''Leptus'' is a genus of large
mite
Mites are small arachnids (eight-legged arthropods) of two large orders, the Acariformes and the Parasitiformes, which were historically grouped together in the subclass Acari. However, most recent genetic analyses do not recover the two as eac ...
s belonging to the family
Erythraeidae; they resemble members of the related genus ''
Balaustium'', but can be distinguished by the eyes, which in ''Leptus'' species are set much further forward on the body than in ''Balaustium'' species.
The genus was first described in 1796 by
Pierre André Latreille
Pierre André Latreille (; 29 November 1762 – 6 February 1833) was a French zoology, zoologist, specialising in arthropods. Having trained as a Roman Catholic priest before the French Revolution, Latreille was imprisoned, and only regained hi ...
.
Selected species
Interim Register of Marine and NonMarine Genera lists 202 species.
* ''
Leptus ariel''
Southcott, 1989
* ''
Leptus berlesei''
* ''
Leptus clavatus''
* ''
Leptus intermedius''
Meyer & Ryke, 1959
* ''
Leptus monteithi''
Southcott, 1993
* ''
Leptus pozzoicus''
Ryszard, 2007
* ''
Leptus trimaculatus''
* ''
Leptus vertiformis''
References
Trombidiformes
Taxa named by Pierre André Latreille
Taxa described in 1796
{{Trombidiformes-stub