Ceratozetoides cisalpinus
This record describes Ceratozetoides cisalpinus (species). Recorded family: Ceratozetidae. Recorded order: Oribatida.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Arachnida
- Order
- Oribatida (Oribatids)
- Suborder
- Poronota
- Superfamily
- Ceratozetoidea
- Family
- Ceratozetidae
- Genus
- Ceratozetoides
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Lab-reared larvae required growing fungal hyphae; adults could be reared on lichens, fungi, or artificial substitutes. Surface feeders rather than burrowers like other mite species.
Life History
Females in captivity would lay one clutch of eggs shortly after reaching maturity, but would not lay a second unless they underwent at least 2 1/2 months of temperatures below 5 degrees celsius, even if kept at higher temperatures for 10-12 months.
About Oribatids: the wider group
Order-level background for Oribatida, the group containing Ceratozetoides cisalpinus. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Oribatida (oribatid mites / beetle mites) includes ~11,000 described species, making them one of the most species-rich mite orders. They are among the most abundant soil arthropods, with densities of up to 400,000 per square meter in forest soils.
Ecological role of the group
Oribatid mites are primary decomposers in soil ecosystems, breaking down leaf litter and fungal material. They have remarkably long generation times for arthropods - some species take 1-2 years to develop from egg to adult.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Oribatid mites are intermediate hosts for several tapeworm species that can infect livestock. They are widely used as bioindicators of soil health and pollution in environmental monitoring programs.
Recorded sources for this group: Soil acarology research, veterinary parasitology. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.