The oldest continuous association between astigmatid mites and termites preserved in Cretaceous amber reveals the evolutionary significance of phoresy

The discovery of Schizoglyphidae mites in Lebanese amber represents the oldest known continuous association between acariform mites and their hosts. This finding demonstrates the long-term evolutionary significance of phoresy in Astigmata, evidencing a relationship sustained for over 130 Ma. It indicates that these early mites lived inside termite nests as inquilines and used alate termites for dispersal. This ancient association offers key insights into the coevolution of both mites and termites, highlighting a potential for the future discoveries of similar mites. This fossil -a stem-group Astigmata- is important for the accurate calibration of acariform mite phylogenies, advancing our understanding of these mites evolutionary history.