Major mite taxa

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Taxonomy

updated 2025

Common names

parhypochthonoid and gehypochthonoid oribatids

Probability of encounter

low

Quarantine importance

No known quarantine importance.

Diagnosis

White to tan, sac-like oribatid mites with a transverse suture between setal rows D and E and well developed lateral opisthonotal glands. Subcapitulum usually stenarthric and chelicerae usually visible from above; rutella well developed. Claws of adults bi- or tridactylous; palps with 4–5 free segments. Macropyline, with 3 pairs of genital papillae.

Similar taxa

The transverse suture between rows D and E should distinguish parhypochthonioids from oribatid immatures. Astigmatina do not have trichobothria and Palaeosomatides do not have lateral opisthonotal gland openings. Some Brachypylina have large glands, but are well sclerotized as adults.

Ecology and distribution

Parhypochthonioids can be common in dry soils, but are usually missed because they resemble immature oribatids. Species of Gehypochthonius species inhabit a number of dry soil types, including dune sand. Parhypochthonius is found in treeholes, often in high numbers.

References

• Colloff and Halliday 1998Colloff and Halliday 1998:
  Colloff M, Halliday B. 1998. Oribatid mites: A catalogue of Australian genera and species. Monograph on Invertebrate Taxonomy, Vol. 6. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
• Gilyarov and Krivolutsky 1975Gilyarov and Krivolutsky 1975:
  Gilyarov MS, Krivolutsky DA, eds. 1975. Handbook for the identification of soil-inhabiting mites, Sarcoptiformes. Zoological Institute of the Academy of Sciences, Petrograd.
• Hunt et al. 1998Hunt et al. 1998:
  Hunt GS, Norton RA, Kelly JPH, Colloff MJ, Lindsay SM, Dallwitz MJ, Walter DE. 1998. Oribatid Mites: An Interactive Glossary of Oribatid Mites, An Interactive Key to the Oribatid Mites of Australia [Intkey software and user guide on CD-ROM]. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood.
• Krantz 1978Krantz 1978:
  Krantz GW. 1978. A manual of acarology [2nd ed.]. Oregon State University Book Stores, Corvallis.
• Lee 1982Lee 1982:
  Lee DC. 1982. Sarcoptiformes (Acari) of South Australian soils. 3. Arthronotina (Cryptostigmata). Records of the South Australian Museum 18: 327–359.
• Norton 1990Norton 1990:
  Norton RN. 1990. Oribatida. pp. 779–803. In: Dindal DL, ed. Soil biology guide. John Wiley & Sons, Brisbane.