Giant red velvet mite
The giant red velvet mite is the largest member of the velvet mite family, measuring just under 1/2 inch (approximately 1.3 centimeters) in length. Native to Africa, this striking arachnid is characterized by its dense, bright-red, velvety fur, which serves as a warning to potential predators about its unpalatable taste due to skin glands containing toxins. The mite's body is broadly oval-shaped with two main sections: the cephalothorax, where its head and four of its eight long, hairy legs are attached, and the abdomen, which houses the other four legs.
Giant red velvet mites typically emerge from the ground after rainfall, often found in large groups. They are primarily diurnal and are active during the day, foraging for insects and their eggs on the surface or underground in damp soil. The lifecycle includes a larval stage, where they are parasitic on grasshoppers, before maturing into nymphs and then adults. Although they have few natural predators and can live for several years, these mites are not considered a threatened species. Their unique appearance and behavior make them a fascinating subject for those interested in the diverse world of arachnids.
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Giant desert red velvet mite
The giant red velvet mite is the largest of the red velvet mites. It is native to Africa. The giant red velvet mite is suitably named since it is the largest of the mites at just under 1/2 inch (about 1 1/3 centimeters) long. Dense, bright-red, velvety fur covers the body of this desert-dwelling species. Thousands of these mites often appear from underground after rain showers.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Trombidiformes
Family: Trombididae
Genus: Dinothrombium
Species: Tinctorium
Although the giant red velvet mite is not at all large next to many other animals, it is the largest of the over 48,000 species of mites in the world. Most mites are very small or even tiny and are best viewed under microscopes. The giant red velvet mite may be nearly 1/2 inch (fully one centimeter) long. Its body is broad and oval-shaped and slightly rounded across the back.
Not only is the giant red velvet mite suitably named for its size, but its name is good because of its color and hair. Covering the entire body of the giant red velvet mite is a thick, dense coat of bright-red, fur-like, velvety bristles. These bristles are called setae. The bright color of the mite is a clear warning to possible predators that a bite of this mite tastes bad. Glands in the skin contain poisons to protect the mite from birds and other predators.
Underneath the setae, the body of the giant red velvet mite has two basic sections to its body. These sections may not be distinct from each other and may instead appear to be one piece. The cephalothorax includes the head and thorax, or middle region of the body. This section is also sometimes called a prosoma. Attached to the cephalothorax are four of the giant red velvet mite's eight slender, long, hairy legs.
The second main section is the rear section which is commonly called the abdomen and sometimes the opisthosoma. Across the dorsal, or back, side of the giant red velvet mite is a hard plate called a scutum. Many sensory hairs cover the scutum. The other four legs are located on the abdomen.
Like most other mites, the giant red velvet mite has two pairs of mouthparts. One pair is called the pedipalps. These are for detecting the surroundings and finding and handling food. The second pair are toothed jaws called chelicerae, which are designed for biting and chewing.
The adult giant red velvet mite probably preys on insects and their eggs. It finds its food as it crawls underground or along the surface of the ground. It is generally diurnal, or active during the day. During dry conditions it becomes active in the evening and early in the morning. In areas of dry sand and soil, it lives along the surface, but it burrows underground where the soil and sand are damp.
After mating, a female lays many thousands of eggs. In the typical pattern of mites, the young giant red velvet mites have only six legs and do not yet have all their red velvet hair. These larvae are parasites on grasshoppers. A parasite is an animal or plant which lives and feeds on or inside another living animal or plant. After molting, or shedding, their skins, the larvae become nymphs with red hair and eight legs which have the same diet as the adults. After another molt they become adults.
The giant red velvet mite mainly lives in the desert and semi-desert areas of Africa. Its range may also include some humid regions in tropical Africa. Thousands of giant red velvet mites cover the ground after heavy rain showers.
The giant red velvet mite is an arachnid along with all the world's scorpions, spiders, ticks, and other mites.
The giant red velvet mite has few predators although it may be eaten by some lizards and toads. Giant red velvet mites can live for several years. They are not a threatened species.
Bibliography
“Giant Red Velvet Mite (Dinothrombium).” Insect Identification, 3 Jan. 2022, www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.php?identification=Giant-Red-Velvet-Mite. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.
“True Velvet Mites (Red Velvet Mites).” Missouri Department of Conservation, 2024, mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/true-velvet-mites-red-velvet-mites. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.