Mesostigmata
| Mesostigmata | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Varroa mite | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Subclass: | Acari |
| Superorder: | Parasitiformes |
| Order: | Mesostigmata |
| Suborders | |
|
Heatherellina |
|
| Diversity | |
| 100 families approx., 900 genera, > 8,000 species | |
Heatherellina
Sejina
Arctacarina
Microgyniina
Epicriina
Uropodina
Diarthrophallina
Cercomegistina
Antennophorina
Parasitina
Dermanyssiae
Heterozerconina
Mesostigmata is an order of mites belonging to the Parasitiformes. Unlike most members of that group, many of these mites are not parasitic but free-living and predatory. They can be recognized by the single pair of spiracles positioned laterally on the body.
The family with the most described species is Phytoseiidae. Other families of note are Diplogyniidae, Macrochelidae, Pachylaelapidae, Uropodidae and Veigaiidae.
Meliponopus palpifer Fain & Flechtmann, 1985 has not yet been placed into a family.
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Wikipedia