Acari
Guides
Acarophenacidae
Acarophenacidae is a family of trombidiform mites in the arachnid class Arachnida. The family is best represented in the accessible literature by studies of Acarophenax lacunatus, a mite associated with beetles in stored-grain experiments. Those studies document host association, temperature-sensitive development, active movement through grain, and possible use in biological control. These observations concern the studied species and conditions; they should not be treated as traits of every acarophenacid.
Aceria caulis
Black Walnut Petiole Gall Mite
Aceria caulis, the Black Walnut Petiole Gall Mite, is an eriophyid mite in the superfamily Eriophyoidea. Like other members of its genus, this species is a plant parasite that induces abnormal plant growth. The specific epithet 'caulis' and common name suggest association with walnut petioles, though detailed biological studies of this particular species appear limited in the available literature.
Aceria negundi
box elder pouch gall mite
Aceria negundi, commonly known as the box elder pouch gall mite, is an eriophyid mite that specializes on box elder (Acer negundo). This microscopic arachnid induces characteristic pouch galls on its host plant. Like other members of the Eriophyidae, it has a worm-like body with four legs and is among the smallest plant-parasitic mites, measuring less than 0.2 mm in length. The species has been observed across a broad geographic range with over 4,700 documented observations.
Aceria nyssae
Black Tupelo Gall Mite
Aceria nyssae is an eriophyid gall mite that induces distinctive leaf curl galls on Nyssa sylvatica (black tupelo, sour gum). The mite's feeding activity causes leaf margins to curl inward, forming hollow pockets that shelter the mites and their eggs. This species exemplifies the highly specialized host relationships typical of Eriophyoidea, where individual species are often restricted to a single plant host genus. The galls are most evident on young leaves at branch tips during the growing season. Like other eriophyid mites, A. nyssae is extremely small and difficult to observe directly, with populations typically assessed through gall symptoms rather than mite counts.
Aceria theospyri
persimmon leaf blister gall
Aceria theospyri is a gall-forming eriophyid mite that produces distinctive leaf blister galls on persimmon (Diospyros virginiana). As a member of the superfamily Eriophyoidea, this microscopic mite has a worm-like, elongated body with only four legs. The species is highly host-specific, feeding exclusively on persimmon and causing characteristic blister-like deformities on leaves. Like other eriophyid mites, it has a short development period allowing rapid population buildup. The mite represents one of thousands of specialized plant-parasitic mites in this ancient lineage that radiated over 200 million years ago.
Aceria trichophila
Aceria trichophila is a species of eriophyid mite in the family Eriophyidae. Eriophyid mites are minute, worm-like plant parasites characterized by their elongated bodies and reduced leg number. Like other members of the genus Aceria, this species is likely specialized on a specific host plant or narrow group of related plants, reflecting the highly host-specific nature of Eriophyoidea. The species has been documented through iNaturalist observations but detailed biological information appears limited in published sources.
Aceria trinema
Aceria trinema is a species of eriophyid mite in the family Eriophyidae. Like other members of the genus Aceria, it is a minute, worm-like mite with a highly reduced body plan adapted for living in confined spaces on plants. Eriophyid mites are among the smallest arthropods, with some species measuring less than 0.1 mm in length. The genus Aceria contains numerous species that are specialized plant parasites, many of which cause distinctive damage symptoms including galls, leaf curling, and witches' brooms on their host plants.
Aceria triplacis
Aceria triplacis is a species of eriophyid mite in the genus Aceria, family Eriophyidae. Like other members of the superfamily Eriophyoidea, it is a minute, worm-like, four-legged mite. Eriophyid mites represent one of the largest lineages of plant-parasitic arthropods, with conservative estimates of 100,000 living species. Most species in this group are highly specialized parasites of vascular plants, typically associated with specific host species or genera. The specific host associations and biology of A. triplacis have not been documented in published literature.
Acherontacaridae
Acherontacaridae is a family of mites classified within the water-mite lineage Hydrachnidia. Family-level records place its members in freshwater environments, although the family-level evidence does not establish one habitat for every member. The family includes the genera Acherontacarus and Bharatavolzia in one North American invertebrate database. Published records show that Acherontacarus can occur in interstitial water, including water moving through the spaces in rocky stream beds and a small karstic cavern.
Achipteria
Achipteria is a genus of oribatid mites in the family Achipteriidae. Its members are minute soil- and litter-associated arachnids studied mainly through detailed morphology, including body setae and leg structure. Species-level research on A. punctata and A. nitens shows that development and ecology can vary among named species, while regional surveys place the family in parts of Europe and Asia. The genus is therefore best recognized with a microscope and specialist literature rather than by an unaided field character.
Acrotritia
Acrotritia is an accepted genus of ptyctimous oribatid mites in the family Euphthiracaridae. Regional studies show that the genus includes multiple species in both Asia and the Neotropics: one Chinese treatment identified eight species, while a Colombian review identified seven. Species-level identification is handled through morphological diagnoses and regional keys rather than a simple field character. Natural-history evidence is uneven, but one species has been studied in a Kerala mangrove and was associated with an epiphytic alga.
Adenosejus
Adenosejus is a genus of mites in the family Sejidae, order Mesostigmata. It was described in 2004 by Lekveishvili and Krantz. The genus belongs to the cohort Sejina, a group of large, heavily sclerotized mites often associated with soil and decomposing organic matter. As a recently described genus with limited subsequent study, its biology and ecology remain poorly documented.
Adoristes
Adoristes is a genus of oribatid mites in the family Liacaridae. GBIF currently lists four accepted species, and occurrence records document the genus across parts of northern and central Europe and into Russia and Georgia. The best-developed biological account available here concerns A. ovatus, whose minute body and stage-specific morphology have been studied in detail.
Afronothrus
Afronothrus is a genus of oribatid mites in the family Trhypochthoniidae. Its type species is Afronothrus incisivus, a mite recorded from Africa, the Neotropics, several islands, and warm regions of Asia and Australia. The genus is notable for a distinctive developmental feature documented in A. incisivus: every postlarval instar has a sac-like cuticular structure that invaginates from the bothridium, a sensory organ. That species’ development shows intermediate features between other Trhypochthoniidae and the related genus Trhypochthoniellus.
Aleurodamaeus
Aleurodamaeus is a genus of minute oribatid mites in the family Aleurodamaeidae. GBIF currently lists 17 accepted species, while occurrence records document the genus in parts of Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The genus is notable for the detailed surface structures used to distinguish its species, including cerotegument patterns on the notogaster, the hardened dorsal region of an oribatid mite. Taxonomic papers have described species from South African habitats and Ethiopian forest litter.
Allogalumna
Allogalumna is a genus of oribatid mites in the family Galumnidae, a group of small soil- and litter-associated arachnids. The GBIF backbone currently lists 58 accepted species under the genus, including species described from Indonesia, China, Ethiopia, and other regions. Published studies treat its species through detailed morphological descriptions and identification keys, so recognizing a specimen reliably usually requires microscopy rather than a quick field glance.
Allopsoroptoides
Allopsoroptoides is a genus of feather mites in the family Psoroptoididae. It was established in 2013 when Allopsoroptoides galli was described from domestic chickens in Brazil, including birds involved in a mange outbreak at commercial poultry facilities in São Paulo. The genus is recognized by distinctive microscopic chaetotaxy and male opisthosoma characters, so species-level identification requires examination of mite anatomy rather than field appearance.
Amblyomma maculatum
Gulf Coast tick
Amblyomma maculatum, commonly known as the Gulf Coast tick, is a three-host hard tick native to the southeastern and south-central United States. The species has been expanding its range northward and westward in recent decades, with established populations now documented as far north as Virginia and west to Oklahoma. Adults primarily parasitize large mammals including cattle, deer, and humans, while immature stages feed on small mammals and ground-dwelling birds. The species is a vector of Rickettsia parkeri, the causative agent of American tick bite fever, and has been associated with tick paralysis in rare cases. Heavy infestations on livestock can cause significant economic damage through hide degradation and blood loss.
Amblyommidae
Amblyommidae is a family-level name used for hard ticks, the blood-feeding arachnids that attach to terrestrial vertebrates. Members have the compact, eight-legged body plan of mites and ticks and pass through egg, larva, nymph, and adult stages. Body form, host choice, distribution, and disease importance vary substantially among species.
Amblyseius andersoni
Amblyseius andersoni is a generalist predatory mite in the family Phytoseiidae, widely distributed across Europe, North America, and parts of Asia. It is commercially available and employed as a biological control agent against spider mites, eriophyid mites, and other small arthropod pests in orchards, greenhouses, and open-field crops. The species exhibits broad dietary flexibility, feeding on plant-feeding mites, thrips, whiteflies, and various pollens. Laboratory studies demonstrate that it can be mass-reared on alternative diets such as cattail pollen and the stored product mite Carpoglyphus lactis without loss of predatory efficiency on natural prey.
predatory-mitebiological-controlgeneralist-predatorintegrated-pest-managementspider-mite-controleriophyid-mite-controlorchard-pest-managementgreenhouse-biocontrolmass-rearingpollen-feedingalternative-diettemperature-dependent-developmentPhytoseiidaeAcariEuropeNorth-AmericaChinaapplecitrusconiferous-plantsAmeronothridae
Ameronothridae is a family of oribatid mites associated with marine, freshwater, and coastal environments. Published work describes members from rocky shores, salt marshes, estuaries, ephemeral rock pools, and other habitats influenced by water. The family has a complex taxonomic history, and its limits have changed as researchers compared morphology, geography, and molecular evidence. Many documented members belong to the genus Ameronothrus, but the family concept also includes freshwater-associated genera.
Ameronothrus
Ameronothrus is a genus of oribatid mites in the family Ameronothridae. About 13 described species are listed for the genus, although species counts can change as taxonomic work progresses. The genus includes the littoral mite Ameronothrus lineatus, whose Arctic populations have been studied.
Amerozercon
Amerozercon is a genus of minute mites in the family Zerconidae, within the mesostigmatid mites. Current GBIF records recognize four descendants, including Amerozercon annularis, A. auricularis, A. halaskovae, and A. penicillatus. A taxonomic treatment focused on this genus in the United States was published in the Journal of Natural History in 2013. Species-level recognition requires the characters used in acarological taxonomic work, so a field identification should not be inferred from the genus name alone.
Anachipteria
Anachipteria is a genus of oribatid mites in the family Achipteriidae. Its accepted name dates to Grandjean's 1932 description, and species are documented in both the Palaearctic and the temperate and montane forests of the Pacific Northwest. The genus is recognized through fine morphological characters that are usually examined with a microscope, including setae, porose areas, and leg structures. Individual species can occupy lichens in tree canopies, where at least one species has been recorded at high abundance.
Aokiella
Aokiella is a genus of oribatid mites in the family Carabodidae, named by Balogh and Mahunka in 1967. GBIF currently lists five species under the genus, including Aokiella florens, A. latiseta, A. liaoi, A. rotunda, and A. xuansoni. The genus is known through specialist taxonomic work that provides a generic diagnosis and an identification key rather than through easily visible field characters.
Archegozetes
Archegozetes is an accepted genus of oribatid mites in the family Trhypochthoniidae, described by Grandjean in 1931. The GBIF backbone record currently reports four descendants. The genus is best approached through fine structural characters: published work on A. longisetosus documents distinctive patterns of setae—bristles and sensory hairs—on the legs and their changes during development. That species is reported from tropical and subtropical settings, but its distribution should not be generalized to every member of the genus.
Asperoseius
Asperoseius is a genus of phytoseiid mites, a group of tiny arachnids in the order Mesostigmata. GBIF currently treats the genus as accepted and records ten descendants, while published revisions have added or recombined species as the genus has been studied in different regions. The genus has been documented in taxonomic work from China, Australia, and other regions represented by its named species. Because its generic characters are technical, reliable identification uses microscopic characters and a regional key rather than a casual field glance.
Astigmata
Astigmata is a diverse suborder of mites characterized by the absence of stigmata (respiratory openings) and tracheal systems. The group encompasses three major ecological radiations: permanent ectosymbionts of birds (feather mites), inhabitants of decaying organic matter and stored products, and parasites of vertebrates and arthropods. Feather mites represent the most species-rich component, with three superfamilies (Analgoidea, Pterolichoidea, Freyanoidea) colonizing all feather types of birds worldwide. Many non-feather-associated lineages exhibit a specialized dispersal stage, the heteromorphic deutonymph (hypopus), adapted for phoretic transport on arthropods. The suborder shows remarkable morphological and ecological diversification, with life cycles ranging from entirely host-bound to complex multi-habitat strategies.
Austronothrus
Austronothrus is a genus of oribatid mites in the family Crotoniidae. The genus is represented in the revision cited here by five species, with records from New Zealand, Sabah in Borneo, and Norfolk Island. These mites are identified with a microscope and a technical key that compares the lengths and shapes of dorsal bristles (setae) and the number of genital setae. Its scattered island distribution is notable because it links Oriental localities with areas associated with Gondwanan biogeographic history.
Baloghiella
Baloghiella is a genus of oribatid mites in the family Haplozetidae. At least two described species are recognized, and a taxon-specific species paper documents the genus from Iran. The genus is diagnosed through small structural characters that require close examination, while its name must be kept distinct from a separate beetle homonym.
Bipassalozetes
Bipassalozetes is a genus of oribatid mites in the family Passalozetidae, established by Mihelcic in 1957. The genus is documented from Central and northern Asian research material, including Mongolia, Russia, and Kazakhstan. Its known diversity is represented in specialist literature by formal species descriptions and redescriptions rather than by a well-developed field guide.
Birobates
Birobates is a genus of oribatid mites in the family Oripodidae. The GBIF backbone currently lists five species, while the genus was established by Balogh in 1970. One documented species, Birobates hepaticolus, occurs in North Queensland, where adults and immatures live inside the ventral lobules of a leafy liverwort growing on tree bark. That association is notable because the lobules provide both a moisture-buffered refuge and food in the form of liverwort tissue.
Bryobiinae
Bryobiinae is a subfamily of spider mites (Tetranychidae) within the order Trombidiformes. Members of this subfamily have been documented from Turkey and Greece, with species collected from agricultural fields and natural habitats. The subfamily includes genera such as Bryobia, Aplonobia, and Mezranobia. New species continue to be described, including recent discoveries from garlic fields and island ecosystems.
Callidosoma
Callidosoma is a genus of mites in the family Erythraeidae, subfamily Callidosomatinae. Members are classified within the superfamily Erythraeoidea, a group of predatory mites commonly known as velvet mites or rain mites. The genus was established by Womersley in 1936 and is distributed across multiple continents. Erythraeid mites are generally characterized by their soft, often brightly colored bodies and active predatory habits.
Ceratoppia
Ceratoppia is a genus of oribatid mites in the family Ceratoppiidae. GBIF recognizes the genus as accepted and lists 83 descendants, while taxonomic work documents species in western North America and Europe. These tiny soil and surface-dwelling relatives are separated mainly by detailed adult structures rather than by a simple field mark. Their documented habitats include forest floors, bark, arboreal bryospheres, and a cave.
Ceratorchestes
Ceratorchestes is a genus of oribatid mites, the small soil- and litter-dwelling relatives of ticks and spiders. The GBIF backbone accepts the genus in Ceratoppiidae and reports seven descendants, while recent taxonomic literature treats Ceratorchestes in Peloppiidae, so family placement should be read with its source. A 2024 revision described three species from leaf litter in northern Venezuela and supplied a key based on fine body structures.
Cerophagus
Cerophagus is a genus of astigmatine mites in the family Gaudiellidae. GBIF recognizes Cerophagus Oudemans, 1903 as an accepted genus and lists one accepted constituent species in its backbone record. The genus is notable for documented associations with bumblebees: a peer-reviewed study described Cerophagus nearcticus from a bumblebee nest and reported phoretic associations with other bumblebees.
Chaetodellus
Chaetodellus is a genus of mesostigmatid mites in the family Pachylaelapidae. Its type species, C. comatus, was described from the Canary Islands, and current GBIF taxonomy lists two accepted species in the genus. The genus is recognized by a distinctive combination of dorsal-shield setae and ventral shield characters, but these features require microscopic examination.
Cheyletoidea
Cheyletoidea is a superfamily of mites in the order Trombidiformes. Members include ectoparasites of arthropods and vertebrates, particularly birds, as well as some free-living predatory species. The superfamily encompasses several families including Cheyletidae, Cheyletiellidae, Harpirhynchidae, and Syringophilidae. Many species are highly host-specific, inhabiting feather quills or skin of birds.
Chirodiscidae
Chirodiscidae is a family of mites in the order Sarcoptiformes. The family is represented by multiple genera, including Chirodiscus, Labidocarpus, and Pteropiella. Published taxonomic work has examined members living in association with bats, while other parts of the family have been treated in regional revisions. Because the family contains many genera, observations about one genus or host should not automatically be applied to every chirodiscid mite.
Collohmannia
Collohmannia is a small, distinctive genus of oribatid mites in the family Collohmanniidae. GBIF currently lists three accepted species, recorded across Eurasia and, for C. johnstoni, the mountains of northern West Virginia. These are physically large oribatids, but species-level identification depends on detailed microscopic characters rather than casual field appearance. The genus is notable for unusually well-documented sexual dimorphism, courtship with nuptial feeding, and chemical defenses in C. gigantea.
Cosmochthoniidae
Cosmochthoniidae is a family of oribatid mites in the superfamily Cosmochthonioidea, established by Grandjean in 1947. The family comprises approximately 6 genera and at least 40 described species, with Cosmochthonius being the most species-rich and widely studied genus. Members of this family are distributed across Mediterranean regions, parts of the former Soviet Union including Ukraine and Tajikistan, and northern Europe. The family belongs to the ancient mite group Enarthronota, characterized by primitive morphological features.
Crotalomorpha
Crotalomorpha is a genus of mites in the family Crotalomorphidae, named by Lindquist and Krantz in 2002. The species-level records considered here illustrate a host-associated group of mites.
Crotalomorphidae
Crotalomorphidae is a family of mites in the arachnid order Trombidiformes. The family and its genus Crotalomorpha were described and formally validated in a 2002 taxonomic study. Later work treats members of the family as ectoparasites associated with Stenolophus ground beetles and examines their distribution in North America. Family-wide details should remain cautious because related mite families can differ substantially.
Cruralonga
gracile velvet mites
Cruralonga is a genus of velvet mites described from southern Australian caves and placed in the family Neotrombidiidae. Its larvae are notably slender, with elongated appendages and an unusually large number of sensory setae on the legs. The genus includes forms recorded from the Nullarbor karst as well as species transferred from caves farther east in Australia. The elongate limbs and reduced eyes reported in matching adults make Cruralonga a striking example of possible cave-associated specialization in mites.
Cultrobates
Cultrobates is a genus of oribatid mites in the family Ceratokalummidae. The GBIF backbone lists three accepted species, while recent taxonomic work has described additional species and revised some distribution records. Documented habitats include upper soil, leaf litter, moist tropical-forest floors, epiphytic bromeliads, and moss. The genus is notable for how morphological study can separate look-alike records and reveal distinct island and mainland species.
Cultroribula
Cultroribula is a genus of oribatid mites in the family Astegistidae. The current GBIF backbone listing contains 25 accepted named species, plus one doubtful named species and an unranked DNA-barcoding unit. A Mongolian revision found members in forest litter, steppe soils, alpine zones, lichens, and mosses, while a separate treatment documents the genus in New Zealand. These mites are tiny and are normally identified with an adult key and microscopic structural characters rather than by a simple field mark.
Damaeus
Damaeus is a genus of oribatid mites in the family Damaeidae, a group of armored soil-dwelling arachnids. The genus has a history of changing boundaries: taxonomic work has treated several lineages within Damaeus sensu lato as separate genera or subgenera. Species-level identification depends on a technical key and fine morphological characters; one published example described a Damaeus species from Qinghai, China. Research on Damaeus onustus also shows that species in the genus can be subjects of studies on intimate microbial associations.
Dasyponyssidae
Dasyponyssidae is a small family of mesostigmatid mites associated with armadillos. It belongs to Dermanyssoidea, a diverse superfamily that includes mites living on vertebrate hosts, in animal nests, or in other close association with animals. Current taxonomic data represent the family with Dasyponyssus and Xenarthronyssus.
Davacaridae
Davacaridae is a family of minute mites in the order Mesostigmata. Established by Kethley in 1977, it is placed among the trigynaspid mesostigmatans. A 2004 revision recognized at least two genera, Davacarus and Acanthodavacarus, and four species, ranging from subantarctic islands through Tasmania and mainland Australia to southeastern Queensland.