19 Fascinating Mite Species: Extreme Niches, Parasitism, and Unique Evolutionary Relationships

Below are some astonishing mite and animal relationships that have evolved over millions of years of life on Earth. Have a look through before going on to the important mite for human health, *Dermatophagoides* spp. Some clever mites to note in your introduction on the study of mites, but remember that the house dust mite may be the smartest of all, because it changed from being a parasite to becoming a scavenger.

1. Name: *Acarapis woodii* (Tarsonemidae)

   Home: in the throat of honey bees

   Occupation: parasitic on host

   Source: Sammataro & Needham 1996

2. Name: *Antennequesoma* (Trachyuropodidae)

   Home: On the terminal antennal segments of army ants

   Occupation: Steals food

   Source: Krantz 1978

3. Name: *Cheyletidae* - various genera

   Home: In the feather shafts of birds

   Occupation: Preys on parasitic mites inside feather

   Source: Atyeo et al. 1984

4. Name: *Cloacaridae*

   Home: Lives in the rectum of turtles

   Occupation: parasitic on host blood & mucosal tissue

   Source: Camin et al. 1967

5. Name: *Coreitarsonemus* (Tarsonemidae)

   Home: In the 'stink' glands of bugs - insects with heads (Hemiptera)

   Occupation: parasitic?

   Source: Krantz 1978

6. Name: *Demodex folliculorum* *D.Brevis* (Demodicidae)

   Home: in human facial pores, eyelash & eyebrow

   Occupation: parasite, causing pimples or dermatitis occasionally

   Source: Krantz 1978

7. Name: *Dicrocheles* (Dermanyssidae)

   Home: in the ears of noctuid moths

   Occupation: feeds on haemolymph, but avoids deafening the moth by living in one ear only. This is so the moth can hear bats and avoid being eaten along with the mite.

   Source: Treat 1975

8. Name: *Enterohalacarus minutipalpis* (Halacaridae)

   Home: in the digestive system of sea urchins

   Occupation: parasitic?

   Source: Bartsch 1987

9. Name: *Entonyssinae* (Laelapidae)

   Home: in the lungs of snakes

   Occupation: parasitic

   Source: Domrow 1987

10. Name: *Gastronyssus bakeri* (Gastronyssidae)

    Home: in the stomach lining of fruit eating bats

    Occupation: parasitic

    Source: Fain & Hyland 1985

11. Name: *Hypodectes propus* (Hypoderidae)

    Home: in the fat under the skin of pigeons

    Occupation: parasitically 'absorbs' nutrients from fat, this mite has evolved without a mouth

    Source: Fain 1969

12. Name: *Kennethiella trisetosa* (Winterschmidtiidae)

    Home: in the acarinara (mite pockets) of wasps

    Occupation: a sexually transmitted parasites of wasp larvae

    Source: Cowan 1985

13. Name: *Larvamima* (Larvamimidae)

    Home: in the brood chambers of army ants,

    Occupation: mimics ant larvae and may prey on larvae when ants are not looking

    Source: Elzinga 1993

14. Name: *Macrocheles lukoschusi* (Macrochelidae)

    Home: Near the anus of sloths

    Occupation: Feeds on the sloth's parasitic worms associated with dung or rectum (hypothesized)

    Source: Kratz 1983

15. Name: *Macrocheles rettenmeyeri* (Macrochelidae)

    Home: Attached to the front or end of army ant feet

    Occupation: parasitic on ant's blood, but careful not to interfere with the working of the foot by helping to function as part of the foot

    Source: Gotwald 1996

16. Name: *Opsonyssus* (Gastronyssidae)

    Home: On the eyeballs of fruit bats

    Occupation: parasitic

    Source: Fain 1969

17. Name: *Orthohalarachne* (Halarachnidae)

    Home: In the nasal passages and lungs of seals

    Occupation: Parasitic on blood and mucosal tissue of hosts

    Source: Kim 1985

18. Name: *Paraspinturnix globosus* (Spinturnicidae)

    Home: Inside the anus of hibernating Myotis bats

    Occupation: Parasitic or just overwintering

    Source: Radovsky 1985

19. Name: *Rhinoseius* (Ascidae)

    Home: In the nostrils of hummingbirds

    Occupation: use the birds as transport between flowers, their true sources of food

    Source: Colwell & Naeem 1994