Stone mite

For other uses, see Stone and Mite.

This article is about the arthropod also known as rock mite.
You may be looking for the rockmite, a creature from Tatooine.

"A look at its genome strongly suggests the creature is engineered. The patterning is too artificial, too signature to have evolved purely by chance. The big question is who created this pest, and why?"

―University of Sanbra's Hall of Biological Research Director Saris Uli^[1]

Stone mites were arthropods that clung to spaceships and buildings, consuming hulls and metal plating with a combination of strong, wire-cutting jaws and acidic saliva. They typically fed on silicates and complex metals, but were also capable of striping a humanoid to the bone in mere minutes.^[3] Three individual stone mites could merge to form a symbiotic ternary that featured a hard shell, which strengthened from electrolytic reactions. As a defense, they could weld themselves to a metallic surface and deliver electric shocks through their feeler tails.

Stone mites on Nar Shaddaa, during the Clone Wars

Stone mites could be found across the galaxy, including on Tatooine, the Southern Underground of Coruscant, Malastare, Naboo, Havricus, Sermeria,^[4] Tynna,^[5] Nar Bo Sholla, and Deylerax.

On Ord Tiddell, thousands of stone mites infested its capital, Lagabee, with four million planetary residents requesting evacuation. In 19.9 BBY, a freighter called the Spinner crashed near Westport and released an infestation at Kishi; as a result, Armand Isard ordered their release on Orleon.

There were only a few known manners of eliminating these genetically engineered pests, one of them being oxidizer foam. When applied, the substance would actually rust the mites to death. Additionally, Jedi healers could use morichro against them.

Reports from the Clone Wars indicated that these creatures were genetically engineered by Arkanian scientists. While the Arkanian government said that this was not true early in the early days of the Empire, Arkanian scientists were the only scientists to make any progress in destroying stone mites.^[2] In actuality, the escaped Arkanian mutant terrorist Zeta Magnus created the stone mites for the Separatists.^[6]