Is it a mite?

t

Common names

pauropods

Probability of encounter

medium

Quarantine importance

No known importance.

Similarity to mites

None other than small size. The presence of a head with trifurcate antennae and a trunk with repeated leg-bearing segments should distinguish pauropods from mites.

Morphology

Normal adult length: 0.5–2 mm
Body tagmata: head, trunk
Eyes: absent
Antennae: bifurcate (triflagellate), branches terminating in 1 and 2 flagella
Mouthparts: entognathous mandibles, maxillae
Legs: 3–11 pairs (8 pairs normal in adults)
Respiration: cuticular
Gonopore: venter of 3rd trunk segment
Distinguishing features: myriapod form; triflagellate antennae; paired marginal trichobothria on 5 trunk segments.

Comments: Pauropods have a head with bifurcate antennae bearing 3 flagella. The antennae have a 4–6 segmented stalk with 2 distal branches. One branch bears two annulate flagella on either side of a sensory structure resembling a ball in a spiny cup (globulus). The other branch has a single annulate flagellum. The trunk is 12-segmented in the adult. Vestigial limbs may be present on the 1st segment, but no limbs are found on last segment. Adults have 8–11 pairs of legs and the gonopores between 2nd pair of legs. Legs are 5-segmented and end in a large median + 2 small lateral claws or a lobed pad + a median claw or a single claw.

Diversity

<400 species in 5 families

References

• Edwards 1990aEdwards 1990a:
  Edwards CA. 1990a. Pauropoda. pp. 861–890. In: Dindal DL. (Ed.) Soil biology guide. John Wiley & Sons, Brisbane.
• Tree of Life Web Project 2002fTree of Life Web Project 2002f:
  Tree of Life Web Project. 2002. Pauropoda. Pauropods. Version 01 January 2002 (temporary). The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/