Astigs

Order Astigmata

The Astigs (Order Astigmata) includes 8 species across 7 families and 17 genera in our directory.

About Astigs

Astigmata includes ~6,000 described species of mites, including dust mites, scabies mites, and cheese mites. House dust mites (Dermatophagoides) are present in virtually every human dwelling.

Economic Impact

Dust mites are the primary trigger for allergic asthma - affecting ~300 million people worldwide (WHO). The scabies mite causes an estimated 200 million cases of scabies globally. The global allergy treatment market partly driven by dust mites exceeds $25 billion.

Ecological Role

Astigmatid mites are important decomposers of organic matter and recyclers of nutrients. Many species are phoretic - hitching rides on insects to reach new food sources like decaying material, stored grain, and animal nests.

Families in Astigmata (7)

Species in Astigmata (8)

Boletoglyphus ornatus

Acaridae

"Feeding forms inhabit the spore tubes of the polypore Ganoderma applanatum and eat spores. Deutonymphs are exclusively phoretic on Bolitotherus cornutus , as are several other species of mites living in this fungus." - Barry O'Connor