New Mite Species Research Articles

Validation of the names of four species of laelapid mites (Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) parasitic on sigmodontine rodents (Rodentia: Cricetidae).

Savchenko Lareschi (2019) and Lareschi (2020) described four new species of mites in the family Laelapidae. However, the papers were published in electronic form only and were not registered in ZooBank. They do not satisfy Article 8.5.3 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN 2012), so the new names are not available from those papers. Therefore, the aim of the present note is to validate the names Laelaps schatzi, Androlaelaps azarae, Androlaelaps montensis and Androlaelaps cursor. Type specimens of the four new species are deposited in the Coleccin de Entomologa, Museo de la Plata, Argentina.

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.

Oribotritia species (Acari, Oribatida) from northeast China with descriptions of two new species and a key to Chinese species

In the present study, two new species of oribatid mites, Oribotritia paragigas sp. nov. from Liaoning Province and Oribotritia mordagaensis sp. nov. from Great Khingan, are described. An identification key to all known Chinese species of the genus Oribotritia is provided.

Two new species of oribatid mites of the genus Xenillus (Acari, Oribatida, Liacaridae) from Bolivia

Two new species of oribatid mites of the genus Xenillus (Oribatida, Liacaridae) are described from leaf litter in a rain forest in Bolivia. Xenillus pseudobolivianus sp. n. is similar to X. bolivianus and X. neonominatus in the morphology of lamellar cusp, length of bothridial and interlamellar setae and length and morphology of dorsal notogastral setae, but differs from both by the morphology of bothridial head and interlamellar and notogastral setae, the ornamentation of the notogaster, and the different length of some notogastral setae. Xenillus amboroensis sp. n. is similar to X. amazonensis, X. disjunctus, X. diversisetosus, X. fecundus, X. longipes, and X. ornatus in the morphology of bothridial seta, but differs from all by the morphology of lamellar cusp, the placement of the lamellar seta, and the different length of some notogastral setae.

Description of eleven new species of phytoseiid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) from Meghalaya state, north eastern India

A survey was done in the state of Meghalaya, India covering East Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills and Ri-Bhoi districts during May to July, 2019. During the survey 350 specimens were collected from which 11 new species are describedAmblyseius azaliae sp. nov., Amblyseius meghalayensis sp. nov., Euseius fascae sp. nov., Euseius dwakiensis sp. nov., Okiseius jainticus sp. nov., Okiseius unisetatus sp. nov., Phytoseius clavus sp. nov., Phytoseius aonlae sp. nov., Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) barapanicus sp. nov., Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) campana sp. nov., and Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) cherrapunjiensis sp. nov.

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.

New species of Oribatella (Acari, Oribatida, Oribatellidae) from Peru

Two new species of oribatid mites of the genus Oribatella (Oribatida, Oribatellidae)—O. friedrichi sp. nov. and O. cornuta sp. nov.—are described from soil and leaf litter of the primary evergreen lowland rainforest in Amazonian Peru. An identification key to known species/subspecies of Oribatella from the Neotropical region is presented.

Contribution to the knowledge of Mainothrus (Acari, Oribatida, Trhypochthoniidae), with description of two new species from Russia and Brunei

Two new species of oribatid mites of the genus Mainothrus (Oribatida, Trhypochthoniidae)—M. paratransaltaicus sp. nov. and M. davidmarshalli sp. nov.—are described on the basis of adult specimens sampled from Russia and Brunei (first record of the genus in the Oriental region). Supplementary description (SEM micrographs) for Mainothrus badius (Berlese, 1905) is presented. A revised generic diagnosis and an identification key to known species of Mainothrus are provided.

Zetorchestes krisperi sp. nov. (Acari: Oribatida: Zetorchestidae) from Vietnam, with juvenile morphology and identification key to known species of the genus.

The description of a new species of oribatid mites (Oribatida) of the family ZetorchestidaeZetorchestes krisperi sp. nov.is proposed based on adult and tritonymph specimens collected from rainforest soil of Bi Dup-Nui Ba National Park (southern Vietnam). We also review the distinguishing characteristics for Zetorchestes species and present an identification key to Zetorchestes species of the world. Diagnostic features of Zetorchestes nymphs are discussed.

Description of all active life stages (except male) of the Pimeliaphilus lindquisti sp. nov. (Acari: Prostigmata: Pterygosomatidae) with review of host specificity and world distribution of the genus

A new species of pterygosomatid mite, Pimeliaphilus lindquisti Khadem-Safdarkhani & Hajiqanbar sp. nov. (Acari: Trombidiformes: Pterygosomatidae) parasitizing Trachyderma (Trachyderma) christophi (Faust, 1875) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Pimeliinae: Pimeliini) from Yazd province, central Iran is described and illustrated based on adult female, deutonymph and larva. For all active life stages, legs setal designations are provided for the first time. Furthermore, host specificity and world distribution of the genus is reviewed and a key to world species of the Pimeliaphilus mites ectoparasitic on beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) is provided as well.

A new genus and two new species of Galumnidae (Acari, Oribatida) from Nepal.

One new genus and two new species of oribatid mites (Oribatida) of the family Galumnidae are described from soil in Nepal. Anomalogalumna gen. nov. (with type species Anomalogalumna dungeri sp. nov.) differs from Flagellozetes Balogh, 1970 by the absence of octotaxic system, and the presence of short, notogastral setae and areolate-reticulate surface of the notogaster and anogenital region. Allogalumna beateae sp. nov. differs from all other species of the genus by the presence of thickened rostral, lamellar and interlamellar setae, and the position of rostral seta (close to lamellar seta and distant from the rostrum).

Extended depth of focus ultraviolet imaging compared with laser scanning confocal microscopy for the study of micro-Arthropoda surface texture, with the description of a new species of Brachypodopsis (Acari: Hydrachnidia).

Visualization and representation are two processes at the core of basic biodiversity studies. Visualization involves the examination, sorting, and evaluation of similarities and differences among specimens by specialists who then assign them to the same or different species. It is a cognitive process. Representing involves transmitting the knowledge obtained in the first step to others, usually specialists of the group under study, generally through written descriptions aided by representative drawings and/or images. In this work, I describe a new species of water mite, Brachypodopsis guillermoi n. sp. (Acari, Hydrachnidia), from the island of Coiba off the Pacific coast of Panama, using both laser scanning confocal microscopy and extended depth of focus microscopy with visible (wavelength: 400-700 nm) and ultraviolet (wavelength: 365 nm) light. A comparison of the surface texture representation obtained from these imaging methods suggests that extended depth of focus ultraviolet microscopy can be a cost-effective alternative to laser scanning confocal microscopy for the description of exoskeletal features of micro-arthropods.

Description of Prozercon caspiansis sp. nov. (Acari: Mesostigmata: Zerconidae) from Iran, with descriptions of male and larva of P. dominiaki Błaszak, 1979

A new species of zerconid mites, Prozercon caspiansis sp. nov. is described based on female, male, and protonymph specimens collected from different forestland areas in Mazandaran Province, northern Iran. In addition, the male and larval specimens of P. dominiaki Błaszak were found in the same region and described for the first time. An updated key for the Iranian Prozercon species is provided, and the situation of the Iranian genera and species of the family is briefly discussed.

New species of oribatid mites of the family Galumnidae (Acari, Oribatida) from Peru

Descriptions of three new species of oribatid mites (Oribatida) of the family Galumnidae—Galumna (Galumna) panguanaensis sp. nov., G. (Neogalumna) moroi sp. nov. and Pergalumna (Pergalumna) neryae sp. nov.—are presented, based on materials collected from upper soil and leaf litter in the primary evergreen lowland rainforest of Amazonian Peru.

Taxonomic notes on subgenus Steneotarsonemoides (Acari: Tarsonemidae) with description of a new species of Steneotarsonemus from Tiger grass in the northern hill zone of West Bengal, India.

A new species of tarsonemid mite, Steneotarsonemus amlisoae sp. nov. collected from tiger grass Thysanolaena latifolia (Poaceae) is described with illustrations of adult female, male and larva. The new species is the fourth species of Steneotarsonemus described from India. The species shares a lot of similarities with S. konoi but differ by apodeme architecture, cheliceral structure, setal length and positions. A taxonomic note on subgenus Steneotarsonemoides is provided.

Two new species of Aceria (Acariformes: Eriophyoidea) associated with Amaranthaceae in Egypt

Two new species of eriophyoid mites inhabiting amaranthaceous plants in Egypt are described and illustrated. Aceria mosalahi sp. nov. heavily induces galls on leaves and stems of Chenopodiastrum murale (L.) S. Fuentes, Uotila & Borsch, while Aceria nudata sp. nov. induces red galls on the stems and leaves of Traganum nudatum Delile. Twenty-two Aceria species are known to inhabit plants of the Amaranthaceae family, and those inducing galls are listed here along with their diagnostic characteristic.

A new species of Litarachna Walter, 1925 (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Pontarachnidae) from Corozal Bay (Belize), described based upon morphology and DNA barcodes

A new planktonic species of the marine water mites of the family Pontarachnidae Koenike, 1910 is described from Corozal Bay, an estuarine system in Belize. The morphological description includes Scanning Electronic Microscope (SEM) images and is augmented by an analysis of DNA cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) sequences, the DNA barcode, used for the first time for a species description in this group.

Two new species of Gaeolaelaps Evans amp; Till (Acari: Laelapidae) from the Andes Mountains, Peru.

Two new species of mites in the genus Gaeolaelaps (Laelapidae) are described from specimens collected from soil-litter in the Peruvian Andes G. acanthopedus sp. nov. and G. andensis sp. nov.. Both species are consistent with the current concept of the genus Gaeolaelaps Evans Till. The genus Gaeolaelaps is reported for the first time from Peru.

Three new species of the family Eriophyidae (Acari: Eriophyoidea) from South China

In this paper, three new species of eriophyoid mites of the family Eriophyidae from South China are described and illustrated. They are: Stenacis cryptomeris sp. nov. infesting Cryptomeria japonica (Thunb. Ex L.f.) D.Don (Cupressaceae), Tetra guizhouensis sp. nov. infesting Caesalpinia sp. (Leguminosae), and Nothopoda schimae sp. nov. infesting Schima superba Gardner & Champ. (Theaceae). All of these three new species are vagrants on lower leaf surface and causing no apparent damages to their host plants.

A new opilioacarid species (Parasitiformes: Opilioacarida) from Crete (Greece) with notes on its karyotype

A new species of opilioacarid mite, Opilioacarus thaleri n. sp., is described from mid-level elevation close to the seashore in Crete (Greece). It was found on moister sites, under stones or inside stone accumulations in phrygana vegetation. The peak of activity was found to be in early May. The diagnostic morphological characters include 7–8 eugenital setae (female), 5/7 setae on each sclerite at pregenital and genital areas, 11 setae on genital area (male), anterior dorsal shield with two pairs of eyes and 60–70 stout, ribbed setae, 5 (female) or 6 (male) leaf setae plus one pectinate seta on the palp tarsus, and the "simple" type of ovipositor with two pairs of glands, a pair of ducts plus a basal structure. The female karyotype comprises 16 monocentric chromosomes, predominantly with acrocentric morphology. Comparison with data of the ixodids and mesostigmatids indicates that a low number of chromosomes and predomination of acrocentric chromosomes could be plesiomorphies of the parasitiform mites.