Whose classification first separated true ticks from mites in arachnid taxonomy?

Ticks and mites are both placed in the group Acari, but scientists long recognized that they are not identical. Early taxonomists separated them into distinct lineages within arachnid classification based on body structure, feeding habits, and development. Ticks are blood-feeding parasites with a very specialized life cycle, while mites occupy a far wider range of habitats and diets. This classification became important for medicine, agriculture, and wildlife biology. It helped scientists better understand which arachnids spread disease and which ones play ecological roles in soil, plants, and decomposition.