Eyes & Eye-like Structures

Many mites are blind, but when present, eyes are found on the 'shoulders' region of the body, above the legs.  The eyes are simple ocelli and typically grouped as two pairs of circular to oval lenses (often red in color).  Usually they are sessile, but in some Prostigmata the posterior pair are raised or on short stalks.

Some opilioacarans have 2 sets of 3 ocelli, but most mites have one or two pairs of eyes.  In many Prostigmata, the anterior and posterior members of the pair are different in form and the posterior member is sometimes called the ocular body.