Trombidiformes
Guides
Adamystidae
Adamystidae is a family of predatory soil mites in the order Trombidiformes, comprising the sole family of the monotypic superfamily Adamystoidea. The family contains at least three genera: the extant Adamystis and Nannodromus, and the extinct †Saxidromus. These mites are edaphic, inhabiting soil and leaf litter, and are characterized by specific morphological features of the propodosoma and idiosoma that distinguish them from related anystine mites.
Anystina
Anystina is an infraorder of mites within the suborder Prostigmata (Trombidiformes). This group includes several families of relatively active, often predatory mites. Members are characterized by features of the gnathosoma and leg chaetotaxy that distinguish them from other prostigmatan lineages. The infraorder encompasses taxa such as Anystidae and related families, many of which occupy soil, leaf litter, and vegetation habitats.
Balaustiinae
Balaustiinae is a subfamily of mites in the family Erythraeidae, within the order Trombidiformes. Members are predatory erythraeoid mites characterized by specific morphological features in their leg chaetotaxy and body setation patterns. The subfamily was established by Grandjean in 1947 and contains multiple genera distributed across various terrestrial habitats.
Callidosoma
Callidosoma is a genus of mites in the family Erythraeidae, subfamily Callidosomatinae. Members are classified within the superfamily Erythraeoidea, a group of predatory mites commonly known as velvet mites or rain mites. The genus was established by Womersley in 1936 and is distributed across multiple continents. Erythraeid mites are generally characterized by their soft, often brightly colored bodies and active predatory habits.
Charletonia
Charletonia is a genus of erythraeid mites comprising approximately 86 described species based on larval morphology. The genus is globally distributed and comprises ectoparasitic mites whose larvae attach to arthropod hosts. Adult and nymphal stages are active predators, though less frequently encountered than the distinctive larval form. The genus was established by Oudemans in 1910 and belongs to the family Erythraeidae within the order Trombidiformes.
Cheyletidae
Cheyletid mites
Cheyletidae is a family of predatory and parasitic mites in the order Trombidiformes. Some species, notably in the genus Cheyletiella, are ectoparasites of mammals and birds causing cheyletiellosis ("walking dandruff"). Most species are free-living predators found in diverse habitats including soil, forest litter, animal nests, house dust, under bark, and on foliage. They feed on other mites, nematodes, and small arthropods. Several species have been evaluated as biological control agents for agricultural and stored-product pests.
Dactyloscirus
Dactyloscirus is a genus of predatory mites in the family Cunaxidae, first described by Berlese in 1916. These mites belong to the order Trombidiformes, a diverse group of arachnids commonly known as prostigmatid mites. Members of this genus are characterized by their distinctive leg morphology, with the genus name referencing finger-like or dactylous structures. Cunaxid mites, including Dactyloscirus, are primarily known as predators of small arthropods and are found in soil and litter habitats.
Erythracaridae
Erythracaridae is a family of mites in the order Trombidiformes, first described by Oudemans in 1936. The family comprises nine accepted genera including Erythracarus, Tarsotomus, and Tarsolarkus. These mites belong to the superfamily Anystoidea and are classified within the infraorder Anystina.
Erythraeidae
Erythraeidae is a family of predatory mites in the order Trombidiformes. Adults are free-living, fast-running predators with long legs adapted for pursuit. Larvae are ectoparasites of various arthropods, including harvestmen, spiders, bees, and grasshoppers, using a stylostome to feed on host body fluids. These mites are typically oval, relatively large for mites, reddish in color, and densely hairy. The family belongs to the superfamily Erythraeoidea within the diverse group Parasitengona, which includes velvet mites, chiggers, and water mites.
Erythraxus
Erythraxus is a genus of mites in the family Erythraeidae, established by Southcott in 1961. These mites belong to the order Trombidiformes, a diverse group of arachnids commonly known as "true mites." Members of the family Erythraeidae are typically predatory in their active post-larval stages, though specific details about Erythraxus biology remain poorly documented. The genus is rarely encountered in scientific literature and field observations.
Estelloxus
Estelloxus is a genus of mites in the family Lebertiidae, order Trombidiformes. The genus was established by Habeeb in 1963 and belongs to the superfamily Lebertioidea. Members of this genus are predatory or parasitic mites associated with freshwater or semi-aquatic habitats. The genus is poorly known, with limited published information on species diversity and biology.
Eupodidae
Eupodidae is a family of mites in the order Trombidiformes, comprising at least 11 genera and 110 described species. The family includes economically significant agricultural pests, notably Halotydeus destructor (redlegged earth mite) and Penthaleus major (blue oat mite), as well as species adapted to extreme environments including Antarctica. Members occupy diverse habitats ranging from agricultural lands to polar regions.
Eutrombidium
Eutrombidium is a genus of parasitic mites in the family Microtrombidiidae. Larval stages are ectoparasites primarily of grasshoppers and related orthopterans, with some records from beetles and crickets. The genus has been documented across Australia, Asia (Laos, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Iran, Pakistan), and Europe. Attachment sites on hosts include leg insertions and the prosternum.
Hydryphantoidea
Hydryphantoidea is a superfamily of prostigmatan mites within Trombidiformes, comprising approximately 250 described species across six families. Members are predominantly aquatic or semiaquatic, inhabiting freshwater habitats worldwide. The group includes the families Hydryphantidae, Hydrodromidae, Rhynchohydracaridae, Thermacaridae, Ctenothyadidae, and Teratothyadidae.
Lasioerythraeus
Lasioerythraeus is a genus of mites in the family Erythraeidae, described by Welbourn and Young in 1987. The genus belongs to the subfamily Erythraeinae within the superfamily Erythraeoidea. Members of this genus are predatory mites in the order Trombidiformes. The genus has been documented in iNaturalist with 59 observations, indicating it is encountered with moderate frequency by naturalists.
Lebertia
Lebertia is a genus of mites in the family Lebertiidae, established by Neuman in 1880. It belongs to the order Trombidiformes, a large group of mites commonly referred to as "true mites" or "prostigmatid mites." The genus contains at least two described species, including Lebertia aberrans and Lebertia aberrata. Lebertia is classified within the superfamily Lebertioidea, which includes water mites and related predatory or parasitic forms.
Lebertiidae
Lebertiidae is a family of prostigmatic mites in the order Trombidiformes, established by Thor in 1900. The family comprises at least two genera—*Lebertia* (Neuman, 1880) and *Estelloxus* (Habeeb, 1963)—with approximately 14 described species. These mites are part of the superfamily Lebertioidea within the infraorder Anystina. Records indicate presence in northern European countries including Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
Microtrombidiinae
Microtrombidiinae is a subfamily of mites within the family Microtrombidiidae, order Trombidiformes. Members are classified within the Parasitengona, a group characterized by complex life cycles involving parasitic larval stages and predatory or free-living post-larval stages. These mites are generally small to medium-sized with bright coloration, often red or orange. The subfamily was established by Thor in 1935 and contains multiple genera distributed across various regions.
Mideopsidae
Mideopsidae is a family of prostigmatic mites in the order Trombidiformes, comprising approximately 7 genera and 19 described species. The family belongs to the superfamily Arrenuroidea within the suborder Prostigmata. Members of this family are relatively small and understudied mites with limited ecological documentation.
Neomolgus littoralis
intertidal red velvet mite
Neomolgus littoralis is a species of snout mite in the family Bdellidae, commonly known as the intertidal red velvet mite. It inhabits shoreline environments across North America, Europe, and Japan. The species reaches approximately 2 mm in length and is characterized by its red coloration, ridged abdomen, and elongated snout. It is known to prey on small insects including kelp flies.
Neotrombidiidae
velvet mites, chiggers
Neotrombidiidae is a family of mites in the order Trombidiformes, encompassing velvet mites and chiggers. The family contains at least four recognized genera: Anomalothrombium, Discotrombium, Monunguis, and Neotrombidium. Members of this family are part of the diverse assemblage of parasitengone mites, a group characterized by complex life cycles involving parasitic larval stages and predatory post-larval stages.
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.
Paraphanolophus
Paraphanolophus is a genus of erythraeid mites in the family Erythraeidae, first described by Smiley in 1968. Members of this genus are predatory mites belonging to the superfamily Erythraeoidea. The genus is characterized by specific morphological modifications of the palpal femur that distinguish it from related genera such as Phanolophus. As with other erythraeid mites, species in this genus are likely active predators in soil and leaf litter habitats, though detailed biological studies remain limited.
Procaeculus
Procaeculus is a genus of mites in the family Caeculidae, first described by Jacot in 1936. Members of this genus belong to the superfamily Caeculoidea within the suborder Prostigmata. Caeculid mites, including Procaeculus, are predatory arachnids characterized by their raptorial pedipalps. The genus has been rarely documented, with limited observations available.
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.
Tarsonemidae
thread-footed mites, white mites
Tarsonemidae is a family of mites in the order Trombidiformes, commonly known as thread-footed mites or white mites. The family exhibits diverse feeding habits: most species feed on fungal mycelia or algal bodies, while a limited number of genera (Steneotarsonemus, Polyphagotarsonemus, Phytonemus, Floridotarsonemus, and Tarsonemus) feed on higher plants. Some tarsonemids are associated with insects, including parasites of bees (Acarapis woodi), associates of leaf-footed bug glands, and attachments to grasshopper wings. Several species are significant agricultural pests, notably the broad mite (Polyphagotarsonemus latus) and cyclamen mite (Steneotarsonemus pallidus).
Tetranychidae
Spider Mites
Tetranychidae is a family of mites commonly known as spider mites, comprising approximately 1,200 described species. Members are minute plant-feeding arachnids, typically measuring less than 1 mm in length. They are distributed worldwide and are significant agricultural pests, causing damage to hundreds of plant species by piercing leaf cells and extracting contents. Many species produce silk webbing for protection and dispersal. The family is divided into two subfamilies: Bryobiinae and Tetranychinae.