Tyrophagus casei

Tyrophagus casei
An aged Milbenkäse – cheese matured using cheese mites
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Arachnida
Subclass:	Acari
Order:	Sarcoptiformes
Family:	Acaridae
Genus:	Tyrophagus
Species:	T. casei
Binomial name
Tyrophagus casei (Oudemans, 1910)[1]
Synonyms
Tyrolichus casei Oudemans, 1910

Tyrophagus casei, the cheese mite, is a species of mite which is inoculated into Milbenkäse and Altenburger Ziegenkäse cheese during their production. It is 0.45–0.70 millimetre (0.018–0.028 in) long, and feeds on cheese, corn, flour, old honeycombs, bird collections, and smoked meats.^[2]

The surface of cheese which has been colonised by mites may be covered with a fine, grey powder or bloom, due to the mites themselves and their moulted skin and faeces. These impart a distinctive "piquant" taste to various cheeses.^[3]

See also

• Cheese mite
• Cheese fly or cheese skipper, Piophila casei

References

1. ^ "Tyrophagus casei (Oudemans, 1910)". Encyclopedia of Life. http://www.eol.org/pages/15836712. Retrieved August 3, 2011. 
2. ^ Thomas Scott (1996). "Acari". Concise Encyclopedia: Biology. Walter de Gruyter. pp. 6–7. ISBN 3-11-010661-2. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=LorrYj5pkKYC&pg=PA7. 
3. ^ http://www.the-piedpiper.co.uk/th7g.htm#cheesemite

External links

• Finlo Rohrer (May 29, 2008). "Cheese mites and other wonders". BBC News. http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7423847.stm.  Includes The Cheese Mites (1903), the first science documentary meant for the public.
• A Parable by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, at Wikisource
• The Dying Whip by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, at Wikisource
• From a College Window by Arthur Christopher Benson, at Project Gutenberg