Red Litter Mite

Hypochthonius rufulus

General Status Rank: 
Undetermined
ELCODE: 
ILACA31020
Common Name: 
Red Litter Mite
Scientific Name: 
Hypochthonius rufulus
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Taxonomy
Group: 
Oribatid Mites
Kingdom: 
Animalia
Phylum: 
Arthropoda
Class: 
Arachnida
Order: 
Oribatida
Family: 
Hypochthoniidae
Habitat
Arctic meadow, forest, peatlands, bogs.
References: 
B2024003
Distribution

Distribution

Species collected in the Taiga Shield and peatlands, which extend through >200,000 km2 of the NWT. Also widespread through boreal and shield in adjacent province of Alberta, indicating that it likely also has an extensive range in the NWT.
Score: 
G

Number of Occurrences

Historical record. This species is known from locality records published most recently in 1994 (Behan-Pelletier & Bissett 1994).
Score: 
U
Threats

Intrinsic Vulnerability

Most oribatid mites are K-selected (Norton 1994), meaning they have stable populations with long generation times, adults are long-lived, and they show low metabolic rates, low fertility, and iteroparity. They are also slow to disperse/recolonize due to their small size (0.3 - 2.1 cm per day; Lehmitz et al. 2012), which also means they cannot move out of harm's way during a disturbance event.
Score: 
AB
General Status Rank
Rank: 
Undetermined
S Rank: 
SU
Decision Process Description: 
Rank drafted in 2022 by L. Lumley for the 2025 general status ranks. Rank reviewed for NWT in 2024 by S. Carriere.
Last Updated: 
June 6, 2024

References

Habitat

  • Behan-Pelletier, V.M. & Lindo, Z. (2019) Checklist of oribatid mites (Acari : Oribatida) of Canada and Alaska. Magnolia Press Zootaxa 4666(1): 001-180 - B2024003 Return