Is it a mite?—Key feature pages

Discrete anal plates

a) with a pair of semicircular to rectangular valves

The anal opening of most arthropods, including most mites, opens directly to the outside, or sometimes is protected by flap-like sclerites. However, primitively, in mites the anal opening is protected by a pair of sclerotized, trap-door-like valves.

b) anal opening without pair of sclerotized valves

Primitively, in mites the anal opening is protected by a pair of sclerotized, trap-door-like valves.

Feature pages

• Size
• Wings
• Number of legs or leg-like limbs
• Body segmentation
• Body armor/shell
• Major body regions
• Head or head-like region
• Eyes or eye-like structures
• Antennae or antenna-like structures
• Primary mouthparts
• Palps or pedipalps
• Comb-like structures
• Pedipalpal form
• Venter of head or head-like region
• Respiratory structures
• Recesses into which legs can be withdrawn (pedofossae)
• Ventral processes
• Distal or subterminal abdominal structures
• Ovipore/genital opening
• Discrete anal plates
• Insertion of legs
• Modification and form of leg segments
• Tarsal claws
• Tarsal segmentation
• Silk-producing structures
• Bothridial sensilla
• Large lateral opisthosomal glands
• External brooding