The oribatid mite is the most powerful creature on the planet (8 photos + 1 video)

The size of the oribatid mite is only about a millimeter. But despite their size, these babies are able to withstand 1000 times their own weight! Let's find out a little interesting about these creatures.





For us humans, lifting even twice our own weight is considered an athletic achievement. But for some inhabitants of the wild, supporting several times their own weight is as easy as shelling pears. For example, tailor ants can support 100 times their own weight, and dung beetles can support 400 times their own weight. However, the armored mite (Oribatida) broke all records in nature. These tiny creatures can lift 1,180 times their own weight! All thanks to their powerful exoskeleton.



The dimensions of these mites are only from 0.2 to 1.4 mm. If you look at the ratio of strength to size and weight, it is the most powerful creature in the world. This can be compared to if a person could lift an object weighing about 82 tons. One of the reasons that oribatid mites, like some other insects, are so strong lies in their powerful exoskeleton. Due to their durable exoskeleton, they spend more energy on developing muscle strength. With all this, the oribatid mite weighs only 100 micrograms.





Larger creatures have larger muscles, but most of their strength goes into supporting their own weight. And tiny insects use muscle mass to lift various weights. Oribatid mites themselves live in soil, forest litter, mosses and lichens. They feed on rotting plant debris with abundant microflora, so their role in soil formation is very important. They also disperse seeds, improve soil structure and reduce pathogenic insects and parasites - including those harmful to livestock and humans.