''Leptus'' is a genus of large

mite Mites are small arachnids (eight-legged arthropods). Mites span two large orders of arachnids, the Acariformes and the Parasitiformes, which were historically grouped together in the subclass Acari, but genetic analysis does not show clear evid ...

s belonging to the family

Erythraeidae Erythraeidae is a family of mites belonging to the Trombidiformes. Larval forms of these mites are parasitic on various other arthropods, for example harvestmen, but the adults are free-living predators. These oval mites are rather large, usually ...

; they resemble members of the related genus ''

Balaustium ''Balaustium'' is a genus of mites belonging to the family Erythraeidae. These are large red mite Mites are small arachnids (eight-legged arthropods). Mites span two large orders of arachnids, the Acariformes and the Parasitiformes, whic ...

'', but can be distinguished by the eyes, which in ''Leptus'' species are set much further forward on the body than in ''Balaustium'' species. The genus was first described in 1796 by

Pierre André Latreille Pierre André Latreille (; 29 November 1762 – 6 February 1833) was a French zoologist, specialising in arthropods. Having trained as a Roman Catholic priest before the French Revolution, Latreille was imprisoned, and only regained his freedom ...

Selected species

Interim Register of Marine and NonMarine Genera The Interim Register of Marine and Nonmarine Genera (IRMNG) is a taxonomic database which attempts to cover published genus names for all domains of life from 1758 in zoology (1753 in botany) up to the present, arranged in a single, internally c ...

lists 202 species. * ''

Leptus ariel ''Leptus'' is a genus of large mites belonging to the family Erythraeidae; they resemble members of the related genus '' Balaustium'', but can be distinguished by the eyes, which in ''Leptus'' species are set much further forward on the body than ...

'' Southcott, 1989 * '' Leptus berlesei'' * '' Leptus clavatus'' * '' Leptus intermedius'' Meyer & Ryke, 1959 * ''

Leptus monteithi ''Leptus'' is a genus of large mites belonging to the family Erythraeidae; they resemble members of the related genus ''Balaustium'', but can be distinguished by the eyes, which in ''Leptus'' species are set much further forward on the body than ...

'' Southcott, 1993 * '' Leptus pozzoicus'' Ryszard, 2007 * '' Leptus trimaculatus'' * ''

Leptus vertiformis ''Leptus'' is a genus of large mites belonging to the family Erythraeidae; they resemble members of the related genus ''Balaustium'', but can be distinguished by the eyes, which in ''Leptus'' species are set much further forward on the body than ...

References

Trombidiformes {{Trombidiformes-stub