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The Oxidae is a family of water mites from the superfamily Lebertioidea. It is represented by three genera in Australia: Flabellifrontipoda (6 spp., Qld, NSW, Vic, Tas); Frontipoda (8 spp., Qld, NSW, Tas and other records from the NT (HCP)); andOxus (10 spp., Qld, NSW, Vic, Tas, NT).

Oxids are easily separated from other mites by the anterior shifting of all pairs of legs so that they are crowded together at the front of the body. Members of the Frontipodopsidae may be mistaken for oxids, but have only legs I to III crowded anteriorly.

Oxids occur in both standing and running water.

References

Cook, D.R. 1986. Water mites from Australia. Mem. Amer. Ent. Inst. 40: 1-568.

Harvey, M.S. 1998. The Australian Water Mites: a Guide to Families and Genera. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Vic.