Suborder Parasitengona

Classification · Numbers · Life Cycle · Remarks · Internet References

Clover Mite, Velvet Mite, Spider Mite or ?

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Arachnida (Arachnids)

Subclass Acari (Mites and Ticks)

Superorder Acariformes

Order Actinedida

Suborder Parasitengona

Numbers

6 terrestrial superfamilies and 9 aquatic superfamilies with about 50 families in the world according to Tree of Life

Life Cycle

Complex life-cycle, consisting of a parasitic larva, two inactive pupa-like stages that represent the protonymph and tritonymph, and active predatory deutonymphal and adult stages.

Remarks

The red mites attached to arthropod hosts are almost always larvae belonging to this group. The ancestral life cycle of the parasitengones is to have a parasitic larva; regressive, inactive protonymph; active predatory deutonymph; regressive tritonymph; and active predatory adult. - Barry O'Connor

Internet References

Tree of Life

Contributed by Jim McClarin on 28 December, 2006 - 4:21pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, ceiseman
Last updated 11 September, 2009 - 5:35pm

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