Eriophyoidea
A superfamily of mites that contains several families of minute, worm-like species assigned to the Prostigmata. They bear only two pairs of anteriorly-placed legs. The short life cycle consists of egg, [ [larva][entry/Larva), nymph and adults, a cycle often requiring less than one week. Reproduction is mostly by arrhenotoky. All species feed on plants and most are highly specific to their hosts. Several species are major plant pests (e.g. the citrus rust mite, Phyllocoptruta oleivora).
A newer interpretation of recent fossil findings (about 230 Ma preserved in amber) places the Tetrapodili as a higher category. The Eriophyoidea then becomes one of several superfamilies in the Tetrapodili.
Currently the Eriophyoidea consists of 3 families: Eriophyidae, which contains most plant pests, Phytoptidae and Diptilomiopidae.
References
de Lillo,E., Pozzebon, A., Valenzano,D. and Duso, C. 2018. An Intimate Relationship Between Eriophyoid Mites and Their Host Plants – A Review. Frontiers in Plant Science 9: 1786.
Lindquist, E.E., Sabelis, M.W. & Bruin, J. (Eds.) 1996. Eriophyoid Mites, Their Biology, Natural Enemies and Control. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 790.
Sidorchuk, E.A., Schmidt, A.R., Ragazzi, E., Roghi, G. and Lindquist, E.E. 2015. Plant-feeding mite diversity in Triassic amber (Acari: Tetrapodili). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 13: 129-151.
Valenzano, D., Bari,G., Malagnini, V. and DeLillo, E. 2019. Off-host survival of Eriophyoidea and remarks on their dispersal modes. Eerimental and Applied Acarology 79: 21-33.
Van Leeuwen, T., Witters,J., Nauan, R., Duso, C. and Tirry, L. 2010. The control of eriophyoid mites: state of the art and future challenges. Experimental and Applied Acarology 51L 205-224.
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