Silken-structures
Guides
Cunaxidae
cunaxid mites, snout mites
Cunaxidae is a family of predatory mites in the order Trombidiformes, commonly known as snout mites due to their prominent gnathosoma. The family contains at least 20 genera and over 390 described species, with some estimates exceeding 450 species across 32 genera. These mites occupy diverse terrestrial habitats worldwide except Antarctica, where they function as opportunistic predators of small arthropods and other microfauna. They exhibit two distinct foraging strategies: ambush predation and active cursorial hunting.