Mites are small arachnids. Mites span two large orders of arachnids, the Acariformes and the Parasitiformes, which were historically grouped together in the subclass Acari. However, most recent genetic analyses do not recover the two as each others closest relatives within Arachnida, rendering the group non-monophyletic. Most mites are tiny, less than 1 mm (0.04 in) in length, and have a simple, unsegmented body plan. The small size of most species makes them easily overlooked; some species live in water, many live in soil as decomposers, others live on plants, sometimes creating galls, while others again are predators or parasites. This last type includes the commercially destructive Varroa parasite of honey bees, as well as scabies mites of humans. Most species are harmless to humans, but a few are associated with allergies or may transmit diseases.
Arachnology is the scientific study of arachnids, which comprise spiders and related invertebrates such as scorpions, pseudoscorpions, and harvestmen. Those who study spiders and other arachnids are arachnologists. More narrowly, the study of spiders alone is known as araneology.
Acarology is the study of mites and ticks, the animals in the order Acarina. It is a subfield of arachnology, a subdiscipline of the field of zoology. A zoologist specializing in acarology is called an acarologist. Acarologists may also be parasitologists because many members of Acarina are parasitic. Many acarologists are studying around the world both professionally and as amateurs. The discipline is a developing science and long-awaited research has been provided for it in more recent history.
Varroa is a genus of parasitic mesostigmatan mites associated with honey bees, placed in its own family, Varroidae. The genus was named for Marcus Terentius Varro, a Roman scholar and beekeeper. The condition of a honeybee colony being infested with Varroa mites is called varroosis.
Oribatida, also known as oribatid mites, moss mites or beetle mites, are an order of mites, in the "chewing Acariformes" clade Sarcoptiformes. They range in size from 0.2 to 1.4 millimetres. There are currently 12,000 species that have been identified, but researchers estimate that there may be anywhere from 60,000 to 120,000 total species. Oribatid mites are by far the most prevalent of all arthropods in forest soils, and are essential for breaking down organic detritus and distributing fungi.
The Journal of Medical Entomology is a peer-review bimonthly scientific journal published by Oxford University Press for the Entomological Society of America. The journal publishes reports on all aspects of medical entomology and medical acarology. According to the Journal Citation Reports the journal has a 2014 impact factor of 1.953.
Raoiella indica, commonly known as the red palm mite, is a species of mite belonging to the family Tenuipalpidae. A pest of several species of palm in the Middle East and South East Asia, it is now becoming established throughout the Caribbean. The invasion of this species is the biggest mite explosion ever observed in the Americas.
Floracarus perrepae is a species of herbivorous mite belonging to the family Eriophyidae. It is native to Australia (Queensland), China and New Caledonia. As it is known to attack and eat the invasive fern species Lygodium microphyllum, it is being considered for use as a biological pest control agent in Florida.
The Sarcoptiformes are an order of Acari comprising over 15,000 described species in around 230 families. Previously it was divided into two suborders, Oribatida and Astigmatina, but Oribatida has been promoted to an order, and Astigmatina is now an unranked taxon.
Harry Hoogstraal was an American entomologist and parasitologist. He was described as "the greatest authority on ticks and tickborne diseases who ever lived." The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene's Harry Hoogstraal Medal for Outstanding Achievement in Medical Entomology honors his contributions to science.
Dendrolaelaps is a genus of mites in the family Digamasellidae. There are more than 170 described species in Dendrolaelaps.
Aceria anthocoptes, also known as the russet mite, rust mite, thistle mite or the Canada thistle mite, is a species of mite that belongs to the family Eriophyidae. It was first described by Alfred Nalepa in 1892.
Brevipalpus phoenicis, also known as the false spider mite, red and black flat mite, and in Australia as the passionvine mite, is a species of mite in the family Tenuipalpidae. This species occurs globally, and is a serious pest to such crops as citrus, tea, papaya, guava and coffee, and can heavily damage numerous other crops. They are unique in having haploid females, a condition caused by a bacterium that change haploid males into females.
Systematic & Applied Acarology is a peer-reviewed scientific journal covering research on mites and ticks published trianually by the Systematic & Applied Acarology Society.
The Systematic & Applied Acarology Society is an international society dedicated to promoting the development of the scientific discipline of acarology and facilitating collaboration among acarologists around the world. Founded in 1996, the society publishes three serial publications: the Acarology Bulletin, a newsletter of the society; Systematic & Applied Acarology, a refereed research journal; and Systematic and Applied Acarology Special Publications, a rapid publication for short papers and monographic works which was merged with the journal in 2012. It also occasionally issues books of special interest to members, and maintains an online acarological e-reprint library for acarologists around the world.
Acarologia is a quarterly, peer-reviewed, open-access scientific journal covering all aspects of acarology. It was established by Marc André and François Grandjean in 1959 to promote research in acarology. The editor-in-chief is Serge Kreiter.
Experimental and Applied Acarology is a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal covering all aspects of acarology. It was established in 1985 and is published by Springer Science+Business Media. The editor-in-chief is Maurice W. Sabelis.
Magdalena Kathrina Petronella Smith Meyer was a South African acarologist who was regarded as a world authority on plant-feeding mites of agricultural importance and was known as the "mother of red-spider mites of the world". She described more than 700 new species and 25 new genera, mostly of mites of agricultural importance. Meyer was involved in the promotion of biological control of mites using predatory mites, spiders and insects.
Fritz S. Lukoschus (1919–1987) was a German zoologist studying the systematics and biology of the Acari. Over the course of his career he published over 200 scientific articles, describing more than 90 species new for science. Lukoschus was born in April 1919 in Grabsten in April 1919. He obtained his PhD in 1946 from the University of Göttingen on a thesis on the development of castes in the European honey bee. After working at the University of Göttingen until 1953, he worked at several institutions before being recruited by the Catholic University of Nijmegen in 1962 where he stayed until his retirement in 1984. Lukoschus died suddenly in August 1987. The genera Lukoschus and Lukoschuscoptes were named after him.
Mercedes Delfinado is an acarologist from the Philippines, who was a recipient of a 1962 Guggenheim Fellowship. She is a specialist in bee mites, and published widely on insects of south-east Asia. For over twenty years she was a Chief Editor for the International Journal of Acarology. Multiple species were named in her honour.
