There are no detailed differential diagnoses and identification keys to the pyroglyphid dust mites and other domestic mites, which hinders acarological diagnostics in faunistic studies of both house-dust-mite and storage-mite allergies. The morphological analysis of variation between individuals, populations, species and genera is fundamental to the study of systematic, ecology and evolution, and has numerous applications in the medical, veterinary and agricultural sciences, including the allergy to domestic and storage mites.
House Dust Mites and Storage Mites (Acari: Oribatida: Astigmatina) presents morphological characteristics of the most medically important taxa of mites, especially genera from the families Pyroglyphidae (Dermatophagoides, Sturnophagoides, Malayoglyphus, Hirstia, Euroglyphus, Gymnoglyphus), Acaridae (Acarus, Tyrophagus, Tyrolichus, Tyroborus, Aleuroglyphus, Thyreophagus, Caloglyphus, Rhizoglyphus), Glycyphagidae (Glycyphagus, Lepidoglyphus, Gohieria, Ctenoglyphus), Aëroglyphidae (Aëroglyphus) and Chortoglyphidae (Chortoglyphus). Most mite specimens were obtained from research collections in the United States, UK and Belgium, from house dust samples, bird nest and farming environments.
Detailed differential diagnoses of subfamilies, genera and species illustrated by photomicrographs and identification keys are presented. This paper includes also distribution of the presented species of domestic mites. Diagnoses of clinical symptoms in allergic patients caused by domestic or storage mites are partially based on the identification of species, but this can be difficult because of the lack of user-friendly keys and the dispersed literature. House Dust Mites and Storage Mites (Acari: Oribatida: Astigmatina) was begun in response to these hindrances and it is intended to help acarologists to identify the mites they may find associated with storage products, farming environments and house dust samples.