TABLE OF CONTENTS
General Characters of Mites: Morphology and Life Cycle
Mites are small, diverse arthropods of veterinary importance that can affect a wide range of domestic and wild animals. Their morphological features and life cycle characteristics are important for understanding their identification, transmission, and pathogenic effects.
This post covers the general characters of mites, including key morphological features and the major stages of their life cycle.
Morphology
- Mouthparts are present on the dorsal aspect.
- Dorsal plates are present (Dermanyssidae).
- Grooves, furrows, spines, and tubercles are present on the dorsal aspect of the body.
- On the ventral aspect, just behind the basis capitulum, there is a bristle known as the presternal bristle. Posterior to the presternal bristle, there is a sternal bristle, followed posteriorly by a rectangular plate known as the “epigynial plate.”
- A ventral plate is present posterior to the epigynial plate.
- The tarsus ends in claws, with ambulacra present between the claws. The ambulacra contain a pedicel, which may be modified into bristles in some species.
Life Cycle
- The life cycle of mites consists of 2–3 nymphal stages.
- The larva has six legs.
- The nymph has eight legs (octopod). Most species spend their entire life cycle, from eggs to adults, on the host, so transmission is mainly by contact.
- Once infection is established, a pathogenic population can build up on an animal without further acquisition.
