Ereynetidae
Guides
Riccardoella
slug mites, snail mites
Riccardoella is a genus of parasitic mites in the family Ereynetidae that are obligate ectoparasites of terrestrial gastropod molluscs, primarily slugs and snails. The genus contains approximately six described species distributed across Europe, North America, East Asia, and New Zealand. These mites inhabit host mantle cavities, respiratory pores, and lung spaces, feeding on host mucus and tissue fluids. Their life cycles are tightly coupled to host biology, with developmental stages periodically leaving hosts to moult before reinfesting.