Endeostigmata

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Taxonomy

Lordalicidae Grandjean

Diagnosis

Prodorsumprodorsum:
the dorsal surface of the propodosoma.
with 2 pairs of filamentous 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).
(anterioranterior:
the front part of the body or towards that region in comparison, e.g., 'anterior to'.
pair in a communal depression) and 1 pair of 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.
, without naso or eyes. Subcapitulumsubcapitulum:
(also infracapitulum) the venter of the capitulum; the ventral faces of the fused palpcoxae; apparently formed independently in the two superorders of mites.
with 4 pairs of 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.
, rutellarutellum:
(pl. rutella) In Sarcoptiformes, the hypertrophied setae on the hypostome, often toothed; not to be confused with a corniculus (although possibly a homologue).  In Astigmata, the rutellum may be referred to as a pseudorutellum, although it is the same structure.  Various forms of rutella are recognized, including the atelebasic and pantelebasic.
absent; chelicerae with 2 pairs of 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.
, 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.
truncate, with distaldistal:
towards the free end of an appendage.
process, movable digit serrulate; palps with 4–5 free segments. Bodybody:
the idiosoma of mites.
globular, usually with pustulate ornamentation and bearing 9 pairs of dorsal 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.
, c3–4, f3 absent; 5–8 pairs of genital 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.
; 2–3 pairs of 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).
; 2–3 pairs of anal 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.
. Coxal bases I–IV continuous; all pretarsi with paired claws and rayed 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)..
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Similar taxa

Sphaerolichus

Ecology and distribution

These are distinctive mites with globular bodies and strongly ornamented cuticle and are common worldwide. Little is known about the biology of any species, although species of Hybalicus often have poorly consolidated fungal materials in their guts (Theron 1979Theron 1979:
Theron PD. 1979. The functional morphology of the gnathosoma of some liquid and solid feeders in the Trombidiformes, Cryptostigmata and Astigmata (Acarina). pp. 575-579. In: Piffl E, ed. Proceedings of the 4th International Congress of Acarology. Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest., Walter 1988cWalter 1988c:
Walter DE. 1988c. Predation and mycophagy by endeostigmatid mites (Acariformes: Prostigmata). Experimental and Applied Acarology 4: 159-166.) and an inactive prelarvaprelarva:
(also deutovum, prolarva) the first instar in acariform mites having a complete ontogenetic sequence, but absent in derived Prostigmata and Parasitiformes (except Opilioacarida); incompletely formed, without functional mouthparts, often retained within the egg shell or just extruding from it, and usually inactive; hexapod or apodous.
with well-developed dorsal 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.
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References

• Grandjean 1939Grandjean 1939:
  Grandjean F. 1939. Quelques genres d’acariens appartenant au groupe des Endeostigmata. Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Zoologie 11 (ser. 2): 1-122.
• Kethley 1982dKethley 1982d:
  Kethley JB. 1982d. Endeostigmata. pp. 118-120. In: Parker SP, ed. Synopsis and classification of living organisms, Vol. 2. McGraw-Hill, New York.
• Livshits and Mitrofanov 1978bLivshits and Mitrofanov 1978b:
  Livshits IZ and Mitrofanov VI. 1978b. Lordalychidae. pp. 100. In: Gilyarov MS, ed. Identification key of soil-inhabiting mites, Trombidiformes. Nauka, Moscow.
• OConnor 1984cOConnor 1984c:
  OConnor BM. 1984c. 1. Speciation and evolution in Acari 1.2 Phylogenetic relationships among higher taxa in the Acariformes, with particular reference to the Astigmata. pp. 19-27. In: Griffiths DA and Bowman CE, eds. Acarology VI, Vol. I. Ellis Horwood Ltd, Chichester.
• Theron and Ryke 1975aTheron and Ryke 1975a:
  Theron PD and Ryke PAJ. 1975. Five new species of the family Lordalychidae (Acari: Endeostigmata) from South Africa. Acarologia 17: 631-651.
• Walter 1988cWalter 1988c:
  Walter DE. 1988c. Predation and mycophagy by endeostigmatid mites (Acariformes: Prostigmata). Experimental and Applied Acarology 4: 159-166.