Exotic mite families

t

Taxonomy

updated 2025

Probability of encounter

low

Quarantine importance

Low. The Allochaetophoridae consists of a single genus, Allochaetophora, with two described species, one from California (from the deutonymph) and one from Africa (all stages). Both are associated with grasses.

Diagnosis

• Empodium and claws with tenent hairs
• Prodorsum with 3 pairs of setae (ve, sci, sce)
• Adult female with 3 pairs of distally divided anal setae (males with 3 pairs of simple ano-genital setae)
• Cheliceral bases adnate, fused mesally into a stylophore (sometimes withdrawn into the body); chelicerae with fixed digit reduced and movable digit whiplike.
• Peritremes emergent on anterior edge of prodorsum; naso absent; prodorsal trichobothria absent; 2 pairs of eye lenses present. Palps 5 segmented; with thumbclaw process (claw-like seta on the palp tibia and a thumb- or button-like subterminal palp tarsus). Leg tarsi with tenent hairs on claws and empodium. Genital papillae absent; males with an intromittent aedeagus.

Similar taxa

Allochaetophorids resemble other elongate tetranychoids such as Linotetranidae (which are blind) and some Tenuipalpidae (which lack a thumbclaw process).

Ecology and distribution

The Allochaetophoridae consists of a single genus, Allochaetophora, with two described species, one from California (from the deutonymph) and one from Africa (all stages). Both are associated with grasses.

References

• Meyer and Ueckermann 1997Meyer and Ueckermann 1997:
  Meyer MKPS, Ueckermann EA. 1997. A review of some species of the families Allochaetophoridae, Linotetranidae and Tuckerellidae (Acari: Tetranychoidea). International Journal of Acarology 23: 67–92.