two nymphal stages (protonymph, deutonymph) with eight legs in adults.

Reproduction

Sexual reproduction with males having modified chelicerae for sperm transfer and females with sperm-receiving structures.

Predators

Small arthropods and nematodes are preyed upon.

Ecosystem Role

Predators in soil and plant environments; can be parasites in various systems.

Economic Impact

Includes major pests like Varroa destructor (affecting honey bees) and Dermanyssus gallinae (affecting poultry).

Health Concerns

Some species are significant parasites of animals, affecting health and production.

Collecting Methods

Hand collection from soil or plant surfaces.
Using Berlese funnels for extraction from litter.

Preservation Methods

Ethanol fixation.
Slide mounting for microscopic examination.

Evolution

Evidence of the group dates back to the mid-Cretaceous period with fossils found in Burmese amber.

Similar Taxa

Oribatida
Prostigmatid mites

Misconceptions

Often confused with other mite orders; not primarily parasitic unlike other mite groups; many are free-living predators.