Parasitidae
Encyclopedia
Parasitidae is a family of predatory mite
Mite
Mites, along with ticks, are small arthropods belonging to the subclass Acari and the class Arachnida. The scientific discipline devoted to the study of ticks and mites is called acarology.-Diversity and systematics:...

s in the order Mesostigmata
Mesostigmata
Mesostigmata is an order of mites belonging to the Parasitiformes. Unlike most members of that group, many of these mites are not parasitic but free-living and predatory. They can be recognized by the single pair of spiracles positioned laterally on the body....

 that has worldwide distribution. They are the only family in the superfamily Parasitoidea. Relatively large for mites, their color is often yellowish to dark brown. The family as a whole preys on a wide variety of microarthropods and nematodes, with individual species usually having a narrower range of prey. The family contains two subfamilies, 29 genera, and around 400 species.

The subfamily Pergamasinae is normally found in the soil, and dispersal via phoresy is not known in this subfamily. It contains 9 genera. Most species are bisexual.

The subfamily Parasitinae is normally found in nests of small animals or insects or in decaying organic matter, from seaweed to forest litter. This subfamily contains 20 genera. These mites disperse via phoresy in the deuteronymph stage of their life cycle. The genus Parasitellus
Parasitellus
Parasitellus is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae.-Species:* Parasitellus crinitus * Parasitellus ferox * Parasitellus fucorum de Geer, 1778 * Parasitellus ignotus...

is associated with bumblebees, and other genus with other bees, leading to the common name "bee mites". Other genus disperse on various beetle
Beetle
Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...

s, leading to the name "beetle mites" which is also shared with the order of mites Oribatida
Oribatida
Oribatida , also known as moss mites or beetle mites, are an order of mites, in the "chewing Acariformes" clade Sarcoptiformes. They range in size from ....

, who have the name for a different reason.

Taxonomy

Parasitidae contains three taxonomic groups – two subfamilies and a group of genera not yet placed:
Subfamily Parasitinae Oudemans, 1901
  • Gamasodes
    Gamasodes
    Gamasodes is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae.-Species:* Gamasodes aequipilis Athias-Henriot, 1980 * Gamasodes bispinosus * Gamasodes buettikeri Samsinak, 1979 * Gamasodes bulgatus Athias-Henriot, 1980...

    Oudemans, 1939
  • Nemnichia
    Nemnichia
    Nemnichia is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae....

    Oudemans, 1936
  • Oocarpais
    Oocarpais
    Oocarpais is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae....

    Berlese, 1916
  • Parasitellus
    Parasitellus
    Parasitellus is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae.-Species:* Parasitellus crinitus * Parasitellus ferox * Parasitellus fucorum de Geer, 1778 * Parasitellus ignotus...

    Willmann, 1939
  • Parasitus
    Parasitus
    Parasitus is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae. It includes the species Parasitus kraepelini.-Species:* Parasitus altaicus Davydova, 1978* Parasitus americanus * Parasitus amurensis...

    Latreille, 1795
  • Poecilochirus
    Poecilochirus
    Poecilochirus is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae. They feed on fly eggs and larva. At least 14 species of the genus are carried from one food source to another by beetles of multiple genuses in the family Silphidae with whom they often have a symbiotic relationship in protecting the...

    G. Canestrini & R. Canestrini, 1882
  • Porrhostaspis
    Porrhostaspis
    Porrhostaspis is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae....

    Mueller, 1859
  • Trachygamasus
    Trachygamasus
    Trachygamasus is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae.-Species:* Trachygamasus ambulacralis * Trachygamasus biplumatus Karg, 1998 * Trachygamasus borealis Ma-Liming & Wang-Shenron, 1996...

    Berlese, 1906
  • Willmanniella
    Willmanniella
    Willmanniella is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae....

    Götz, 1969


Subfamily Pergamasinae Juvara-Bals, 1976
  • Cycetogamasus
    Cycetogamasus
    Cycetogamasus is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae.-Species:* Cycetogamasus californicus * Cycetogamasus corculatus Athias-Henriot, 1980 * Cycetogamasus coreanus Athias-Henriot, 1980...

    C. Athias-Henriot, 1980
  • Heteroparasitus
    Heteroparasitus
    Heteroparasitus is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae.-Species:* Heteroparasitus athiasae Juvara Bals, 2002 * Heteroparasitus coronarius * Heteroparasitus tirolensis...

    Juvara-Bals, 1976
  • Holoparasitus
    Holoparasitus
    Holoparasitus is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae.-Species:* Holoparasitus ampullaris Witalinski, 1994 * Holoparasitus apenninorum * Holoparasitus calcaratus...

    Oudemans, 1936
  • Ologamasiphis
    Ologamasiphis
    Ologamasiphis is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae.-Species:* Ologamasiphis disfistulatus * Ologamasiphis minimus Holzmann, 1969...

    Holzmann, 1969
  • Pergamasus
    Pergamasus
    Pergamasus is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae.-Species:* Pergamasus alpestris * Pergamasus alpinus * Pergamasus atushiensis * Pergamasus barbarus...

    Berlese, 1903

Incertae sedis
  • Aclerogamasus
    Aclerogamasus
    Aclerogamasus is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae.-Species:* Aclerogamasus bicalliger * Aclerogamasus motasi Juvara-Bais, 1977 * Aclerogamasus stenocornis Witalinski, 2000...

    Athias, 1971
  • Anadenosternum
    Anadenosternum
    Anadenosternum is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae.-Species:* Anadenosternum azaleensis * Anadenosternum pediculosum Karg & Glockemann, 1995...

    C. Athias-Henriot, 1980
  • Carpaidion
    Carpaidion
    Carpaidion is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae.-Species:* Carpaidion cingulatum Athias-Henriot, 1979 * Carpaidion cinqulatum C. Athias-Henriot, 1979...

    C. Athias-Henriot, 1979
  • Colpothylax
    Colpothylax
    Colpothylax is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae....

    C. Athias-Henriot, 1980
  • Cornigamasus
    Cornigamasus
    Cornigamasus is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae.-Species:* Cornigamasus coleoptratorum * Cornigamasus imitans Athias-Henriot, 1980 * Cornigamasus lunariformis Athias-Henriot, 1980...

    G. O. Evans & W. M. Till, 1979
  • Dicrogamasus
    Dicrogamasus
    Dicrogamasus is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae.-Species:* Dicrogamasus imus * Dicrogamasus propinquus * Dicrogamasus theodori...

    C. Athias-Henriot, 1980
  • Erithosoma
    Erithosoma
    Erithosoma is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae....

    C. Athias-Henriot, 1979
  • Leptogamasus
    Leptogamasus
    Leptogamasus is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae.-Species:* Leptogamasus doinae Juvara-Bals, 1981 * Leptogamasus margaretae Juvara-Bals, 1981 * Leptogamasus montrensis Juvara-Bals, 1981...

    Trägårdh, 1936
  • Mixogamasus
    Mixogamasus
    Mixogamasus is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae....

    Juvara-Bals, 1972
  • Paracarpais
    Paracarpais
    Paracarpais is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae.-Species:* Paracarpais exilis * Paracarpais furcatus * Paracarpais infernalis * Paracarpais kraepelini...

    C. Athias-Henriot, 1978
  • Pergamasellus
    Pergamasellus
    Pergamasellus is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae....

    Evans, 1957
  • Phityogamasus
    Phityogamasus
    Phityogamasus is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae....

    Juvara-Bals & Athias-Henriot, 1972
  • Phorytocarpais
    Phorytocarpais
    Phorytocarpais is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae.-Species:* Phorytocarpais americanus * Phorytocarpais beta * Phorytocarpais casulatus Athias-Henriot, 1980...

    C. Athias-Henriot, 1979
  • Psilogamasus
    Psilogamasus
    Psilogamasus is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae....

    Athias-Henriot, 1969
  • Rhabdocarpais
    Rhabdocarpais
    Rhabdocarpais is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae.-Species:* Rhabdocarpais bicuspidatus Athias-Henriot, 1981 * Rhabdocarpais consanguineus * Rhabdocarpais cunicularis...

    C. Athias-Henriot, 1981
  • Schizosthetus
    Schizosthetus
    Schizosthetus is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae.-Species:* Schizosthetus lyriformis * Schizosthetus simulatrix Athias-Henriot, 1982 * Schizosthetus vicarius Athias-Henriot, 1982...

    C. Athias-Henriot, 1982
  • Taiwanoparasitus
    Taiwanoparasitus
    Taiwanoparasitus is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae....

    Tseng, 1995
  • Zelogamasus
    Zelogamasus
    Zelogamasus is a genus of mites in the family Parasitidae.-Species:* Zelogamasus oligochaetus M. K. Hennessey & M. H. Farrier, 1989...

    M. K. Hennessey & M. H. Farrier, 1989
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