Major mite taxa

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Taxonomy

updated 2025

Common names

spider mites, peacock mites, false spider mites, raphignathoids, cheyletoids, myobiids, cheyletiella, follicle mites, quill mites, skin mites, walking dandruff

Probability of encounter

very high

Quarantine importance

Very high. The Tetranychoidea contains most of the important plant-parasitic mites outside of the Eupodides, including the spider mites and false spider mites. The Cheyletoidea contains many important parasites of wildlife and some important pests of pets, laboratory animals, livestock, and people.

Diagnosis

Raphignathina are small to medium in size; most species soft-bodied, others with varying degrees of dorsaldorsal:
relating to the upper or back side; opposed to ventral.
sclerotization; mostly white, red, yellow, or green  in color. Cheliceralcheliceral:
of or pertaining to the chelicera.
bases free, adnate, fused mesally into a stylophorestylophore:
chelicerae formed of fused cheliceral bases bearing stylet-like movable digits as in Raphignathae (Prostigmata), e.g., the plant parasitic spider mites and their relatives (Tetranychoidea).  In predatory and parasitic Cheyletoidea and parasitic Myobiidae, the stylophore and subcapitulum are fused into a gnathosomal capsule.
(sometimes withdrawn into the bodybody:
the idiosoma of mites.
), or forming a gnathosomal capsulegnathosomal capsule:
a fusion of the gnathosomal elements (chelicerae and subcapitulum) into a single structure, as seen in protigmatans such as Heterostigmata, Myobiidae, and Cheyletoidea (also tegmen).
; chelicerae with fixed digitfixed digit:
the distal extension of the middle article of the chelicera; usually bearing teeth and a distal hook and opposed to the movable digit in chelate-dentate forms, but often regressed; in Mesostigmata the fixed digit may bear the pilus dentilis.
reduced and movable digit bladelike, needle-like, or whiplike. Peritremes, when present, often elaborate chamberedchambered:
a structure with discrete compartments, e.g., the peritremes of some ologamasids (Mesostigmata) and prostigmatans.
structures on the dorsaldorsal:
relating to the upper or back side; opposed to ventral.
surface of the prodorsumprodorsum:
the dorsal surface of the propodosoma.
or chelicerae; naso absent; prodorsal trichobothriatrichobothrium:
(pl. trichobothria) (= bothridial sensillum) an often elaborately modified seta set in a cup-like base; forms include filiform, ciliate, pectinate or variously thickened or clubbed (bat-like to globose or capitate).
absent; eye lenses usually present. Palps 4–5 segmented; usually with one or more clawclaw:
like - having a distal hook; resembling a claw.
-like setaeseta:
(pl. setae, from L. = bristle) cuticular process composed of a hollow shaft (sometimes filled with a refractive material) produced from a membranous socket (the alveolus); the hair-like, spine-like, branched or variously expanded structures on the surfaces of the legs and body.  Most setae function as mechanoreceptors, but others (e.g., solenidia) are chemoreceptors or have unknown or ambiguous functions.
on the palp tibiatibia:
(pl. tibiae) the leg segment between the genu and the tarsus.
and with a thumb- or button-like subterminal palp tarsustarsus:
(pl. tarsi) the subdistal leg segment between the tibia and the pretarsus (apotele).
. Body setaeseta:
(pl. setae, from L. = bristle) cuticular process composed of a hollow shaft (sometimes filled with a refractive material) produced from a membranous socket (the alveolus); the hair-like, spine-like, branched or variously expanded structures on the surfaces of the legs and body.  Most setae function as mechanoreceptors, but others (e.g., solenidia) are chemoreceptors or have unknown or ambiguous functions.
range from short and sparse, to long and barbed, to dentritic, to plate-like. Leg tarsitarsus:
(pl. tarsi) the subdistal leg segment between the tibia and the pretarsus (apotele).
usually with tenent hairs on claws or empodiumempodium:
(pl. empodia) an unpaired structure arising between the tarsal claws, ranging from pad-like to claw-like and often bearing structures such as tenent hairs, dense setulae, or taking the form of a featherclaw (Eriophyoidea)..
. Genital papillaegenital papillae:
 1-3 pairs of extrusible finger-like to button-like projections, usually retracted into in the genital vestibule of acariform mites; sometimes formed as sessile disks around the genital opening; thought to be osmoregulatory structures; modified or multiplied and dispersed over the body in many freshwater mites.  Genital papillae are absent in the larva, but may be added ontogenetically: protonymphs have one pair, deutonymphs two pairs, and tritonymphs (and adults) three pairs.  The tritonymphal pair of papillae is often lost.  The serially homologous Claparède's organ is usually present in the larvae (and prelarvae) of mites exhibiting genital papillae in nymphs and adults (Oudeman's Rule).
absent; males with an intromittent aedeagusaedeagus:
a male intromittent organ, especially when sclerotized (e.g., in Tetranycoidea, Raphignathoidea); a penis is a flexible, membranous intromittent organ, although 'penis' is often used for aedeagi (e.g., in Astigmata).
.

Similar taxa

Anystides and Eupodides usually have genital papillaegenital papillae:
 1-3 pairs of extrusible finger-like to button-like projections, usually retracted into in the genital vestibule of acariform mites; sometimes formed as sessile disks around the genital opening; thought to be osmoregulatory structures; modified or multiplied and dispersed over the body in many freshwater mites.  Genital papillae are absent in the larva, but may be added ontogenetically: protonymphs have one pair, deutonymphs two pairs, and tritonymphs (and adults) three pairs.  The tritonymphal pair of papillae is often lost.  The serially homologous Claparède's organ is usually present in the larvae (and prelarvae) of mites exhibiting genital papillae in nymphs and adults (Oudeman's Rule).
and prodorsal trichobothriatrichobothrium:
(pl. trichobothria) (= bothridial sensillum) an often elaborately modified seta set in a cup-like base; forms include filiform, ciliate, pectinate or variously thickened or clubbed (bat-like to globose or capitate).
, both of which are lacking in the Raphignathina.

Ecology and distribution

The Raphignathoidea is composed of several families of predatory and herbivorous mites, and are very common in soil, moss and on foliage. The Stigmaeidae are the most ecologically diverse, acting as predators in leaf litter and in trees, and herbivores in moss. Barbutiidae, Caligonellidae, Camerobiidae, Cryptognathidae, Dasythyreidae, Eupalopsellidae and Raphignathidae are frequently encountered in the drier soil microhabitats (e.g., dry soil, bark, moss). Homocaligidae, on the other hand, appear restricted to semi-aquatic habitats. Most families of Cheyletoidea are parasites that are unlikely to turn up in soil samples. The exception is Cheyletidae, which includes many free-living predators inhabiting litter, soil, tree bark, foliage, as well as stored products and vertebrate nests. Myobiidae are fur parasites of rodents, insectivores and bats. The Tetranychoidea are plant-associated mites, and includes the infamous spider mites (Tetranychidae). Tetranychoid species that feed on grasses or pasture legumes may occasionally appear in soil samples.

References

• Beard et al. 2003Beard et al. 2003:
  Beard JJ, Walter DE, and Allsopp P. 2003. Spider mites of sugarcane in Australia: A review of grass-feeding Oligonychus Berlese (Acari: Prostigmata: Tetranychidae) with the description of four new species. Australian Journal of Entomology 42: 51-78.
• Bolland et al. 1998Bolland et al. 1998:
  Bolland HR, Gutierrez J, Flechtmann CHW. 1998. World catalogue of the spider mite family (Acari: Tetranychidae). Brill, Leiden.
• Evans et al. 1993Evans et al. 1993:
  Evans GA, Cromroy HL, and Ochoa R. 1993. The Tenuipalpidae of Honduras (Tenuipalpidae: Acari). Florida Entomologist 76: 126-155.
• Fan et al. 2003aFan et al. 2003a:
  Fan Q-H, Walter DE, and Proctor HC. 2003a. A review of the family Barbutiidae (Acari: Raphignathoidea) with the description of two new species from Australia. Systematic and Applied Acarology 8: 107-130.
• Fan et al. 2003bFan et al. 2003b:
  Fan Q-H, Walter DE, and Proctor HC. 2003b. A review of the genus Ledermuelleriopsis Willmann (Acari: Prostigmata: Stigmaeidae). Invertebrate Systematics 17: 1-24.
• Gerson and Walter 1998Gerson and Walter 1998:
  Gerson U and Walter DE. 1998. The transfer of Mecognatha Wood from the Stigmaeidae to Mecognathidae, n. fam., a new synonymy, and a key to the families of the Raphignathoidea (Acari: Prostigmata). Systematic and Applied Acarology 3: 145-147.
• Helle and Sabelis 1985Helle and Sabelis 1985:
  Helle W and Sabelis MW, eds. 1985. Spider mites: Their biology, natural enemies, and control. World Crop Pests, Vol. 1A. Elsevier, New York.
• Hislop and Jeppson 1976Hislop and Jeppson 1976:
  Hislop RG and Jeppson LR. 1976. Morphology of the mouthparts of several species of phytophagous mites. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 69: 1125-1135.
• Jeppson et al. 1975Jeppson et al. 1975:
  Jeppson LR, Keifer HH, and Baker EW. 1975. Mites injurious to economic plants. University of California Press, Berkeley.
• Kethley 1982cKethley 1982c:
  Kethley JB. 1982c. Acariformes. pp. 142-145. In: Parker SP, ed. Synopsis and classification of living organisms, Vol. 2. McGraw-Hill, New York.
• Kethley 1990aKethley 1990a:
  Kethley JB. 1990a. Acarina: Prostigmata (Actinedida). pp. 667-756. In: Dindal DL, ed. Soil biology guide. John Wiley & Sons, Brisbane.
• Krantz 1978Krantz 1978:
  Krantz GW. 1978. A manual of acarology [2nd ed.]. Oregon State University Book Stores, Corvallis.
• Luxton 1973Luxton 1973:
  Luxton M. 1973. Mites of the genus Cryptognathus from Australia, New Zealand, and Niue Island. Acarologia 15: 53-75.
• Meyer 1979Meyer 1979:
  Meyer MKPS. 1979. The Tenuipalpidae (Acari) of Africa with keys to the world fauna. Republic of South Africa, Department of Agricultural Technical Services, Entomology Memoir No. 50: 135 pp.
• Meyer and Ueckermann 1997Meyer and Ueckermann 1997:
  Meyer MKPS and Ueckermann EA. 1997. A review of some species of the families Allochaetophoridae, Linotetranidae and Tuckerellidae (Acari: Tetranychoidea). International Journal of Acarology 23: 67-92.
• Ochoa et al. 1994Ochoa et al. 1994:
  Ochoa R, Aguilar H, and Vargas C. 1994. Phytophagous mites of Central America: An illustrated guide. CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica.
• Walter and Gerson 1998Walter and Gerson 1998:
  Walter DE and Gerson U. 1998. Dasythyreidae, new family, and Xanthodasythyreus n. g. (Acari: Prostigmata: Raphignathoidea) from Australia. International Journal of Acarology 24: 189-197.
• Wood 1967Wood 1967:
  Wood TG. 1967. New Zealand mites of the family Stigmaeidae (Acari, Prostigmata). Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Zoology 9 (9): 93-139.
• Wood 1969Wood 1969:
  Wood TG. 1969. The Homocaligidae, a new family of mites (Acari: Raphignathoidea), including a description of a new species from Malaya and the British Solomon Islands. Acarologia 11: 711-729.