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Feeding activity of a phthiracarid mite (Arachnida: Acari)
Author(s) -
Dinsdale D.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
journal of zoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1469-7998
pISSN - 0952-8369
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1974.tb03141.x
Subject(s) - arthropod mouthparts , biology , mastication , mite , acari , tearing , anatomy , zoology , botany , materials science , paleontology , composite material
The oribatid mite, Phthiracarus sp., feeds by tearing‐out material from the spongy mesophyll of decaying spruce needles with a pair of retractile chelicerae. A pair of dentate rutella localize this tearing activity and limit particles to a manageable size. Mastication is achieved by movements of the chelicerae against each other and the rutella, the process being aided by a pair of palps.