Papillocepheus banari sp. nov. (Acari, Oribatida, Otocepheidae) from Malawi

A new species of oribatid mite of the genus Papillocepheus is described from Malawi. Papillocepheus banari sp. nov. differs from Papillocepheus deficiens by the larger body size, the localization of dorsal notogastral setae, and the direction of posterior notogastral setae.

Contribution to the knowledge of the oribatid mite genus Tritegeus (Acari, Oribatida, Cepheidae), with description of a new species from Nepal

A new species of oribatid mites of the family Cepheidae (Oribatida)—Tritegeus janosbaloghi sp. nov.—is described based on adults from soil-litter in Nepalese forest. The generic diagnosis of Tritegeus is updated. An identification key and data on distribution of known species of Tritegeus are provided.

Ontogenetic instars of Melanozetes paramollicomus sp. nov., with remarks on morphological ontogeny of Sphaerozetinae (Acari: Oribatida: Ceratozetidae)

Although the juvenile instars of oribatid mite subfamily Sphaerozetinae is well known compared to the other subfamilies of Ceratozetidae (Ceratozetinae and Trichoribatinae), information on morphological ontogeny of some species is still incomplete. Herein, Melanozetes paramollicomus sp. nov. is proposed from Ethiopia, based on adult and juvenile instars. Additionally, comparative analysis of ontogenetic instars of species belonging various genera of Sphaerozetinae with known juveniles, is given, and the major characteristics of juvenile instars of 20 species are presented.

Biodiversity of oribatid mites in the ecosystems of Dagestan and their infection with Moniezia sp. procercoids

The purpose of the research is studying the oribatid mite biodiversity on the Dagestan pastures in terms of altitudinal zonation and their infection with Moniezia sp. procercoids.Materials and methods. Oribatid mites were collected in different seasons of 1990–2020 on different types of pastures of the plain, foothill, and mountain belts of Dagestan. A total of 16,000 specimens of oribatid mites were collected. 120 sets of lamb intestines were dissected. Oribatid mites were collected using the Tulgren funnel. The method of complete helminthological dissection according to K. I. Skrjabin was used in the work.Results and discussion. On low-lying wet pastures of the flat belt, up to 5800 oribatid specimens were recorded per 1 m² with 38.0% prevalence of infection (PI) with moniezia cysticercoids; 675 specimens were collected on the steppe lands with the PI of 12.5%, up to 140 specimens were collected on salt marshes with the PI 0.9%, and 52 specimens were collected in the semi-deserts with the PI 0.4%. In the foothill steppes, 1,300 oribatids specimens were found per 1 m² with their procercoid infeсtion up to 18.0%, 2100 specimens with 16.0% were collected along river valleys, and 120 specimens with the PI of 0.5% on mountain plateaus. Lambs on low-lying wetlands of the lowland belt were infected with Moniezia sp. by 72.0% with the infection intensity (II) of 8-116 specimens, on steppe pastures by 67.5% at the II of 5–36 specimens, on salt marshes by 18.0% with the II of 2–8 specimens, and in semi-deserts by 12.0% with the II of 2–5 specimens. In the foothill steppes, lambs were infected with Moniezia sp. by 68.0% with the II of 9–64 specimens, along river valleys by 69.0% with the II of 11–62 specimens, and on mountain plateaus by 12.0% with the II of 2–4 specimens.

Contribution to the knowledge of the oribatid mite genus Cultrobates (Acari, Oribatida, Ceratokalummidae), with description of a new species from Peru

Description of a new species of oribatid mite (Oribatida) of the genus Cultrobates (Ceratokalummidae)—C. lehmanni sp. nov.—is presented, based on materials collected from upper soil and leaf litter in the primary evergreen lowland rainforest of Amazonian Peru. Summarized generic traits, distribution and habitats of all known species of Cultrobates are presented. An identification key to known Ceratokalummidae species is provided.

Contribution to the knowledge of the oribatid mite genus Gittella (Acari, Oribatida, Oppiidae), with description of a new species from Peru

A new species of the genus Gittella (Oribatida, Oppiidae) - G. kontschani n. sp. - is described, based on materials collected from upper soil and leaf litter in the primary evergreen lowland rainforest of Amazonian Peru. Generic diagnosis, an identification key, distribution, and habitats of all known species of Gittella are presented.

Contribution to the knowledge of the oribatid mite genus Leobodes (Acari, Oribatida, Nippobodidae)

Three new species of oribatid mites of the genus Leobodes (Oribatida, Nippobodidae) - L. becki n. sp., L. schalleri n. sp. and L. schawalleri n. sp. - are described from Nepal. Revised generic diagnosis and an identification key to 10 known species of Leobodes are provided.

Two new species of the genus Flagellozetes Balogh, 1970 (Acari: Oribatida: Galumnidae) from Vietnam

Oribatid mite fauna of Vietnam is most studied among countries of Continental Southeast Asia but due to the brief history of detailed research, discoveries of new species are expected. Descriptions of two new species of oribatid mites (Oribatida) of the family Galumnidae—Flagellozetes (Cosmogalumna) sacculus sp. nov. and F. (C.) lineatus sp. nov.—are presented based on specimens collected from rainforest soil of Bi Dup—Nui Ba National Park (southern Vietnam). F. (C.) sacculus sp. nov. differs from other species by the presence of saccules and rare diamond-shaped granules on pteromorphs. F. (C.) lineatus sp. nov. differs from F. (C.) ekaterinae (Ermilov & Friedrich, 2016) and F. (C.) dongnaiensis (Ermilov & Anichkin, 2013) by the presence of striate pteromorph, genital and anal plates, median pore, and centrodorsal part of notogaster ornamentation represented by neural ridges band.

New species of primitive oribatid mite of the family Haplochthoniidae (Acari, Oribatida) from southeastern Iran

Haplochthoniidae is a small family within the superfamily Cosmochthonioidea and consists of only two genera and 17 species. In this paper a new species, Haplochthonius (Haplochthonius) longiapophysus sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on adult specimens sampled from soil in Sistan and Baluchestan province, southeastern Iran. The new species is characterised by very long prominent rostral apophyses; blade-like prodorsal and notogastral setae; genital plates with six and anal and adanal plates each with four pairs of setae, an1, ad1 and ad2 thicker than other ano-adanal setae; epimeral setation 3-2-2-3; solenidion φ of tibiae I very long, solenidion ω of tarsi I longer than famulus, seta d longer than solenidion on tibiae II and III. The new species is morphologically very similar to Haplochthonius (Haplochthonius) sanctaeluciae Bernini, 1973, however, the most significant differences between them is in the morphology of rostral apophyses and number and size of genital setae. The family Haplochthoniidae is recorded for the first time from Sistan and Baluchestan province. An updated diagnostic key to the adults of known species of Haplochthonius (Haplochthonius) is given.

A new oribatid mite of the genus Pilogalumna Grandjean (Acari: Oribatida: Galumnidae) from northeastern Iran, with updated identification key to known species of the genus

A new species of oribatid mite of the family Galumnidae is described and illustrated based on adult specimens from soil in Mashhad county, Razavi Khorasan Province, northeastern Iran. Pilogalumna khorasanica sp. nov. is characterised by rounded rostrum; very long interlamellar setae; long, nearly setiform, finely bilaterally barbed bothridial setae; medially interrupted dorsosejugal furrow; elongated porose areas A2, very long and narrow, ribbon shaped A3 and large body size. The new species is most similar morphologically to Pilogalumna crassiclava longiareata (Pérez-Íñigo, 1976), however, differs from it in morphology of bothridial setae and structure of notogastral porose areas, by the presence of longer interlamellar setae and larger body size. An updated identification key to known species of Pilogalumna is presented.