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Uropodidae

{{Short description|Family of mites}}

{{Taxobox

| image = Uropodidae dorsal.jpg

| image_caption = Oplitis pusaterii (dorsal)

| regnum = Animalia

| phylum = Arthropoda

| classis = Arachnida

| subclassis = Acari

| ordo = Mesostigmata

| familia = Uropodidae

| familia_authority = Kramer, 1881

}}

Uropodidae is a family of mites in the order Mesostigmata.{{cite web |editor=Joel Hallan |url=http://insects.tamu.edu/research/collection/hallan/Acari/Family/Uropodidae.txt |title=Uropodidae Species Listing |work=Biology Catalog |publisher=Texas A&M University |access-date=September 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100807081603/http://insects.tamu.edu/research/collection/hallan/Acari/Family/Uropodidae.txt |archive-date=August 7, 2010 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}

Description

As part of superfamily Uropodoidea, Uropodidae are tortoise-like mites with an oval to circular outline, and with armour both dorsally and ventrally. They can be distinguished from other uropodoids by their chelicerae lacking a large, sclerotized node and their genital opening being in an intercoxal position.{{Cite web |title=Uropodoidea |url=http://idtools.org/id/mites/invasive_mite/Invasive_Mite_Identification/key/Mesostigmata/Media/Html/Uropodoidea.htm |access-date=2022-10-13 |website=idtools.org}}

Ecology

Several species in the family commonly infest worm bins and consume food intended for the worms.{{Cite web |title=Bugs found in worm bin |url=https://bugguide.net/node/view/359028 |access-date=2022-10-13 |website=bugguide.net}}

An undescribed species of Uropodidae sucks out the hemolymph of pupae of Pheidole megacephala ants, resulting in the death of pupae. It preferentially attacks pupae of soldier and male ants.{{Cite journal |last1=Breton |first1=J. Le. |last2=Takaku |first2=G. |last3=Tsuji |first3=K. |date=2006 |title=Brood parasitism by mites (Uropodidae) in an invasive population of the pest-ant Pheidole megacephala |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00040-005-0854-5 |journal=Insectes Sociaux |language=en |volume=53 |issue=2 |pages=168–171 |doi=10.1007/s00040-005-0854-5 |s2cid=43824862 |issn=0020-1812}}

Uropodidae are phoretic on larger arthropods, meaning that they attach to larger arthropods to be transported to new places.{{Cite web |title=Family Uropodidae |url=https://bugguide.net/node/view/94238 |access-date=2022-10-13 |website=bugguide.net}} This attachment is achieved using a pedicel of translucent material extruded from the mite's anus. One known host for uropodid mites is the red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus),{{Cite journal |last1=Farmahiny Farahani |first1=V.R. |last2=Ahadiyat |first2=A. |last3=Mašán |first3=P. |last4=Dehvari |first4=M.A. |date=2016-12-19 |title=Phoretic uropodine mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) associated with the red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Iran |journal=Journal of Entomological and Acarological Research |volume=48 |issue=3 |pages=317 |doi=10.4081/jear.2016.5853 |issn=2279-7084|doi-access=free }} though this particular relationship may actually be parasitic, as mite-infested weevils have a shorter lifespan than uninfested weevils.{{Cite journal |last1=Mazza |first1=G. |last2=Cini |first2=A. |last3=Cervo |first3=R. |last4=Longo |first4=S. |date=2011-03-10 |title=Just phoresy? Reduced lifespan in red palm weevils Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) infested by the mite Centrouropoda almerodai (Uroactiniinae: Uropodina) |journal=Italian Journal of Zoology |language=en |volume=78 |issue=1 |pages=101–105 |doi=10.1080/11250003.2010.509135 |s2cid=84240263 |issn=1125-0003|doi-access=free }}

Species

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References

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Category:Uropodidae

Category:Acari families