Why is a small animal so strong?

The reason why oribatid mites are considered by scientists to be the strongest animal on the planet is because they can lift 1,180 times their own body weight. Scientists say that oribatid mites weigh less than 25 micrograms. This can also be understood as the weight of an oribatid mite lifting is equivalent to an adult man lifting 82 tons.

An oribatid mite can be so strong because the ratio of surface area to volume and mass is larger. In addition, the small body of an oribatid mite does not cause the muscles to expend much strength when working, so they have enough strength to move objects that weigh much more than themselves.

In fact, the body of an oribatid mite is lighter in weight compared to its volume when compared to other animals. Structurally, insects do not have an internal skeleton like vertebrates but instead have a hard outer shell. Because there is no internal bone weight, the insect's weight can contain a higher amount of muscle.

So the reason why oribatids can lift objects many times heavier than their body is because they are light in weight and because they do not have an internal skeleton, their bodies have a higher amount of muscle, so they have more strength to move other heavy objects. Thanks to this extraordinary strength, oribatids have become the strongest small animals on the planet.

Where do oribatids usually live?

Oribatids usually live on the ground and they are the most common species among arthropods living in forest soils. Oribatids also contribute to seed dispersal, improve soil structure, reduce insect pathogens as well as parasites that are harmful to humans and livestock. They have a low metabolic rate, slow growth and low fertility.

The development time from egg to adult of oribatid mites ranges from a few months to 2 years. Oribatid mites have 6 active stages: pre-larval stage, larva, 3 pupal stages and adult. According to scientists, oribatid mites likely appeared on Earth 300-400 million years ago.