Family ACAROPHENACIDAE Cross, 1965

Museums

Regional Maps

• Acarophenacinae Cross, E.A. 1965. The generic relationships of the family Pyemotidae (Acarina : Trombidiformes). University of Kansas Science Bulletin 45: 29-275.

Introduction

Acarophenacidae is a family of bizarre highly specialised mites that are similar to Tarsonemidae and Pyemotidae in their appearance and life cycle. They are parasites of insects, and some species may be beneficial when they attack pest insects, especially thrips and stored food beetles. Their small size and strong intra-species polymorphism makes them very difficult to study. About 35 species have been described world-wide (Walter et al. 2009), but only two have been recorded in Australia. Proctor et al. (2011) recorded an unidentified species from Queensland.

General References

Proctor, H., Kanowski, J., Catterall, C.P., Wardell-Johnson, G. & Reis, T. 2011. Rainforest-restoration success as judged by assemblages of soil- and litter-dwelling mites (Arachnida: Acari). Zoosymposia 6: 234–254

Walter, D.E., Lindquist, E.E., Smith, I.M., Cook, D.R. & Krantz, G.W. 2009. Order Trombidiformes. pp. 233-420 in Krantz, G.W. & Walter, D.E. (eds). A Manual of Acarology. Lubbock, Texas : Texas Tech University Press Third edition, 807 pp.

History of changes