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Family of mites From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Histiostomatidae is a family of mites in the clade Astigmata.[1]
Histiostomatidae Temporal range: | |
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Ventral view of Sarraceniopus gibsoni, the pitcher plant mite, which is found within the pitcher leaves of Sarracenia purpurea | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
Class: | Arachnida |
Order: | Sarcoptiformes |
Superfamily: | Histiostomatoidea |
Family: | Histiostomatidae Berlese, 1897 |
These mites are characterized by a very small size (about 600–900 μm in length) and a close association to arthropods, mainly insects. A morphologically specialized instar, the deutonymph (earlier "hypopus"), is adapted to attach to arthropods for phoretic transport from one habitat to another. The mites use various insect groups as phoretic carriers[2][3] such as beetles, flies and Hymenoptera (ants, bees and wasps). In all species, the digitus mobilis of the chelicera is reduced to small rests, and the distal pedipalp article is connected to a more or less complex membranous structure. These mouthpart modifications form an organ to feed on bacteria.[4]
Habitats colonized by these mites include animal dung, compost,[2] water-filled tree hollows and the fluids of Nepenthes and Sarracenia pitcher plants.[5]
The family contains the following genera:[6]
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