Tarsonemus Mite Male
This specimen was found on a tapelift from a home in
Cleveland, Ohio. There was a very significant
population of these mites in this home. The male can be distinguished from the
female by its very large, grasping, fourth
pair of legs. These are visible in this photograph directed straight back from the
mite and arcing together
behind the mite in the upper part of the image. The head of the mite is facing down
to the left.
Transmitted Oblique Illumination
Definition/Function:
KINGDOM: Animalia PHYLUM: Arthropoda SUBPHYLUM: Chelicerata CLASS: Arachnida SUBCLASS:
Acari SUPERORDER: Acariformes
ORDER: Trombidiformes SUBORDER: Eleutherengona SUPERFAMILY: Tarsonemoidea FAMILY:
Tarsonemidae GENUS: Tarsonemus
Mites or their debris are found in indoor environments frequently. They all tend to be
small ranging from about 40
micrometers to about a millimeter in largest dimension. They lay eggs and then develop
through a number of intermediate
stages. The adult mite has 8 legs but the intermediate stages may have 2 to 8 legs,
depending on the species and the stage.
All mites require a relative humidity above 50% but they will often occupy cooler parts
of a home where the relative
humidity is naturally higher. They will also inhabit bedding and clothing where the
relative humdity is elevated due to
the presence of the human body. Their prefered food varies by species. Many of them will
survive on skin flakes.
Significance in the Environment:
There are over 124 different types of mites found in homes. Most of these are associated
with allergies or asthma. The
standard tests for mite allergen can only detect 2 of the 124 mites that may be present.
The collection efficiency of
a vacuum for even the 2 mites that could be detected is estimated at about 1%. Minor
flucuation in that efficiency result
in variations of a factor of 20X (2000%). Part of this variation is due to the fact that
the mite allergen is often
concentrated in a few large particles. The allergen of a few fragments would be swamped
by the allergen associated with
one whole mite. Tapelifts of settled dusts in homes have been much more consistent in
detecting mite problems.
Characteristic Features:
Tarsonemus mites are rather small compared to many other mites found in homes. The main
part of the body excluding the
mouth parts, the idiosoma, in the male is typically around 70 micrometers long and
clearly divided into a forward section,
the proterosoma, that contains the first two pairs of legs and mouth parts, and a
posterior section, the hysterosoma, that
includes the last two pairs of legs. The male Tarsonemus mite can be distinguished from
the female by its very large,
grasping, fourth pair of legs. The main setae protruding backward from the fourth leg
are birefringent.
Associated Particles:
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