First Detections of Culiseta longiareolata (Diptera: Culicidae) in Belgium and the Netherlands

Culiseta (Allotheobaldia) longiareolata (Macquart) (Diptera: Culicidae) is an ornithophilic mosquito species that occurs in the southern Palaearctic Region from the Azores to Central Asia, the Ethiopian Region, India, and Pakistan. Although it has a widespread distribution range, the species was only recently reported in Western and Central Europe. Between 2017 and 2020, larvae, pupae, and adults of Cs. longiareolata (n = 161) were found at 13 distinct locations in Belgium (n = 4) and The Netherlands (n = 9). Collected mosquitoes were morphologically identified and the identification was then validated by COI DNA barcoding. These are the first records of the species in the above-mentioned countries. The present results suggest that Cs. longiareolata could be increasing its distribution range in temperate regions, indicating a warming climate. As the species might be a potential vector of bird pathogens (e.g., West Nile virus), its spread in Western Europe is noteworthy.

New species and records of Oppiidae (Acari, Oribatida) from the Montagne d'Ambre National Park (Madagascar)

Two new species of oribatid mites of the family Oppiidae collected from leaf litter in Madagascar are described. Ramuselloppia indistincta sp. nov. differs from Ramuselloppia anomala by larger body size, the presence of epimeral tubercles and comparatively long lamellar, interlamellar and notogastral setae and the absence of costulae and heads of bothridial setae. An identification key to known species of Ramuselloppia is provided. Lanceoppia (Baioppia) rugosa sp. nov. differs from all species of the subgenus by heavily rugose posterior part of the notogaster. The genus Ramuselloppia and subgenus Lanceoppia (Baioppia) are recorded in the Ethiopian region for the first time; the species Multioppia (Hammeroppia) wilsoni is recorded in Madagascar for the first time.

New and interesting species of the genera Galumna and Pergalumna (Acari, Oribatida, Galumnidae) from the Montagne d'Ambre National Park, Madagascar

This work includes taxonomic and faunistic data on galumnid mites (Oribatida, Galumnidae) belonging to the genera Galumna and Pergalumna collected from the Montagne d'Ambre National Park, North Madagascar. Two new species are described: Galumna sandormahunkai n. sp. differs from its closest species, Galumna sphagni by the larger body size, the presence of strongly protruding rostrum, lanceolate, pointed apically bothridial setae, the direction of lamellar lines, and the absence of median pore; Pergalumna janosbaloghi n. sp. differs from the most similar species, Pergalumna aegra, by the smaller body size and the presence of long lamellar setae and elongate, distinctly or slightly triangular porose areas Aa. Galumna granalata and Pergalumna amamiensis are recorded in the Ethiopian region for the first time; Pergalumna conspicua and P. frater are recorded in Madagascar for the first time.

New and interesting oribatid mite taxa (Acari, Oribatida) from the Gambela region (Ethiopia)

Ethiopia. Two new species of the subgenus Galumna (Galumna) (Galumnidae) are described. Galumna anuakensis Ermilov sp. nov. differs from G. calcicola (Aoki & Hu, 1993), G. lanceosensilla Ermilov, Sidorchuk & Rybalov, 2011, G. paracalcicola Ermilov & Anichkin, 2014 and G. paramastigophora Ermilov, 2015 by the presence of clavate bothridial setae and foveolate anogenital region. Galumna gambelaensis Ermilov sp. nov. differs from G. wojciechniedbalai Ermilov, 2012 by the presence of very long, flagellate interlamellar setae and comparatively large dorsosejugal porose areas. A list with new records for Ethiopian fauna, including 13 species, is provided; of these, Gymnodamaeus neonominatus (Subías, 2004) is recorded for the first time in the Ethiopian region, other species and the genera Gymnodamaeus Kulczynski, 1902 and Stachyoppia Balogh, 1961 are recorded for the first time in Ethiopia.

To the knowledge of oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) of the Comoro lslands

The present study is based on oribatid mite material collected from Mayotte island (Сomoro Islands, Ethiopian region) in 2011–2016. A new species of the genus Uracrobates (Oribatida, Mochlozetidae) is described; Uracrobates (Uracrobates) mayottensis sp. nov. differs from all species of the nominative subgenus by having a rounded rostrum (versus bidentate or pointed). An updated generic diagnosis and an identification key to the known subgenera and species of Uracrobates are presented. A list of all oribatid mite taxa of the Comoro Islands, including 41 species, 30 genera and 19 families, is provided. Thе genus Phauloppia and the species Edwardzetes novazealandicus are recorded in the Ethiopian region for the first time.

Chaetonerius Hendel (Neriidae: Diptera) from the East African islands with description of four new species from Madagascar and the Comoros

Except for the introduced species, Telostylinus lineolatus Wiedemann, all Neriidae occurring in the Ethiopian Region belong to the genus Chaetonerius Hendel and only one species, C. alluaudi (Giglio-Tos), is known from the East African islands, described from Seychelles and also recorded for Madagascar and Mauritius. Herein, we describe four new species of Chaetonerius from the East African islands, including the first species of Neriidae from the Comoros (C. kotrbae sp. n.) and three new species from Madagascar (C. ebejeri sp. n., C. kirkspriggsi sp. n. and C. madagasikara sp. n.). Additionally, a redescription of C. alluaudi (Giglio-Tos) with new record for Réunion and a key for identification of Chaetonerius from the East African islands are provided.

New Galumnoidea (Acari, Oribatida) from Tanzania

Three new species of oribatid mites of the superfamily Galumnoidea are described from litter in the mixed forest of Zanzibar, Tanzania: Pergalumna hugocoetzeeae sp. nov., Pergalumna pietertheroni sp. nov. (both Galumnidae) and Galumnella paraokinawana sp. nov. (Galumnellidae). An identification key to the known species of the genus Galumnella from the Ethiopian region is presented.

New Lohmanniidae (Acari, Oribatida) from Zanzibar

Two new species of oribatid mites of the family Lohmanniidae are described from litter in the mixed forest of Zanzibar, Tanzania. Annectacarus tanzanicus sp. nov. differs from Annectacarus vinalesensis Ermilov & Tolstikov, 2015 by body size, the number of neotrichal notogastral setae, porose parts on the notogaster and branches on bothridial setae, and the localization of rostral setae. Strinatacarus zanzibarensis sp. nov. differs from Strinatacarus aelleni Mahunka, 1977 by body surface and length of some notogastral setae. Tritonymphal instar of Annectacarus tanzanicus sp. nov. is also described. An identification key to the known species of the genus Annectacarus from the Ethiopian region is presented.

New faunistic and taxonomic data on oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) of Ethiopia

The present study is based on oribatid mite material (Acari, Oribatida) collected from six localities in Ethiopia during 2013. A list of identified taxa, including 60 species from 45 genera and 30 families, is provided; of these, eight species are recorded in the fauna of this country for the first time, and one species is recorded in the Ethiopian region for the first time. A new species of the genus Wallworkoppia (Oppiidae) is described from litter and fallen leaves in a Juniperus forest; W. tetraciliata Ermilov sp. nov. differs from W. secata (Mahunka, 1999), W. parasensilla (Mahunka, 1999), W. tuberosa (Mahunka, 1988) and W. vibrissa (Mahunka, 1983) by the rounded rostrum (versus tripartite rostrum). An identification key to known species of Wallworkoppia is updated.