Parasitengona

Classification · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Range · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Chelicerata (Chelicerates)

Class Arachnida (Arachnids)

Subclass Acari (Mites and Ticks)

Superorder Acariformes

Order Trombidiformes

Suborder Prostigmata (Prostigs)

Infraorder Anystina

No Taxon Parasitengona

Explanation of Names

Parasitengona Oudemans 1909

Numbers

16 superfamilies: 8 terrestrial and 8 aquatic.

Range

Worldwide

Food

Generally, larvae are ectoparasitic on arthropods, but certain groups feed on vertebrates (e.g., chiggers) and others are free-living. Post-larval stages (nymph and adult) are generally predators on other arthropods (esp. immobile stages such as eggs/pupae), but certain groups have evolved to subsist on other food sources (e.g., pollenivory in Balaustium).

Life Cycle

Complete life cycle consisting of egg, prelarva, larva, nymphal stages (proto-, deuto-, and tritonymph), and adult. Active stages include the parasitic larvae and free-living deutonymph and adult. Inactive stages (calyptostases) include egg, prelarva, protonymph (nymphochrysalis), and tritonymph (imagochrysalis).

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

Contributed by Ray Fisher on 9 December, 2012 - 10:27pm
Additional contributions by v belov
Last updated 6 February, 2024 - 2:16pm

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