Microbivory
Guides
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.