Aquatic-mites
Guides
Fusohericia
Fusohericia is a genus of mites in the family Algophagidae, subfamily Hericiinae. The genus was established by Vitzthum in 1931. As a member of the Astigmata, it belongs to a diverse group of mites often associated with aquatic or semi-aquatic habitats. Little specific information is available about the biology of this genus.
Histiostoma
Histiostoma is a genus of astigmatan mites in the family Histiostomatidae, characterized by modified brush-like chelicerae adapted for filtering microbes from substrates. The genus exhibits remarkable ecological diversity, with species occupying habitats ranging from bark beetle galleries and insect associations to aquatic environments and decaying organic matter. Many species form heteromorphic deutonymphs (hypopi) specialized for phoretic dispersal on arthropod hosts. Histiostoma includes economically significant species such as H. feroniarum, a pest of cultivated mushrooms, and H. laboratorium, a notorious contaminant of Drosophila research cultures.
Hydrozetes
Beetle Mites
Hydrozetes is a genus of aquatic oribatid mites (family Hydrozetidae) distinguished by being obligately associated with freshwater habitats. All species in this genus are aquatic, occurring on water surfaces and in benthic zones of lakes, ponds, and other water bodies. The genus has been documented from the Paleocene fossil record through to extant populations across multiple continents. Some species achieve extremely high population densities, dominating benthic invertebrate communities in temporary and permanent water bodies.
Oxidae
Oxidae is a small family of prostigmatan mites in the order Trombidiformes, established by Viets in 1926. The family contains approximately 15 described species distributed across four genera: Flabellifrontipoda, Frontipoda, Gnaphiscus, and Oxus. These mites belong to the superfamily Lebertioidea and are part of the diverse assemblage of free-living predatory mites within the suborder Prostigmata.
Prostigmata
Prostigs
Prostigmata is a suborder of mites in the order Trombidiformes, comprising the majority of 'sucking' mites within the Acariformes. The group exhibits extraordinary ecological diversity, including plant-feeding pests, vertebrate and invertebrate parasites, predators, and free-living forms in aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Notable members include spider mites (Tetranychidae), gall mites (Eriophyidae), harvest mites (Trombiculidae), and Demodex mites. The suborder is taxonomically complex, currently divided into four infraorders: Anystina, Eleutherengona, Eupodina, and Labidostommatina.
Raphignathoidea
Raphignathoidea is a superfamily of mites in the order Trombidiformes, comprising approximately 1,087 species across 62 genera and 12 families. The group exhibits diverse feeding strategies, including predation on small invertebrates, herbivory, and parasitism. Many species have commercial value in biological pest control. The superfamily occupies varied microhabitats from soil and leaf litter to aquatic environments and agricultural crops.
Stygothrombium
Stygothrombium is a genus of mites in the family Stygothrombiidae, order Trombidiformes. It belongs to the diverse group of prostigmatid mites, which includes many parasitic and predatory forms. The genus was established by K.H. Viets in 1932. Members of this genus are associated with subterranean or groundwater habitats, reflecting the 'stygo-' prefix in its name.