| Trombidiidae Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Trombidium sp. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Trombidiformes |
| Superfamily: | Trombidioidea |
| Family: | Trombidiidae Leach, 1815 [1] |
Trombidiidae, also known as red velvet mites, true velvet mites, [2] or rain bugs, are small arachnids (eight-legged arthropods) found in plant litter and are known for their bright red color.
Contents
While adults are typically no more than 4 mm (0.16 in) in length, some species can grow larger and the largest, including the African Dinothrombium tinctorum and Indian Trombidium grandissimum , may exceed 12 mm (0.47 in). [2] [3] [4] This also makes them the largest mites, if disregarding ticks engorged after feeding; [5] unlike those, D. tinctorum and T. grandissimum are harmless to humans. [3] [4]
Their life pattern is in stages similar to other members of the Prostigmata: egg, pre-larva, larva, protonymph, deutonymph, tritonymph and adult (male or female). They usually have only one breeding cycle per year. [6]
They are active predators as grown adults. As larvae they are often parasites of insects [7] and other arachnids. [8] This lifestyle is typical of the Parasitengona. [9]
One well-known species from Europe, Asia, and North Africa is Trombidium holosericeum . [10] The systematics of this group has been in flux and many former subfamilies of this are now raised to families within the Trombidioidea. [6] [11]
