A new species of Paragigagnathus Amitai and Grinberg (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) from Iran

Paragigagnathus sistaniensis Kreiter, Arjmandi-Nezhad and Saboori n. sp. belongs to the tribe Neoseiulini, subfamily Amblyseiinae, is described and illustrated, based on females and males. The new species was collected from foliage of tamarisk trees in Sistan region, Sistan and Baluchestan province, southeastern Iran.

Tenuipalpidae and Tetranychidae (Trombidiformes, Tetranychoidea) from Syria with a description of a new species of Bryobia

Surveys of Tenuipalpidae and Tetranychidae were conducted at three locations in Latakia governorate, Syria, in 2021. Eight species were collected; four flat mite species of which Aegyptobia beglarovi, Cenopalpus lineola, and Pentamerismus juniperi were new records for Syria; and four spider mite species among which Petrobia (Mesotetranychus) tunisiae represented a new record. A new tetranychid species, Bryobia (Lyobia) hadizeni sp. nov., collected from Calicotome villosa, is described and illustrated. The number of Tenuipalpidae species known from Syria increases to 16 and there are now 25 species of Tetranychidae.

Functional and numerical responses of the predatory mite Amblyseius aerialis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) to Aceria guerreronis (Acari: Eriophyidae)

The coconut mite, Aceria guerreronis Keifer, is one of the main pests of the coconut tree (Cocos nucifera L.) worldwide. Its control is mainly based on the use of acaricides. However, due to the habitat of this pest mite, which is protected by fruit bracts that act as a physical barrier, chemical control is often inefficient. Thus, natural enemies have been studied as an alternative to acaricides. We evaluated the functional and numerical responses of Amblyseius aerialis (Muma) to increasing densities of A. guerreronis (40, 80, 160, 240 and 360) and additionally the oviposition rates of the phytoseiid A. aerialis over 11 days on different food sources: coconut pollen, A. guerreronis and a mix of pollen and A. guerreronis. Our results showed that Amblyseius aerialis showed a type III functional response, where prey consumption increasing as the density of A. guerreronis increased, with a maximum consumption of up to 175 prey per predator. All the prey densities allowed female oviposition. The number of eggs laid by A. aerialis increased with increasing prey density and stabilized between 240 and 360 A. guerreronis individuals, with an average oviposition of 1.7 eggs/female. Furthermore, our results showed that all the food sources (coconut pollen, A. guerreronis and a mix of pollen and A. guerreronis) supported oviposition. The mean oviposition was approximately 1.5 eggs/female on all the food sources. Our study suggests that A. aerialis can be effective in the biological control of A. guerreronis. However, further studies are needed to investigate whether A. aerialis can explore the habitat of A. guerreronis and if that prey can support the development of immature stages and the reproduction of A. aerialis.

Mites occurring in farm buildings as allergic agents and indicators in forensic analyses

Storage mites, especially several species in the families Acaridae, Glycyphagidae, and Chortoglyphidae are commonly found in farming and occupational environments. They are a source of clinically important allergens, and may also have a significant impact on forensic analyses. They may be of use in forensic situations, particularly as allergenic taxa, in relation to workers who are occupationally exposed to mites. Additionally, because many of them are present through all stages of vertebrate decomposition, they may provide valuable information as indicators of time and circumstances of death. This study aimed to investigate the possible occurrence and abundance of allergenic mites in farm buildings, as well as to examine and analyse collected material samples in relation to forensic medicine. A total of 58 samples from 15 farms in the Żywiecki district (Silesian Province, Poland) were examined as potential sources of allergenic mites in farm buildings with a special reference to forensic acarology. Mites were found in all the examined samples. A total of 4,473 specimens were isolated and 22 mite species were identified. Most of them were found in barns and pigsties. The species composition of the acarofauna was varied across the particular types of farm buildings examined. Generally, the dominant species were representatives of families Acaridae and Glycyphagidae (Astigmatina). This knowledge may be useful in a variety of cases or situations in the field of forensic medicine.

Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) of Syria: new records and first description of the male of Eharius stathakisi Döker

Surveys of Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) were conducted at three locations in Latakia governorate, Syria, in 2020 and 2021. Among the nine species collected, two [Eharius chergui (Athias-Henriot) and Typhloseiulus simplex (Chant)] are new records for Syrian Phytoseiidae fauna, and three species (Eharius stathakisi Döker, Graminaseius recebi Döker, Kazak and Karut and Neoseiulus sekeroglui Döker and Stathakis) are measured and are discovered for the first time after their original descriptions. The male of E. stathakisi was discovered, described and illustrated for the first time. All phytoseiid taxa reported from Syria to the present are tabulated.

Notes on tenuipalpid mites associated with Quercus pubescens in southern Italy

During a survey of the flat mites (Tenuipalpidae) on forest trees and agricultural crops in five different sites of the Apulian territories (Southern Italy) in 2019, Brevipalpus recki (Livschitz and Mitrofanov) and Cenopalpus longirostris (Livschitz and Mitrofanov) were collected on Quercus pubescens (Willdenow) (Fagaceae). The authors give an account of the new record of C. longirostris, which was not listed in the previous Italian fauna, and of the finding of B. recki in southern Italy, since it was only mentioned from the northern region of the country so far. In addition, the paper lists Q. pubescens as a new host plant for C. longirostris.

Hydrodroma angelieri (Acari, Hydrachnidia: Hydrodromidae) a new water mite species from Corsica based on morphological and DNA barcode evidence

In the present study we used morphological data and DNA barcodes to describe a new species, Hydrodroma angelieri sp. nov. from Corsica, France. A high genetic distance of 17.3±0.017% K2P from its molecularly most closely related European congener, H. despiciens (Müller, 1776), supports H. angelieri sp. nov. as a distinct species. Morphologically the new species can be identified on the basis of relatively small leg claws, the presence of only one swimming seta on II-L-5 and 4-6 swimming setae on the anterior surface of IV-L-5. An updated key for the European species of Hydrodroma is provided.

The Tydeoidea (Ereynetidae, Iolinidae, Triophtydeidae and Tydeidae) - An online database in the Wikispecies platform

An online database on the taxonomy of Tydeoidea is described and is available on the Wikispecies platform at https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Tydeoidea. It counts 1 324 records or pages, 724 records for the Tydeidae, 334 for the Ereynetidae, 203 for the Iolinidae and 63 for the Triophtydeidae. For each taxon are detailed the parent taxa as well as the child taxa which are listed. A nec subsection lists names of child taxa that are not recommended. Subjective and objective synonymies as well as homonymies are given for each taxon. Notes provide historical aspects of past studies. The type locality and habitat of the name-bearing type and its repository are added for the nominal species-group taxa. Fossil species, species inquirendae and nomina nuda are also reported. References and external links end up a record. Tetranychus viburni Koch is resurrected from synonymy with Tetranychus urticae Koch and placed in Tydeidae; it might be a senior synonym of Tydeus goetzi Schruft. Replacement names are provided for Aureliana and Tydides (homonymy) and for Paratydaeolus clavatus (synonymy).

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.