Eriophyoidea

Eriophyoidea are a superfamily of herbivorous mites. All post-embryonic instars lack the third and fourth pairs of legs.[1] The respiratory system is also absent.[1]

Eriophyoidea
Temporal range: Carnian to Present
Electron micrograph of Floracarus perrepae attacking a plant
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Arachnida
Subclass:
Acari
Order:
trombidiformes
Superfamily:
Eriophyoidea

Nalepa, 1898

The taxonomy of this group has always been confused. There were families created for few or even one species, i.e. Ashieldophyidae Mohanasundaram, 1984 and Pentasetacidae Shevchenko, 1991 but these families were placed by J. W. Amrine and T. A. Stasny within larger groups.[1] Today the following three families are believed to belong to superfamily Eriophyoidea:[1]

  • Eriophyidae Nalepa, 1898
  • Phytoptidae Murray, 1877
  • Diptilomiopidae Keifer, 1944

The group is ancient, with forms already similar to the modern ones being found in Triassic amber: Ampezzoa and Triasacarus. These two eriophyioideans are the most ancient arthropods ever found in amber.[2]

References
  1. Ewert E. Lindquist, M. W. Sabelis & Jan Bruin, ed. (1996). Eriophyoid Mites: their Biology, Natural Enemies, and Control. World Crop Pests. 6. Elsevier. ISBN 978-0-444-88628-6.
  2. Schmidt, A. R.; Jancke, S.; Lindquist, E. E.; Ragazzi, E.; Roghi, G.; Nascimbene, P. C.; Schmidt, K.; Wappler, T.; Grimaldi, D. A. (2012). "Arthropods in amber from the Triassic Period". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 109 (37): 14796. doi:10.1073/pnas.1208464109. PMC 3443139. PMID 22927387.
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