Mesostigmata

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Taxonomy

updated 2025

Diagnostic characters

• Uropodine mites with a bifurcate pilus dentilispilus dentilis:
  (pl. pili dentilis) a seta-like or membranous sensory organ inserted ventrolaterally on the fixed digit of the chelicera of many Mesostigmata.
  
• Often with deep pits in the dorsumdorsum:
  the upper or back side; opposed to venter.
  (e.g., Trachyuropoda)
• Or circular and half-dome shaped (e.g., Oplitis)
• Associated with ants

Similar taxa

Uropodidae

Ecology and distribution

Most trachyuropodids appear to be associated with ants.

References

• Ainscough 1981Ainscough 1981:
  Ainscough BD. 1981. Uropodine studies. I. Suprageneric classification in the cohort Uropodina Kramer, 1882 (Acari: Mesostigmata). International Journal of Acarology 7: 47–56.
• Athias-Binche and Bloszyk 1988Athias-Binche and Bloszyk 1988:
  Athias-Binche F, Bloszyk J. 1988. Australian Uropodina (Acari: Anactinotrichida). I. Australocilliba gen. n. (Cillibidae). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 27: 1–8.
• Athias-Binche and Evans 1981Athias-Binche and Evans 1981:
  Athias-Binche F, Evans GO. 1981. Observations on the genus Protodinychus Evans, 1957 (Acari: Mesostigmata) with descriptions of the male and phoretic deuteronymph. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy (Section B) 81B: 25–36.
• Evans and Till 1979Evans and Till 1979:
  Evans EO, Till WM. 1979. Mesostigmatic mites of Britain and Ireland (Chelicerata: Acari-Parasitiformes): An introduction to their external morphology and classification. Transactions of the Zoological Society of London 35 (2): 145–270.
• Gilyarov and Bregatova 1977Gilyarov and Bregatova 1977:
  Gilyarov MS, Bregatova NG, eds. 1977. Handbook for the identification of soil-inhabiting mites, Mesostigmata. Zoological Institute of the Academy of Sciences, Petrograd.
• Hirschmann and Zirngiebl-Nicol 1973Hirschmann and Zirngiebl-Nicol 1973:
  Hirschmann W, Zirngiebl-Nicol I. 1973. Gangsystematik der Parasitiformes. Teil 176. Stadien von 13 neuen Oplitis-Arten von Ungarischen Zoologen in Südamerika und Afrika gesammelt (Trachyuropodini, Oplitinae). Acarologie, Schriftenreihe für Vergleichende Milbenkunde 19: 135–140.
• Hirschmann 1976Hirschmann 1976:
  Hirschmann W. 1976. Gangsystematik der Parasitiformes. Teil 215. Adulten-Gruppen und Bestimmungstabelle von 81 Trachyuropoda-Arten (Trachyuropodini, Oplitinae). Acarologie, Schriftenreihe für Vergleichende Milbenkunde 22: 4–15.
• Hunter and Farrier 1975Hunter and Farrier 1975:
  Hunter JE, III, Farrier MH. 1975. Mites of the genus Oplitis Berlese (Acarina: Uropodidae) associated with ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the southeastern United States. Part I. Acarologia 17: 595–623.
• Hunter and Farrier 1976Hunter and Farrier 1976:
  Hunter JE, III, Farrier MH. 1976. Mites of the genus Oplitis Berlese (Acarina: Uropodidae) associated with ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the southeastern United States. Part II. Acarologia 18: 20–50.
• Johnston 1961Johnston 1961:
  Johnston DE. 1961. A review of the lower uropodid mites (former Thinozerconoidea, Protodinychoidea and Trachytoidea) with notes on the classification of the Uropodina (Acarina). Acarologia 3: 522–545.
• Karg 1989aKarg 1989a:
  Karg W. 1989a. Acari (Acarina), Milben Unterordnung Parasitiformes (Anactinotrichaeta) Uropodina Kramer, Schildkrötenmilben. Die Tierwelt Deutschlands 67: 1–203.
• Krantz and Ainscough 1990Krantz and Ainscough 1990:
  Krantz GW, Ainscough B. 1990. Mesostigmata. pp. 583–665. In: Dindal DL, ed. Soil biology guide. John Wiley & Sons, Brisbane.
• Wisniewski and Hirschmann 1993Wisniewski and Hirschmann 1993:
  Wisniewski J, Hirschmann W. 1993. Gangsystematik der Parasitiformes. Teil 548. Katalog der Ganggattungen, Untergattungen, Gruppen und Arten die Uropodiden der Erde. Acarologie, Schriftenreihe für Vergleichende Milbenkunde 40: 1–220.
• Womersley 1959bWomersley 1959b:
  Womersley H. 1959b. A new species of Urodiscella (Acarina, Uropodidae) from Australia. Records of the South Australian Museum 13: 349–353.