# Erythraeidae

Erythraeidae is a family of mites belonging to the Trombidiformes. Larval forms of these mites are parasitic on various other arthropods, for example harvestmen, but the adults are free-living predators. These oval mites are rather large, usually reddish coloured and densely hairy. The legs, especially the first and fourth pairs, are long and adapted for running. They have either one or two pairs of eyes and can be distinguished from related families microscopically by the presence of a single claw on the tibia of the palp.
The larvae bite a hole into the cuticula of the host and use a stylostome, which acts like a drinking straw, to drink body fluids dissolved tissues.
The larvae of two described species of Leptus feed on bees: Leptus ariel lives on the European honey bee in Guatemala, and Leptus monteithi is a parasite of a Leioproctus species (Colletidae) in Tasmania.
* Larva on harvestman leg
* Larva on harvestman leg, New Zealand
* Larva on harvestman leg, New Zealand
* Balaustium leanderi, Colombia
* Balaustium leanderi, México
* Caeculisoma, Virginia
* Callidosoma, Virginia
* Eatoniana namaquensis, South Africa
* Eatoniana namaquensis, Botswana
* Eatoniana plumipes, Kazakhstan
* Abrolophus, New Zealand
* Leptus, Maine
* Leptus trimaculatus, Germany
* Callidosoma, Virginia

## Genera

These 62 genera belong to the family Erythraeidae:

### Subfamily Abrolophinae Witte, 1995

    Abrolophus Berlese, 1891
    Grandjeanella Southcott, 1961
    Marantelophus Haitlinger, 2011
    Nagoricanella Haitlinger, 2009
    Pukakia Clark, 2014

### Subfamily Balaustiinae Grandjean, 1947

    Balaustium von Heyden, 1826
    Bursaustium Haitlinger, 2000
    Fozustium Haitlinger, 2005
    Italustium Haitlinger, 2000
    Lomeustium Haitlinger, 2007
    Madinahustium Kamran & Alatawi, 2016
    Micromaris Hirst, 1926
    Microsmarialla Khot, 1963
    Moldoustium Haitlinger, 2008
    Monteustium Haitlinger & Sundic, 2015
    Mypongia Southcott, 1961
    Neobalaustium Willmann, 1951
    Pollux Southcott, 1961
    Wartookia Southcott, 1961

### Subfamily Callidosomatinae Southcott, 1957

    Andrevella Southcott, 1961
    Caeculisoma Berlese, 1888
    Callidosoma Womersley, 1936
    Carastrum Southcott, 1988
    Cecidopus Karsch, 1879
    Charletonia Oudemans, 1910
    Dambullaeus Haitlinger, 2001
    Harpagella Southcott, 1996
    Iguatonia Haitlinger, 2004
    Momorangia Southcott, 1972
    Neoabrolophus Khot, 1965
    Neomomorangia Fain & Santiago-Blay, 1993
    Pussardia Southcott, 1961

### Subfamily Erythraeinae Robineau-Desvoidy, 1828

    Augustsonella Southcott, 1961
    Claverythraeus Trägårdh, 1937
    Collemboerythraeus Noei et al., 2017
    Curteria Southcott, 1961
    Eatoniana Cambridge, 1898
    Erythraeus Latreille, 1806
    Erythraxus Southcott, 1961
    Erythrellus Southcott, 1946
    Erythrites Southcott, 1961
    Erythroides Southcott, 1946
    Forania Southcott, 1961
    Helladerythraeus Beron, 1988
    Kakamasia Lawrence, 1944
    Kamertonia Gabrys, 2000
    Lasioerythraeus Welbourn & Young, 1987
    Makolia Saboori et al., 2009
    Neophanolophus Shiba, 1976
    Neosmaris Hirst, 1926
    Paraphanolophus Smiley, 1968
    Pararainbowia Dunlop, 2007
    Podosmaridia Trägårdh, 1937
    Proterythraeus Vercammen-Grandjean, 1973
    Rainbowia Southcott, 1961
    Ramsayella Z.-Q. Zhang, 2000
    Taranakia Southcott, 1988
    Tepoztlana Hoffmann & Mendez, 1973

### Subfamily Leptinae Billberg, 1820

    Leptus Latreille, 1796

### Subfamily Myrmicotrombiinae Southcott, 1957

    Myrmicotrombium Womersley, 1934

### Subfamily Phanolophinae Southcott, 1946

    Iraniella Karimi Iravanlou et al., 2002
    Phanolophus André, 1927

## Footnotes

* ↑ "Erythraeidae". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
* ↑ Zhang, Z.-Q.; Fan, Q.-H.; Pesic, V.; Smit, H.; et al. (2011). Zhang, Zhi-Qiang (ed.). "Order Trombidiformes Reuter, 1909. In: Zhang, Z-Q. (ed.) Animal biodiversity: an outline of higher-level classification and survey of taxonomic richness". Zootaxa. 3148. ISBN 978-1-86977-849-1. ISSN 1175-5326.
* ↑ UMMZ: Genus Leptus Latreille, 1796 (with drawing of L. ariel)
* ↑ "ITIS report, Erythraeidae". Retrieved 2024-12-12.
* ↑ "Catalogue of Life, Erythraeidae Robineau-Desvoidy, 1828". Retrieved 2024-12-12.