Although mites appear to have been primitively soft-bodied, adult mites that are completely encased in armor occur in many different lineages. Most traditional oribatid mites are armored as adults; however, immatures, as with most mites, have reduced plates or no armor.
Many Mesostigmata and Prostigmata are armored, as are some Astigmata (especially the hypopal stages) and all Holothyrida. Most armored oribatid mites have prodorsal 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).
(absent in Astigmata and Mesostigmata), and Astigmata hypopi usually have ventralventral:
relating to the lower or under side; opposed to dorsal.
sucker plates.
Author: David E. Walter
Content last updated Sept. 2006, unless indicated otherwise
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