Mity model: Tetranychus urticae, a candidate for chelicerate model organism

• DOI: 10.1002/bies.20564
• Publication Date: 2007-04-20T17:54:08Z
• Authors: Miodrag Grbic; Abderrahman Khila; Kwang‐Zin Lee; Anica Bjelica; Vojislava Grbic; Jay Whistlecraft; Lou Verdon; Maria Navajas; Lisa Nagy
• Keywords: Arthropod; Lineage (genetic); Entomology

Abstract Chelicerates (scorpions, horseshoe crabs, spiders, mites and ticks) are the second largest group of arthropods immense importance for fundamental applied science. They occupy a basal phylogenetic position within phylum Arthropoda, crucial significance understanding evolution various arthropod lineages. vectors human diseases, such as ticks, major agricultural pests, spider mites, thus this is also both medicine agriculture. The developmental genetics chelicerates poorly understood challenge future progress many aspects chelicerate biology development model organism group. Toward end, we developing genetic model: two‐spotted mite Tetranychus urticae . T. has smallest genome any determined so far (75 Mbp, 60% size Drosophila genome), undergoes rapid easy to maintain in laboratory. These features make promising reference economically important, studied species‐rich lineage. BioEssays 29:489–496, 2007. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.