Holothyrida


The Holothyrida are a small order of mites in the superorder Parasitiformes. No fossils are known. With body lengths of more than they are relatively large mites, with a heavily sclerotized body. They mainly feed on the body fluids of dead arthropods. This was possibly the common way of feeding for ticks before they adapted for feeding on the blood of live animals.
Although only 25 species are currently described, many others have been collected.
The order has a Gondwanan distribution. They are likely the sister group to Ixodida.

Systematics

Allothyridae

van der Hammen, 1972 — Australia
Thorell, 1882
Lehtinen, 1981