Penthaleus
genus of arachnids
Penthaleus is a genus of earth mites in the family of Penthaleidae, first described by Carl Ludwig Koch in 1835. Members of this genus are found on every continent except Antarctica.
They are a major winter pest of a variety of crops and pastures in southern Australia.
Description
Members of Penthaleus can be easily distinguished from other genera within Penthaleidae by the dorsal position of the anus which is surrounded by a distinctive red patch on the otherwise blue-black idiosoma. They often also have red patches near the base of the gnathosoma, and at the anterior of the dorsal idiosoma. Like other genera within Penthaleidae, these mites have solid red legs.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Penthaleus” as genus of arachnids. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the science & nature register because the source frames it as genus of arachnids. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 22, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q18093848. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1835.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Penthaleus”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Penthaleus primary sources, Penthaleus archive and Penthaleus research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Penthaleus”?
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- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
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This entry incorporates text from “Penthaleus” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.