Is it a mite?—Key feature pages

Recesses into which legs can be withdrawn (pedofossae)

a) present

Recessed areas into which the legs can be withdrawn are found in some armored mites, especially in the higher Oribatida (e.g., shelf-like pedotecta) and uropodine Mesostigmata (pedofossae). Beetles and other strongly sclerotized insects may have analogous structures to protect the legs.

b) absent

Most soil microarthropods do not have recesses into which the legs can be withdrawn.

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• Recesses into which legs can be withdrawn (pedofossae)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