Mesostigmata is an order of

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 Parasitiformes. They are by far the largest group of Parasitiformes, with over 8,000 species in 130 families. Mesostigmata includes parasitic as well as free-living and

predatory Predation is a biological interaction in which one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill ...

forms. They can be recognized by the single pair of spiracles positioned laterally on the body. The family with the most described species is

Phytoseiidae The Phytoseiidae are a family of mites which feed on thrips and other mite species. They are often used as a biological control agent for managing mite pests. Because of their usefulness as biological control agents, interest in Phytoseiidae has ...

. Other families of note are Diplogyniidae, Macrochelidae,

Pachylaelapidae Pachylaelapidae is a family of mites in the order Mesostigmata. There are about 16 genera and more than 200 described species in Pachylaelapidae. Genera These 16 genera belong to the family Pachylaelapidae: * ''Chaetodellus'' Mašán & Halliday ...

Uropodidae Uropodidae is a family of mites in the order Mesostigmata. Description As part of superfamily Uropodoidea, Uropodidae are tortoise-like mites with an oval to circular outline, and with armour both dorsally and ventrally. They can be distinguis ...

and Veigaiidae. Amongst the best known species are ''

Varroa destructor ''Varroa destructor'', the Varroa mite, is an ectoparasite, external parasitic mite that attacks and feeds on honey bees and is one of the most damaging honey bee pests in the world. A significant mite infestation leads to the death of a honey b ...

'', an economically important parasite of honey bees, as well as the red mite (''Dermanyssus gallinae''), a parasite of poultry, most commonly chickens.

Description

Mesostigmata are mites ranging from 0.12–4 mm long (0.2–4 mm according to another source). They have a pair of stigmatal openings above legs III-IV usually associated with a peritrematal groove. The gnathosoma has a sclerotised ring around the bases of the

chelicerae The chelicerae () are the arthropod mouthparts, mouthparts of the subphylum Chelicerata, an arthropod group that includes arachnids, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. Commonly referred to as "jaws", chelicerae may be shaped as either articulated ...

(basis capitulum). The palps have five (rarely four) free segments and usually a subdistal palp apotele. The chelicerae are three segmented. The subcapitulum usually has a median groove with transverse rows of one to many denticles. There are usually bifurcate or membranous corniculi present. Except in some parasitic species, a flagellate tritosternum is present. The coxae of the legs are freely articulating with the body. The intercoxal region has sternal and genital shield elements. Adults have a genital opening and either chelicerae modified for sperm transfer (if male) or a sperm-receiving structure (if female). The above description applies to adults. Larvae have six legs, instead of the eight possessed by later stages, and may or may not feed. There are two nymphal stages (protonymph, deutonymph) that usually have lightly sclerotized dorsal, intercoxal and ventral plates.

Ecology

Many Mesostigmata are free-living predators of invertebrates that live in soil and litter, on the soil surface or on plants. There are also some that live in freshwater. Other Mesostigmata are parasites of vertebrates or arthropods, pollen and nectar feeders in flowers, fungus feeders, or saprophages that subsist on dead or decaying organic matter. The soil-dwelling Mesostigmata are not as abundant as oribatids or prostigmatids that also occur in this habitat, but they are still ubiquitous in soil and may be important predators. Larger species tend to be predators of small arthropods or arthropod eggs, whereas smaller species prey on

nematode The nematodes ( or ; ; ), roundworms or eelworms constitute the phylum Nematoda. Species in the phylum inhabit a broad range of environments. Most species are free-living, feeding on microorganisms, but many are parasitic. Parasitic worms (h ...

s. Size of these mesostigmatans decreases with soil depth:

plant litter Plant litter (also leaf litter, tree litter, soil litter, litterfall, or duff) is dead plant material (such as leaves, bark, needles, twigs, and cladodes) that has fallen to the ground. This detritus or dead organic material and its constituent ...

and

humus In classical soil science, humus is the dark organic matter in soil that is formed by the decomposition of plant and animal matter. It is a kind of soil organic matter. It is rich in nutrients and retains moisture in the soil. Humus is the Lati ...

have large species such as '' Veigaia'' ( Veigaiidae), the humus-soil interface has smaller species like '' Dendrolaelaps'' (

Digamasellidae Digamasellidae is a family of mites in the order Mesostigmata. Genera These 11 genera belong to the family Digamasellidae: * '' Dendrolaelaps'' Halbert, 1915 * '' Dendrolaelaspis'' Lindquist, 1975 * '' Dendroseius'' Karg, 1965 * '' Digamasellus ...

) and the mineral soil has the tiny ''

Rhodacarellus ''Rhodacarellus'' is a genus of mites in the family Rhodacaridae Rhodacaridae is a family of mites in the order Mesostigmata.Walter, David Evans, edRhodacaridae Species Listing Biology Catalog. Texas A&M University. Retrieved on August 27, 201 ...

'' (

Rhodacaridae Rhodacaridae is a family of mites in the order Mesostigmata.Walter, David Evans, edRhodacaridae Species Listing Biology Catalog. Texas A&M University. Retrieved on August 27, 2010. Genera * ''Afrodacarellus'' Hulbutt, 1974 * ''Afrogamasellus'' ...

). A few species are known from freshwater habitats, such as wet soil, phytotelmata, waterside vegetation and sewage filter-beds. These appear to move by crawling as no species are known to swim. Some species are known to prey on

mosquito Mosquitoes, the Culicidae, are a Family (biology), family of small Diptera, flies consisting of 3,600 species. The word ''mosquito'' (formed by ''Musca (fly), mosca'' and diminutive ''-ito'') is Spanish and Portuguese for ''little fly''. Mos ...

eggs and one species was reared on a diet of nematodes. The parasitic Mesostigmata are mostly in superfamily Dermanyssoidea. These include parasites of invertebrates (e.g. Varroidae) and of vertebrates (other families), as well as both ectoparasites (external) and endoparasites (internal). Phoresy, the temporary attachment of a smaller animal to a larger one for travel, is common in the Mesostigmata. For example, the freshwater species are phoretic on flies of families Tipulidae,

Ceratopogonidae Ceratopogonidae is a family of flies commonly known as no-see-ums, sand flies or biting midges, generally in length. The family includes more than 5,000 species, distributed worldwide, apart from the Antarctic and the Arctic. A 2025 study fro ...

, and Culicidae.

Economic importance

'' (Varroidae) is a major pest of

honey bee A honey bee (also spelled honeybee) is a eusocial flying insect within the genus ''Apis'' of the bee clade, all native to mainland Afro-Eurasia. After bees spread naturally throughout Africa and Eurasia, humans became responsible for the ...

s. It harms bees both directly by feeding on fat body tissue, and indirectly by transmitting viruses. Similarly, the red mite ('' Dermanyssus gallinae'') feeds on the blood of birds, including

poultry Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of harvesting animal products such as meat, Eggs as food, eggs or feathers. The practice of animal husbandry, raising poultry is known as poultry farming. These birds are most typ ...

(

chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated subspecies of the red junglefowl (''Gallus gallus''), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is now one of the most common and w ...

s, turkeys,

duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family (biology), family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and goose, geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfam ...

s) and wild birds. It reduces animal health, welfare and production. In agriculture, soil-dwelling mesostigmatans are important predators of nematodes,

springtail Springtails (class Collembola) form the largest of the three lineages of modern Hexapoda, hexapods that are no longer considered insects. Although the three lineages are sometimes grouped together in a class called Entognatha because they have in ...

s and insect larvae, while plant-dwelling mesostigmatans control pests such as spider mites.

Evolution

The oldest known record of the group is an indeterminate Sejidae deutonymph from the mid-

Cretaceous The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 143.1 to 66 mya (unit), million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era (geology), Era, as well as the longest. At around 77.1 million years, it is the ...

(Albian-Cenomanian) aged

Burmese amber Burmese amber, also known as Burmite or Kachin amber, is amber from the Hukawng Valley in northern Myanmar. The amber is dated to around 100 million years ago, during the latest Albian to earliest Cenomanian ages of the mid-Cretaceous period. Th ...

of Myanmar.

Taxonomy

Taxonomy to families (Beaulieu 2011). Genus and species counts fluctuate over time. : Order Mesostigmata G. Canestrini, 1891 :: Suborder Monogynaspida Camin & Gorirossi, 1955 ::: Infraorder Gamasina Kramer, 1881 :::: Hyporder Arctacariae Johnston, 1982 ::::: Superfamily Arctacaroidea Evans, 1955 :::::: Family Arctacaridae Evans, 1955 (2 genera, 6 species) :::: Hyporder Dermanyssiae Evans & Till, 1979 ::::: Superfamily Ascoidea Voigts & Oudemans, 1905 :::::: Family

Ameroseiidae The family Ameroseiidae is one of the three families of mites under the superfamily Ascoidea (mite), Ascoidea. There are about 12 genera and more than 130 described species in Ameroseiidae. The family has a worldwide distribution. Descripti ...

Evans, 1961 (10 genera, 148 species) :::::: Family Ascidae Voigts & Oudemans, 1905 (17 genera, 338 species) :::::: Family Melicharidae Hirschmann, 1962 (12 genera, 201 species) ::::: Superfamily Dermanyssoidea Kolenati, 1859 :::::: Family Dasyponyssidae Fonseca, 1940 (2 genera, 2 species) :::::: Family Dermanyssidae Kolenati, 1859 (2 genera, 26 species) :::::: Family Entonyssidae Ewing, 1923 (9 genera, 27 species) :::::: Family Haemogamasidae Oudemans, 1926 (5 genera, 78 species) :::::: Family Halarachnidae Oudemans, 1906 (7 genera, 43 species) :::::: Family Hystrichonyssidae Keegan, Yunker & Baker, 1960 (1 genus, 1 species) :::::: Family Iphiopsididae Kramer, 1886 (14 genera, 68 species) :::::: Family Ixodorhynchidae Ewing, 1923 (6 genera, 43 species) :::::: Family Laelapidae Berlese, 1892 (90 genera, 1316 species) :::::: Family Larvamimidae Elzinga, 1993 (6 genera, 43 species) :::::: Family Macronyssidae Oudemans, 1936 (34 genera, 233 species) :::::: Family Manitherionyssidae Radovsky & Yunker, 1971 (1 genus, 1 species) :::::: Family Omentolaelapidae Fain, 1961 (1 genus, 1 species) :::::: Family Rhinonyssidae Trouessart, 1895 (8 genera, 510 species) :::::: Family Spelaeorhynchidae Oudemans, 1902 (1 genus, 7 species) :::::: Family

Spinturnicidae Spinturnicidae is a family of mites in the order Mesostigmata. The mites are highly specialized parasites of wing or tail membrane or bats. Some species infest eyelids and eye canthi. The species of Spinturnicidae are found in bat habitats throug ...

Oudemans, 1901 (12 genera, 101 species) :::::: Family Varroidae Delfinado & Baker, 1974 (2 genera, 6 species) ::::: Superfamily Eviphidoidea Berlese, 1913 :::::: Family Eviphididae Berlese, 1913 (19 genera, 108 species) :::::: Family Leptolaelapidae Karg, 1978 (12 genera, 48 species) :::::: Family Macrochelidae Vitzthum, 1930 (20 genera, 470 species) :::::: Family

Berlese, 1913 (26 genera, 199 species) :::::: Family Parholaspididae Evans, 1956 (12 genera, 96 species) ::::: Superfamily Phytoseioidea Berlese, 1916 :::::: Family Blattisociidae Garman, 1948 (11 genera, 369 species) :::::: Family Otopheidomenidae Treat, 1955 (10 genera, 28 species) :::::: Family

Berlese, 1916 (90 genera, 2300 species) :::::: Family Podocinidae Berlese, 1913 (2 genera, 25 species) ::::: Superfamily Rhodacaroidea Oudemans, 1902 :::::: Family

Evans, 1957 (13 genera, 261 species) :::::: Family Halolaelapidae Karg, 1965 (4 genera, 80 species) :::::: Family Laelaptonyssidae Womersley, 1956 (1 genus, 6 species) :::::: Family

Ologamasidae Ologamasidae is a family of mites in the order Mesostigmata. There are more than 40 genera and 470 described species in Ologamasidae. Genera These 44 genera belong to the family Ologamasidae: * ''Acugamasus'' Lee, 1970 * ''Acuphis'' Karg, 1998 ...

Ryke, 1962 (45 genera, 452 species) :::::: Family

Oudemans, 1902 (15 genera, 148 species) :::::: Family Teranyssidae Halliday, 2006 (1 genus, 1 species) ::::: Superfamily Veigaioidea Oudemans, 1939 :::::: Family Veigaiidae Oudemans, 1939 (4 genera, 95 species) :::: Hyporder Epicriiae Kramer, 1885 ::::: Superfamily Epicrioidea Berlese, 1885 :::::: Family Epicriidae Berlese, 1885 (4 genera, 48 species) ::::: Superfamily Heatherelloidea Walter, 1997 :::::: Family Heatherellidae Walter, 1997 (1 genus, 2 species) ::::: Superfamily Zerconoidea G. Canestrini, 1891 :::::: Family Coprozerconidae Moraza & Lindquist, 1999 (1 genus, 1 species) :::::: Family Zerconidae G. Canestrini, 1891 (36 genera, 390, species) :::: Hyporder Parasitiae Evans & Till, 1979 ::::: Superfamily Parasitoidea Oudemans, 1901 :::::: Family Parasitidae Oudemans, 1901 (35 genera, 426 species) ::: Infraorder Uropodina Kramer, 1881 ::::: Family Dithinozerconidae Ainscough, 1979 :::: Superfamily Diarthrophalloidea Trägårdh, 1946 ::::: Family Diarthrophallidae Trägårdh, 1946 (22 genera, 63 species) :::: Superfamily Microgynioidea Trägårdh, 1942 ::::: Family Microgyniidae Trägårdh, 1942 (2 genera, 4 species) ::::: Family Nothogynidae Walter & Krantz, 1999 (1 genus, 2 species) :::: Superfamily Thinozerconoidea Halbert, 1915 ::::: Family Protodinychidae Evans, 1957 (1 genus, 3 species) ::::: Family Thinozerconidae Halbert, 1915 (1 genus, 1 species) :::: Superfamily Uropodoidea Kramer, 1881 ::::: Family Baloghjkaszabiidae Hirschmann, 1979 (1 genus, 3 species) ::::: Family Brasiluropodidae Hirschmann, 1979 (2 genera, 18 species) ::::: Family Cillibidae Trägårdh, 1944 (2 genera, 19 species) ::::: Family Clausiadinychidae Hirschmann, 1979 (1 genus, 4 species) ::::: Family Cyllibulidae Hirschmann, 1979 (1 genus, 32 species) ::::: Family Deraiophoridae Trägårdh, 1952 (1 genus, 36 species) ::::: Family Dinychidae Berlese, 1916 (1 genus, 34 species) ::::: Family Discourellidae Baker & Wharton, 1952 (1 genus, 76 species) ::::: Family Eutrachytidae Trägårdh, 1944 (1 genus, 36 species) ::::: Family Hutufeideriidae Hirschmann, 1979 (1 genus, 9 species) ::::: Family Kaszabjbaloghiidae Hirschmann, 1979 (1 genus, 6 species) ::::: Family Macrodinychidae Hirschmann, 1979 (4 genera, 22 species) ::::: Family Metagynuridae Balogh, 1943 (2 genera, 17 species) ::::: Family Nenteriidae Hirschmann, 1979 (2 genera, 128 species) ::::: Family Oplitidae Johnston, 1968 (8 genera, 163 species) ::::: Family Phymatodiscidae Hirschmann, 1979 (1 genus, 10 species) ::::: Family Polyaspididae Berlese, 1913 (1 genus, 16 species) ::::: Family Prodinychidae Berlese, 1917 (3 genera, 16 species) ::::: Family Rotundabaloghiidae Hirschmann, 1979 (4 genera, 165 species) ::::: Family Tetrasejaspidae Hirschmann, 1979 (1 genus, 15 species) ::::: Family Trachytidae Trägårdh, 1938 (7 genera, 108 species) ::::: Family Trachyuropodidae Berlese, 1917 (17 genera, 99 species) ::::: Family Trematuridae Berlese, 1917 (13 genera, 401 species) ::::: Family Trichocyllibidae Hirschmann, 1979 (5 genera, 57 species) ::::: Family Trichouropodellidae Hirschmann, 1979 (1 genus, 11 species) ::::: Family Trigonuropodidae Hirschmann, 1979 (1 genus, 87 species) ::::: Family Uroactiniidae Hirschmann & Zirngiebl-Nicol, 1964 (3 genera, 67 species) ::::: Family Urodiaspididae Trägårdh, 1944 (3 genera, 26 species) ::::: Family Urodinychidae Berlese, 1917 (13 genera, 267 species) ::::: Family

Kramer, 1881 (9 genera, 261 species) :: Suborder Sejida Kramer, 1885 ::: Superfamily Heterozerconoidea Berlese, 1892 :::: Family Discozerconidae Berlese, 1910 (2 genera, 3 species) :::: Family Heterozerconidae Berlese, 1892 (7 genera, 13 species) ::: Superfamily Sejoidea Berlese, 1885 :::: Family Ichthyostomatogasteridae Sellnick, 1953 (3 genera, 10 species) :::: Family Sejidae Berlese, 1885 (5 genera, 46 species) (5 genera, 46 species) :::: Family Uropodellidae Camin, 1955 (1 genus, 6 species) :: Suborder Trigynaspida Camin & Gorirossi, 1955 ::: Infraorder Antennophorina Camin & Gorirossi, 1955 :::: Superfamily Aenictequoidea Kethley, 1977 ::::: Family Aenictequidae Kethley, 1977 (1 genus, 1 species) ::::: Family Euphysalozerconidae Kim, 2008 (1 genus, 1 species) ::::: Family Messoracaridae Kethley, 1977 (2 genera, 3 species) ::::: Family Ptochacaridae Kethley, 1977 (1 genus, 3 species) :::: Superfamily Antennophoroidea Berlese, 1892 ::::: Family Antennophoridae Berlese, 1892 (6 genera, 19 species) :::: Superfamily Celaenopsoidea Berlese, 1892 ::::: Family Celaenopsidae Berlese, 1892 (7 genera, 14 species) ::::: Family Costacaridae Hunter, 1993 (1 genus, 1 species) ::::: Family Diplogyniidae Trägårdh, 1941 (42 genera, 85 species) ::::: Family Euzerconidae Trägårdh, 1938 (12 genera, 24 species) ::::: Family Megacelaenopsidae Funk, 1975 (2 genera, 2 species) ::::: Family Neotenogyniidae Kethley, 1974 (1 genus, 1 species) ::::: Family Schizogyniidae Trägårdh, 1950 (6 genera, 10 species) ::::: Family Triplogyniidae Funk, 1977 (2 genera, 11 species) :::: Superfamily Fedrizzioidea Trägårdh, 1937 ::::: Family Fedrizziidae Trägårdh, 1937 (3 genera, 34 species) ::::: Family Klinckowstroemiidae Camin & Gorirossi, 1955 (4 genera, 36 species) :::: Superfamily Megisthanoidea Berlese, 1914 ::::: Family Hoplomegistidae Camin & Gorirossi, 1955 (1 genus, 7 species) ::::: Family Megisthanidae Berlese, 1914 (1 genus, 30 species) :::: Superfamily Paramegistoidea Trägårdh, 1946 ::::: Family Paramegistidae Trägårdh, 1946 (5 genera, 30 species) :::: Superfamily Parantennuloidea Willmann, 1941 ::::: Family Parantennulidae Willmann, 1941 (3 genera, 5 species) ::::: Family Philodanidae Kethley, 1977 (2 genera, 2 species) ::::: Family Promegistidae Kethley, 1977 (1 genus, 1 species) ::: Infraorder Cercomegistina Camin & Gorirossi, 1955 :::: Superfamily Cercomegistoidea Trägårdh, 1937 ::::: Family Asternoseiidae Vale, 1954 (2 genera, 3 species) ::::: Family Cercomegistidae Trägårdh, 1937 (5 genera, 13 species) ::::: Family Davacaridae Kethley, 1977 (2 genera, 4 species) ::::: Family Pyrosejidae Lindquist & Moraza, 1993 (2 genera, 3 species) ::::: Family Saltiseiidae Walter, 2000 (1 genus, 1 species) ::::: Family Seiodidae Kethley, 1977 (1 genus, 1 species) ; Other :'' Meliponopus palpifer'' Fain & Flechtmann, 1985 has not yet been placed into a family.

References

* * NCBI
Mesostigmata

External links

on the

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