Mite
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| Missing image Peacock_mite,_Tuckerella_sp.jpg Peacock mite Tuckerella nilotica | ||||||||
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Tetranychidae - Spider mites |
The mites and ticks, order Acarina or Acari, belong to the Arachnida and are among the most diverse and successful of all the invertebrate groups, although some way behind the insects. They have exploited an incredible array of habitats and because of their small size (some are truly microscopic) most go totally unnoticed. Many live freely in the soil, but there is also a vast array of species that live as parasites on plants or animals.
Some of the plant pests include the so-called Spider mites (family Tetranychidae) and the Gall mites (family Eriophyidae). Among the species that attack animals there are members of the Sarcoptic Mange mites (family Sarcoptidae), which burrow under the skin. Perhaps the most well known, though, is the house dust mite (family Pyroglyphidae).
Insects may also have parasitic mites. Examples are Varroa destructor which attaches to the body of the honeybee and Acarapis woodi, which lives in the trachea.
The scientific discipline devoted to the study of ticks and mites is called Acarology.