Oribatids
Guides
Carabodoidea
Carabodoidea is a superfamily of oribatid mites within the order Sarcoptiformes. These mites are part of the diverse soil microarthropod community, contributing to decomposition processes. The group was established by Koch in 1843 and is classified within the infraorder Brachypylina. Members are characterized by certain morphological features of the legs and body structure that distinguish them from other oribatid superfamilies.
Damaeidae
Damaeidae is a family of oribatid mites (order Sarcoptiformes) comprising approximately 20 genera distributed across the Northern Hemisphere. Members are primarily fungivorous and inhabit decomposing organic matter including plant litter, mosses, decaying wood, and soil layers. Several species exhibit troglophilic tendencies, occurring in subterranean habitats such as caves and mountain scree systems. The family has undergone extensive taxonomic revision, with historically recognized families Belbidae, Belbodamaeidae, and Hungarobelbidae now synonymized under Damaeidae.
Damaeoidea
Damaeoidea is a superfamily of oribatid mites (beetle mites) within the order Sarcoptiformes. First described by Berlese in 1896, this group comprises several families of soil-dwelling mites that play important roles in decomposition and nutrient cycling. The superfamily is part of the diverse assemblage of Brachypylina mites, one of the most species-rich lineages of oribatids.
Euphthiracaroidea
Euphthiracaroidea is a superfamily of oribatid mites within the infraorder Mixonomata, established by Jacot in 1930. It comprises several families including Euphthiracaridae, Synichotritiidae, and Oribotritiidae. Members of this group are primarily known from leaf litter habitats in tropical and subtropical regions, with documented diversity in Southeast Asia including Thailand.
Euzetidae
Euzetidae is a family of oribatid mites (order Sarcoptiformes) that is currently treated as a synonym of Ceratozetidae. The family was established to accommodate certain genera of moss mites, but taxonomic revisions have subsumed it under the broader Ceratozetidae concept. Records indicate presence in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
Hermanniellidae
Hermanniellidae is a family of oribatid mites (order Sarcoptiformes) containing approximately 9 genera and at least 50 described species. The family was established by Grandjean in 1934 and belongs to the superfamily Hermannielloidea within the group Pycnonoticae. Genera include Hermanniella, Hermannobates, Ampullobates, and Sacculobates, among others.
Hermanniidae
Hermanniidae is a family of oribatid mites in the order Sarcoptiformes, containing at least three genera—Hermannia, Neohermannia, and Galapagacarus—with approximately 80 described species. Members are primarily soil-dwelling mites with holarctic and pantropical distributions, including significant diversity in Australian wet forests and the Philippines. The family is characterized by stocky body morphology and distinctive setal arrangements that vary among species.
Liacaridae
Liacaridae is a family of oribatid mites comprising approximately 7 genera and over 240 described species. Members are small arachnids (adult body length 445–735 μm) characterized by specific morphological features including lamellar and interlamellar setae arrangements. The family includes the fossil genus †Liacarus and extant genera such as Adoristes, Xenillus, and Dorycranosus. Species within this family exhibit sexual dimorphism in body size, with females typically larger than males.
Mixonomata
Mixonomata is an infraorder of oribatid mites within the order Sarcoptiformes, established by Grandjean in 1969. This group comprises soil-dwelling mites characterized by a distinctive mix of morphological features that separate them from other oribatid lineages. Members of Mixonomata are primarily found in forest litter and soil habitats where they contribute to decomposition processes. The infraorder includes several families and represents a significant component of microarthropod diversity in terrestrial ecosystems.
Nothridae
Nothridae is a family of oribatid mites comprising at least 3 genera and approximately 70 described species. The family includes the genera Nothrus (semi-cosmopolitan), Novonothrus (Gondwanan distribution), and Trichonothrus (previously known only from South Africa, now recorded from Australia). Members are primarily associated with moist forest habitats, particularly cool temperate rainforests. Australian Nothridae show relict Gondwanan biogeographical affinities, with high diversity of sexual species in temperate rainforests contrasting with thelytokous parthenogenetic species in the Northern Hemisphere.
Oppiidae
Oppiidae is a large and diverse family of oribatid mites comprising over 1000 described species. These microarthropods inhabit soil and litter layers across varied terrestrial ecosystems worldwide, from coastal sands to forest floors and grasslands. The family is taxonomically complex with numerous genera, many of which have restricted distributions or are poorly studied in particular regions such as Mongolia and Korea.
Oribotritiidae
Oribotritiidae is a family of ptyctimous oribatid mites in the order Oribatida. The family includes the genus Austrotritia, which has a primarily Gondwanan distribution across the Oriental, Australian, and southeastern Palaearctic Regions. The European species Austrotritia finlandica, endemic to the southwestern archipelago of Finland, represents the only known European occurrence of this genus. Records from GBIF indicate presence in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
Oripodoidea
Oripodoidea is a superfamily of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) established by Jacot in 1925. It comprises approximately 19 families and at least 1,300 described species, making it one of the most diverse superfamilies within the suborder Oribatida. Members are classified within the infraorder Brachypylina and cohort Poronoticae.
Peloptulus
Peloptulus is a genus of oribatid mites (family Phenopelopidae) established by Berlese in 1908. These mites belong to the diverse soil-dwelling microarthropod fauna commonly known as moss mites or beetle mites. The genus is documented from Scandinavian countries including Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
Phenopelopidae
Phenopelopidae is a family of oribatid mites comprising 4 genera and approximately 106 species. Adults are small (400–900 μm), typically dark brown to black, with distinctive flat blade-like lamellae and movable pteromorphs. Juveniles are soft-bodied, light brown, and possess plicate cuticle. These mites inhabit forest floor microhabitats and appear to be primarily fungal feeders.
Scutoverticidae
Scutoverticidae is a family of oribatid mites comprising approximately 8 genera and at least 50 described species. The family is classified within the superfamily Licneremaeoidea. Members are small soil-dwelling arachnids. The genus *Scutovertex* includes alpine-associated species.
Zygoribatula
Zygoribatula is a genus of oribatid mites in the family Oribatulidae. These small arachnids are part of the diverse soil-dwelling mite fauna. The genus was established by Berlese in 1916. Records indicate presence in Denmark and Norway, though the genus likely has broader distribution in suitable habitats.