Eriophyoidea

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

Nalepa, 1898

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

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]

  1. ^ a b c Ewert E. Lindquist, M. W. Sabelis & Jan Bruin, ed. (1996). Eriophyoid Mites: their Biology, Natural Enemies, and Control. World Crop Pests. Vol. 6. Elsevier. ISBN 978-0-444-88628-6.