New Mite Species Research Articles

A new species of rake-legged mite, Caeculus cassiopeiae (Prostigmata, Caeculidae), from Canada and a systematic analysis of its genus.

The genus Caeculus Dufour (Prostigmata, Caeculidae) contains 19 previously described species, most of which are found in North America, and for which no comprehensive phylogenetic treatment exists. Here, one new species from Alberta, Canada, is described: Caeculus cassiopeiae Bernard & Lumley, sp. nov., and another caeculid known to be present in Canada is documented. The new species is characterized within the genus with a character state matrix, from which an updated key is produced. A systematic analysis of all 20 species based on morphological and geographical distribution traits obtained from literature represents the first phylogenetic review of the genus.

<p class="Body"><strong>New findings of ptyctimous mites of the family Steganacaridae (Acari, Oribatida, Phthiracaroidea) from Yunnan Province, Southwest China</strong></p>

Two new species of steganacarid mites (Oribatida: Phthiracaroidea) from Yunnan Province, Southwest China, Plonaphacarus chuxiongensis sp. nov. and Hoplophthiracarus jianchuanensis sp. nov., are described and illustrated. Keys to all known species of Plonaphacarus and Hoplophthiracarus from China are proposed to facilitate further studies of these groups.

Two new species of Haplozetidae (Acari: Oribatida) from Madagascar

ABSTRACTTwo new species of oribatid mites of the family Haplozetidae are described on the basis of adult specimens sampled from leaf forest litter in Montagne d’Ambre National Park of Madagascar. Peloribates (Peloribatodes) montagnensis sp. nov. differs from Peloribates (Peloribatodes) incompatibilis in the presence of bacilliform epimeral setae 4c, long notogastral setae and some foveolate leg segments, and the absence of notogastral setae p2. Pilobates africanus sp. nov. differs from Pilobates incisura by the presence of monodactylous legs and short, setiform notogastral setae. The identification keys to known species of Peloribates (Peloribatodes) and Pilobates are presented. The taxonomic status of the genus Italobates is discussed, resulting in the following new taxonomic proposal: Pilobates (= Italobates syn. nov.).http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6D364BB3-A8A3-40B8-BE00-459C4884F6DF

<p class="Body"><strong>Two new species of acaricaline eriophyoid mites (Acari: Eriophyoidea) from India</strong></p><p class="Body"> </p>

Two new species of eriophyoid mites viz., Cymeda indica sp. nov. on Cyclosorus dentatus. (Thelypteridaceae) and Neoacaphyllisa alangia sp. nov. on Alangium sp. (Cornaceae) are described here from Darjeeling district of West Bengal and Guwahati district of Assam, India respectively. The new species belong to the family Eriophyidae, subfamily Phyllocoptinae and tribe Acaricalini. They are the second members in the respective genera.

New Perscheloribates species (Acari, Oribatida, Scheloribatidae) phoretic on beetles (Insecta, Coleoptera)

Two new species of oribatid mites of the genus Perscheloribates (Oribatida, Scheloribatidae), phoretic on passalid and zopherid beetles (Coleoptera), are described from the Philippines and U.S.A., based on adults. Perscheloribates paracuriosus n. sp. differs from Perscheloribates curiosus Ermilov, 2016 by the length and morphology of notogastral and adanal setae, the presence of lateral keel-shaped ridge, and the absence of custodium. Perscheloribates parakontumensis n. sp. differs from Perscheloribates kontumensis Ermilov and Frolov, 2019 by the morphology of notogastral setae and the absence of body sculpturing and setae it on leg tarsi I–III.

Two new species of Eriophyidae from China (Acari: Eriophyoidea) with a list of bamboo-associated eriophyoid mites

This paper presents a list of the species, the host plants and distribution of eriophyoid mites on bamboo in the world. Seventy-two eriophyoid species from 32 genera, associated with bamboo species from 13 genera, are listed. Twelve of the reported species belong to Diptilomiopidae and 60 to Eriophyidae. Two new species of eriophyoid mites on bamboo from Yunnan and Hunan Provinces of China are described and illustrated: Calacarus bambusis sp. nov. on Bambusa sp. (Poaceae) and Tetra tessella sp. nov. on Indocalamus tessellatus (Munro) Keng f. (Poaceae). Both species are vagrants on leaf surfaces, causing no apparent damage.

Two new species of Cosmolaelaps Berlese (Acari: Laelapidae) from Sri Lanka.

Two new species of mites in the genus Cosmolaelaps (Laelapidae) are described from specimens collected from soil-litter in Sri Lanka-C. ceylonensis sp. nov. and C. trichiurus sp. nov. The genus Cosmolaelaps is reported for the first time from Sri Lanka.

<p class="Body"><strong>Con</strong><strong>tribution to the knowledge of African Parakalummidae<em> </em>(Acari, Oribatida)</strong></p>

Two new species of oribatid mites of the genus Neoribates (Oribatida, Parakalummidae) are described based on adult specimens from leaf litter in the Montagne d'Ambre National Park of North Madagascar. Neoribates africanus sp. nov. and N. madagascarensis sp. nov. clearly differs from all species of the genus by the absence of interlamellar seta (including alveolus). An identification key and data on distribution and ecology of known African species of Parakalummidae are presented.

<p class="Body"><strong>A new </strong><strong>species</strong><strong> of</strong><strong> </strong><strong><em>Dyobelba</em></strong><strong> (Acari: Oribatida: Damaeidae) from Kazakhstan</strong></p>

A new species of oribatid mite from Kazakhstan, belonging to the genus Dyobelba Norton, 1978 (Oribatida, Damaeidae), is described based on adult and tritonymphal instar. Dyobelba verae sp. nov. can be distinguished from the other species of Dyobelba its the thick notogastral setae, the presence prodorsal tubercles Ba and ventrosejugal tubercles V, absence of Bp, Da, Dp and apophysis P, the short, broadly rounded parastigmatic tubercles, and its short legs with heavily and coarsely barbed leg setae. The structural features of Dyobelba tritonymphs are discussed.

Open field evaluation of Aculodes altamurgensis, a recently described eriophyid species associated with medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae)

ABSTRACTMedusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae, Poales: Poaceae) is an annual grass native to central Asia and the Mediterranean region. It is a noxious, invasive weed in much of western North America. As such, it is the target of a classical biological control programme established by USDA-ARS. During explorations carried out in 2014 a new species of eriophyid mite, Aculodes altamurgiensis de Lillo & Vidovic, 2018 (Acari: Eriophyidae), was discovered on medusahead in southern Italy; it was also collected from medusahead in Bulgaria, Serbia, Turkey, and Iran in subsequent years. In the field A. altamurgensis has consistently been associated with the target weed while never having been detected from sympatric grass (Poales: Poaceae) species (e.g. Stipa austroitalica, Avena sativa, Triticum durum, T. aestivum), suggesting that A. altamurgensis is highly specific to medusahead. An open-field host-specificity test was carried out in Rome, Italy in 2016 in which an Italian population of A. altamurgensis was infested onto 11 different grass genotypes, including five crop species and five different populations of medusahead (two from Italy and three populations that are invasive in the USA). The results supported the previous observations that A. altamurgiensis is highly specific to medusahead and merits further evaluation as a candidate for biological control of this invasive grass. However, the Italian population of A. altamurgiensis showed variable colonisation rates on different medusahead populations, indicating that populations of A. altamurgiensis from other regions should also be tested to determine if they can colonise medusahead at more uniformly high rates, particularly on the targeted invasive populations in the USA.

Two new species of Allogalumna (Acari, Oribatida, Galumnidae) from Madagascar

Two new species of oribatid mites of the genus Allogalumna (Oribatida, Galumnidae) are described based on adult specimens from leaf litter in the Montagne d‘Ambre National Park of Madagascar. Allogalumna paramadagascarensis sp. n. differs from Allogalumna madagascarensis by the morphology of notogastral porose areas Aa. Allogalumna paravojnitsi sp. n. differs from Allogalumna vojnitsi by the morphology of notogastral porose areas Aa and length of lamellar setae. An identification key to Allogalumna species from Madagascar is presented.

New species of the genera Diplobodes and Machadocepheus (Acari, Oribatida, Carabodidae) from Thailand, with remarks on some related genera

Two new species of oribatid mites of the family Carabodidae are described from litter in Thailand. Diplobodes parakanekoi sp. n. differs from Diplobodes kanekoi, D. africanus and D. aokii by fewer notogastral setae in the c-row, different number of notogastral tubercles, presence of a translamella, and the localization of dorsal notogastral setae. Machadocepheus pararachii sp. n. differs from Machadocepheus rachii by the positions of dorsal notogastral setae c1, da and la. The generic status of the related genera Diplobodes, Machadocepheus, Gibbicepheus, Gibbibodes, Kalloia, Neocarabodes, Sagittabodes and Zimbabweae is discussed.

BOCHKOVOCOPTIDAE, AN UNUSUAL NEW FAMILY OF PSOROPTIDIAN MITES (ACARI: ASTIGMATA) ASSOCIATED WITH OTOMYS DENTI (RODENTIA: MURIDAE) FROM UGANDA

A new family, Bochkovocoptidae, is proposed for a new genus and species of psoroptidian mite (Astigmata), Bochkovocoptes otomys sp. n., collected from the follicles of the facial vibrissae of Otomys denti (Rodentia: Muridae) from Uganda. The new taxon is characterized by retrorse processes and striated apical membranes on the subcapitular rutella, strong retrorse processes on the segments of the anterior legs, well developed pretarsi on legs I–III and a reduced pretarsus on leg IV. The new taxon is hypothesized to be related to the families Sarcoptidae and Rhyncoptidae.

A NEW GENUS AND A NEW SPECIES OF THE FAMILY PYGMEPHORIDAE (ACARI: HETEROSTIGMATA) FROM WESTERN SIBERIA, RUSSIA

Phoretic and non-phoretic females of a new genus and a new species of pygmephorid mites—Bochkovlaster variabilis gen. n. and sp. n. (Acari: Prostigmata: Pygmephoridae), collected from rotting birch trees—are described from Western Siberia, Russia. An updated key to the genera of Pygmephoridae is provided.

<p class="Body"><strong>Five new species of genera <em>Torrenticola </em>and <em>Monatractides</em> (Acari, Hydrachnidia, Torrenticolidae) from Hainan Island, China</strong></p>

This paper deals with five new species of torrenticolid water mites (Acari, Hydrachnidia, Torrenticolidae) from Hainan Island, China, i.e. Monatractides cuspiscoxer sp. nov., M. jini sp. nov., M. vietusacoxer sp. nov., Torrenticola postfusina sp. nov. and T. hainanensis sp. nov.. Detailed descriptions for these new species and a modified key to all species of Torrenticolidae in China are provided.

A new species of Centrouropoda (Acari: Uropodidae: Uropodina), with a key to the world species of the genus.

The present work provides descriptions of a new species of mite, Centrouropoda bahariyaensis n. sp. (Uropodidae), based on the adult female and male collected from the red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Oliver) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and its habitat at El-Bawiti, Bahariya Oasis, Egypt. Complete descriptions of the immature stages are included. Keys to the known species of genus Centrouropoda Berlese based on adult females, adult males and deutonymphs are provided.

Description and some biological aspects of Acarophenax dominicai n. sp. (Acari: Heterostigmata: Acarophenacidae), an egg parasite of lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae)

A new species of mite, Acarophenax dominicai was described and illustrated based on male and phoretic female. The new species was reported parasitizing of lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) eggs infested wheat grains. Adult females of this species most closely resemble those of Acarophenax lacunatus Cross and Krantz (1964). The new species is separable from A. lacunatus by its smaller size, ornamentations on dorsum and venter, the shape of tergite margins; aggenital plate; gnathosoma, as well as the chaetotaxy of legs I-IV. Holotype female and five paratype females; holotype male and four paratype males, were deposited in the Acari collection of Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, Egypt. Some biological aspects are provided. Female mite produces one close d eggs capsule and remains alive until the capsule comes out. Female mites settle on the dorsum of host female during the pre-oviposition period, then leave the host in the period of oviposition and feed on egg’s contents. Male mites are ephemeral and may not emerge from the gravid-female. Mite sex ratios are highly skewed, with an average of 19.7 ± 0.3: 0.77 ± 0.23 females to males (mite progeny/eggs capsule/gravid-female). When females reach adulthood, mating take place either within the gravid-female (if present) or with a male which has previously emerged from another eggs capsule. Male mites are not parasitic and had poor locomotion abilities.

Two New Species and New Records of Mites of the Genus Parichoronyssus (Acari: Macronyssidae) From South American Bats (Chiroptera), With a Key to the Known Species of the Genus.

Derived from exhaustive search of mites of the genus Parichoronyssus associated with South American Bats, we found two new species associated with Phyllostomid, Emballonurid, and Noctiniolid bats: Parichoronyssus alexanderfaini n. sp. associated with Rhinophylla pumilio Peters; Parichoronyssus gettingeri n. sp. associated with Rhynchonycteris naso Wied-Newied, and Noctilio leporinus Linneo. Herein we give the description of those new species, and additionally is included several new records for Parichoronyssus from the region, as well as providing a key to the 11 species of Parichoronyssus.

<p class="Body"><strong>Two new feather mites (Acari: Analgoidea) isolated from the grey-headed woodpecker, <em>Picus canus</em> (Piciformes: Picidae) in Korea</strong></p>

Two new species of feather mites from the superfamily Analgoidea are described from the grey-headed woodpecker, Picus canus, in Korea: Neopteronyssus koreanus sp. nov. (Pteronyssidae) and Proterothrix picinus sp. nov. (Proctophyllodidae: Pterodectinae). Feather mites of the genera Neopteronyssus Mironov, 2002 and Proterothrix Gaud, 1968 are described for the first time in Korea. Morphological descriptions of both new species are complemented with partial sequences of their mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene as DNA barcodes.

<p class="Body"><strong>A new genus, new species and a new record of the family Pygmephoridae (Acari: Heterostigmata) associated with <em>Microcerotermes </em></strong><strong><em> </em></strong><strong><em>parvus</em></strong><strong> (</strong><strong>Haviland</strong><strong>) (Isoptera: Termitidae) from South Africa</strong></p>

A new genus and species of termitophilous pygmephorid mites, Pseudoluciaphorus tuberosus gen. nov. and sp. nov. (Acari: Prostigmata: Pygmephoridae), associated with termites, Microcerotermes parvus (Haviland) (Isoptera: Termitidae) are described from South Africa. Luciaphorus perniciosus Rack is recorded from Africa for the first time. Images of phoretic females of L. perniciosus phoretic on workers and soldiers of Microcerotermes parvus are provided.