| Holothyrida | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Sternothyrus braueri, a member of Holothyridae | |
 | |
| Underside of male (left) and female (right) ofDiplothyrus lecorrei (Neothyridae) | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Superorder: | Parasitiformes |
| Order: | Holothyrida |
| Families | |
See text. | |
| Diversity | |
| 10 genera, > 25 species | |
TheHolothyrida are a small order ofmites in the superorderParasitiformes. No fossils are known. With body lengths of more than 2 mm (3⁄32 in) they are relatively large mites, with a heavilysclerotized body. It is divided into three families, Allothyridae, Holothyridae, and Neothyridae. In a 1998 experimental study, members of the family Allothyridae were found to ignore living animals but readily fed on the body fluids of deadarthropods, making themscavengers.[1]
The order has a distribution largely confined to formerGondwanan landmasses. They are thesister group toIxodida (ticks).[2]
Allothyridaevan der Hammen, 1972 —Australia, New Zealand
HolothyridaeThorell, 1882 Sri Lanka, Indian Ocean islands, New Guinea, New Caledonia
NeothyridaeLehtinen, 1981 Northern South America and the Caribbean
