Description

• Erythraeoidea is a superfamily of small to very small mites in the order Trombidiformes, commonly associated with velvet mites and related erythraeid mites. They have compact bodies and four pairs of legs as adults, with many species covered in fine hairs that give them a velvety appearance. Immature stages can differ markedly from adults, and some species have bright red, orange, or reddish-brown colouring.

Range

• Erythraeoidea has a broad distribution in tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions worldwide. Numerous erythraeid mites occur in Mexico, including warm regions of the Pacific slope, and members of the group may be encountered around Zihuatanejo.

Habitat

• These mites occur in leaf litter, soil, vegetation, tree bark, moss, and other humid microhabitats, with some species readily found on plants and exposed surfaces. They are particularly diverse in forests, woodland, scrub, grassland, and other habitats containing suitable soil and organic debris.

Diet

• Adult and nymphal erythraeoids are generally predatory, feeding on small arthropods and their eggs, including insect eggs, mites, and other minute invertebrates. Larvae of many erythraeid species are ectoparasitic, attaching to insects and other arthropods and feeding on their body fluids before eventually becoming free-living predators.