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small. often minute. arthropods in the order Acarina of the class Arachnida that may feed on plants. other mites. or small insects.

mites (Wikipedia)

Mites are small arachnids (eight-legged arthropods). Mites span two large orders of arachnids, the Acariformes and the Parasitiformes, which were historically grouped together in the subclass Acari. However, most recent genetic analyses do not recover the two as each other's closest relative within Arachnida, rendering the group non-monophyletic. Most mites are tiny, less than 1 mm (0.04 in) in length, and have a simple, unsegmented body plan. The small size of most species makes them easily overlooked; some species live in water, many live in soil as decomposers, others live on plants, sometimes creating galls, while others are predators or parasites. This last type includes the commercially destructive Varroa parasite of honey bees, as well as scabies mites of humans. Most species are harmless to humans, but a few are associated with allergies or may transmit diseases.

Mites
Temporal range: Early Devonian – Present, 410–0 Ma
Trombidium holosericeum mite
Trombidium holosericeum mite (Acariformes)
Varroa destructor (Parasitiformes)
Varroa destructor (Parasitiformes)
Scientific classificationEdit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Mites are found in two superorders

The scientific discipline devoted to the study of mites is called acarology.

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