Important Acarine Families
The subclass Acari (mites and ticks) belong to the assemblages of terrestrial chelicerates in class Arachnida. They are quite small in size: the smallest are among the plant mites (about 80 μm long), and the largest are among the predators (about 13 mm lo
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Important Acarine Families
Abstract
The subclass Acari (mites and ticks) belong to the assemblages of terrestrial chelicerates in class Arachnida. They are quite small in size: the smallest are among the plant mites (about 80 μm long), and the largest are among the predators (about 13 mm long). Most mite species are 400–800 μm long in adult stage. Their varied modes of life influenced diversified morphology and functions. Among arachnids, mites are the only phytophagous and parasitic. More than 55,000 species of different Acari have been described under 124 superfamilies and 540 families. Among Acari, new species of order Ixodida are found only infrequently; however, greatest increases in new species are among the Astigmata, Mesostigmata, Oribatida and Prostigmata. Suborder Opilioacarida is comparatively less diverse and lesser known. Not more than 10 % of the total Acari are of significant economic importance. Diagnostic characters of different families with the help of figures are discussed in more than 100 families mentioning important species under each family, but details of most important mites are given under different relevant chapters. However, general account of ticks, tetranychid mites and eriophyid mites is discussed in this chapter as these groups needed more attention considering their utmost economic importance. Keywords
Astigmata • Mesostigmata • Oribatida • Prostigmata • Trombidiformes The Subclass Acari belong to the assemblages of terrestrial chelicerates in Arachnida, whose representatives have secondarily adapted to an aquatic habitat. Mites are quite small in size: the smallest are plant mites (about 80 μm long), and the largest are predators (about 13 mm long). Most mite species are 400–800 μm long in adult stage. Their varied modes of life influenced diversified morphology and functions. Mites are the only phytophagous and parasitic arachnids. More than 55,000 species of different Acari in 540 families and 124 superfamilies have been © Springer Science+Business Media Singapore 2016 M.S. Dhooria, Fundamentals of Applied Acarology, DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-1594-6_6
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6 Important Acarine Families
described, and many new species are being described routinely from different geographic regions. Among Acari, new species of Ixodida are found only infrequently. But greatest increases in new species are among the Astigmata, Mesostigmata, Oribatida and Prostigmata. Suborders Opilioacarida and Holothyrida are comparatively less diverse and less known too. Not more than 10 % of the total Acari are of significant economic importance (Krantz and Walter 2009; Walter and Proctor 2013). In this chapter brief characteristics of different families to which the important species belong are discussed under different superfamilies. Economically important species along with their hosts/habitats are given under each family, but a detailed account of each most important species is given under relevant chapters. However, ticks, tetranychid mites and eriophyid mites are being discussed in more detail in this
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