Mite Species Research Articles

LC/TQ mass spectrometry analysis for estimation of residual behavior and dissipation kinetics of isocycloseram and its metabolite's in/on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

Isocycloseram is a new isoxazoline group pesticide with novel mode of action and very effective against various insect and mite species. The study was undertaken to determine the residual behavior of isocycloseram in/on tomato fruit and soil using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The limit of quantification and limit of detection were workout to be 0.01 and 0.003 μg/g, respectively for isocycloseram and the metabolites. The recovery of isocycloseram and metabolites were 94–105 % in tomato matrix and in soil matrix recovery was 93–101 % with < 20 % relative standard deviation. After applications of 60 and 75 g a.i./ha, the total initial residues of isocycloseram (including metabolites) on tomato fruits were 0.411 and 0.670 µg/g that dissipated to half in 3.13 and 3.46 days at respective doses. The hazard quotient computed for the insecticide was below one thus indicating its safety for humans.

A checklist of eriophyoid species (Acari: Eriophyidae) on Zygophyllaceae with descriptions of two new species from Northeast Iran

During field survey of eriophyoid mites in northeast Iran (Razavi Khorasan, Iran, summer 2023), two new eriophyoid mite species (Acari: Eriophyoidea: Eriophyidae) on Zygophyllum atriplicoides Fisch. et C.A.Mey. subsp. atriplicoides (Zygophyllaceae) were discovered, illustrated and described herein. They are Aceria kalatiensis sp. nov., which caused rounded galls on both sides of the leaves, and Aculus sirzariensis sp. nov., which was vagrant on the same samples. Furthermore, we provided a checklist of eriophyoid mite species associated with Zygophyllaceae plants of the world.

Effects of forest gap formation and deadwood enrichment on oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) vary between regions

Most forests in Central Europe are subject to human management, especially timber harvesting, which alters soil conditions by creating gaps in the forest canopy and reduces the availability of deadwood. However, consequences of these management practices, in particular the combined effect of gap formation and deadwood removal, have been largely neglected. Here, we investigated the abundance, diversity and community composition of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) in forests where deadwood availability and gap formation were manipulated in a full factorial design (Control, Gap, Deadwood, Gap + Deadwood). Forest gaps of about 30 m in diameter were established by felling trees, which were subsequently removed (Gap) or left on site as deadwood (Gap + Deadwood). Nearby forest sites without gaps were enriched with the equal amount of felled trees (Deadwood) or left untreated (Control). Experimental treatments were established at 29 forest sites including deciduous and coniferous stands in three regions of Germany, i.e. the Swabian Alb, Hanich-Dün and Schorfheide-Chorin in the south, center and north, respectively. One year after establishment of the treatments, we sampled 10,777 individuals and 104 species of oribatid mites. Deadwood addition significantly increased the density of oribatid mites in the Hainich-Dün from 24,036 to 46,658 ind. m-². Specifically, species of Oppiidae with relatively short life cycles and high reproductive output benefited from the additional deadwood supply, resulting in shifts in community compositions between treatments with and without deadwood. By contrast, mean oribatid mite density decreased from an average of 64,083 in controls to 36,621 ind. m-² in forest gaps of the Schorfheide-Chorin and the Swabian Alb. Presumably, adverse abiotic conditions, mainly amplified drought, induced higher mortality rates in these regions. Overall, deadwood addition and forest gap formation had strong effects on oribatid mite communities, although the magnitude of each effect was similar between forest types and largely determined by regional context. This emphasizes that the effects of forest management practices on oribatid mite communities cannot be generalized across regional scales, suggesting that management plans should carefully consider regional differences.

Temporal variation of soil microarthropods in different forest types and regions of central Europe

Biodiversity and biomass of aboveground arthropods in central European forests continuously declined during the last decade. However, whether belowground microarthropod communities follow similar patterns has not been investigated. In this study, we compared the abundance, diversity, community composition, stability and asynchrony of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) sampled in four forest types of increasing management intensity (unmanaged beech, old managed beech, young managed beech, and coniferous) at three‐year intervals from 2008 to 2020. Forest sites were replicated in three regions in southern, central and northern Germany, i.e. the Swabian Alb, Hainich‐Dün and the Schorfheide Chorin, which differ in soil characteristics and climate. We found 25 152 individuals and 121 species of oribatid mites and detected no linear decline in abundance and diversity over the last decade, suggesting that microarthropods in forest soils are buffered against land‐use effects. However, we observed that years with low winter precipitation in regions with soils that are prone to drought, resulted in significant decreases in oribatid mite densities. Community compositions remained similar across sampling years, but differed between regions and forest types, predominantly due to differences in the proportion of asexual individuals. The stability of oribatid mite communities did not decrease in managed forests and was highest in deep soils with high water‐holding capacity, which may reduce temporal variation, suggesting that soil properties are more important for the stability of oribatid mite communities than forest management. However, stability patterns were not explained by asynchrony in species fluctuations, as all communities either showed a high degree of synchrony or were not different from random. Our study highlights that the temporal dynamics of belowground communities may differ from those aboveground, and that regional differences in precipitation and soil properties are more important than forest types.

Synhospitality of eriophyoid mites (Acariformes, Eriophyoidea): taxonomic analysis of gall-forming mite species complexes on boreal woody dicotyledons

Microscopic mites of the Eriophyoidea superfamily are characterized by an ability to cause the growth of galls on plants. Synhospital complexes of gall-forming Eriophyoidea (SCGE) species are formed by several species of gall mites coexisting on the same host plant. To assess the phenomenon of synhospitality, we investigated the features of the taxonomic composition and diversity of galls formed by eriophyoid mites on boreal woody dicotyledons and carried out a statistical analysis of the host relationships of different gall mite genera from the Eriophyidae family. We found out that phylogenetically closely related hosts within biogeographically integral territories possess the similar SCGE. During colonization of plants, gall mites demonstrate a high ability to cryptic speciation, which leads to genesis of morphologically similar mite species that cause the formation of different types of galls. Host preferences of gall mites belonging to the different supergenera groups play an important role in the formation of the SCGE, which determines the differences in mite taxa spectra associated with hosts from different families. In general, the results of the work demonstrate that the synhospitality of Eriophyoidea is not a random process, but is the result of a long-term coadaptation in the “parasite–host” system. This is one of the phenomena reflecting the stages of the global historical process of the colonization of Embriophyta plants by mites of the Eriophyoidea superfamily.

Distribution patterns of Phytoseiulus persimilis in response to climate change.

The biological control agent Phytoseiulus persimilis is a commercialized specialist predator of two agricultural pest mite species Tetranychus urticae and Tetranychus evansi. Biocontrol of these pest species by P. persimilis has achieved success in biological control in some areas. However, the lack of precise information about the influence of global climate change on the worldwide distribution of this biocontrol agent hampers international efforts to manage pest mites with P. persimilis. With 276 occurrence records and 19 bioclimatic variables, this study investigated the potential global distribution of P. persimilis. The results demonstrated that the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model performed well, with the area under the curve being 0.956, indicating the high accuracy of this model. Two variables, the minimum temperature of the coldest month (Bio_6) and precipitation of the coldest quarter (Bio_19) were the most important environmental variables that influenced the distribution of P. persimilis, contributing more than 30% to the model, respectively. The suitable area currently occupies 21.67% of the world's land area, spanning latitudes between 60°S and 60°N. Under shared socio-economic pathway (SSP) 5-8.5 (high-carbon emissions), the low suitable area would increase by 1.31% until the 2050s. This study successfully identified that south-eastern China, parts of countries in the Mediterranean coastal regions, including Libya, Algeria, Portugal, Spain, and France, are climatically favorable regions for P. persimilis, providing valuable information about the potential areas where it can be effectively exploited as biocontrol agents in classical biological control programs to manage pest spider mites environmentally friendly. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Functional responses of two species of predatory mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) to eggs and first-instar nymphs of Bactericera Gobica Logniova (Homoptera: Psyllidae).

The goji berry psyllid, Bactericera gobica Logniova (Homoptera: Psyllidae), is one of the most important pests on goji berry plants (Lycium barbarum L.), whose fruits are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and food. However, chemical control is still the predominant control strategy of this pest. Recently, two species of predatory mites, Neoseiulus setarius Ma, Meng & Fan and Neoseiulus barkeri Hughes were found to be associated with B. gobica in China. To assess their predation potential against B. gobica, the functional responses of these two phytoseiid species feeding on different densities (2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 24 and 32 individuals) of B. gobica eggs and 1st instar nymphs were compared at a temperature of 25ºC ± 1º C. Logistic regression analysis revealed that both predatory mite species exhibited type Holling-II functional responses on eggs and 1st instar nymphs of B. gobica, with the predation number increased for both predators as the density of prey increased. Overall, N. setarius consumed more prey compared to N. barkeri across all levels of prey densities. Meanwhile, the highest attack rate (α = 0.0283), the lowest handling time (Th = 1.1324h prey- 1), and the highest estimated maximum predation rate (T/Th = 21.19 prey day- 1) were all observed for N. setarius fed with 1st instar nymphs of B. gobica. These findings suggest that it is worthy considering utilizing N. setarius and N. barkeri as candidate biocontrol agents of B. gobica, with N. setarius appearing to be a more effective predator than N. barkeri.

Hyperparasitism in bat flies (Diptera: Streblidae): new records and interaction networks in the Neotropics

Hyperparasitism is defined as the interaction where one parasite is infected by another parasite. In bat flies (Streblidae and Nycteribiidae), both hyperparasites and microparasites (bacteria, viruses, fungi, and arthropods such as mites) have been documented. Fungi belonging to the order Laboulbeniales are microscopic parasites of a wide diversity of arthropod hosts. Three genera exclusively target bat flies: Arthrorhynchus, which parasitizes species within Nycteribiidae in the Eastern Hemisphere, while genus Gloeandromyces and Nycteromyces parasitize Streblidae in the Western Hemisphere. Among the hyperparasitic arthropods, mites of family Neothrombidiidae, particularly the monospecific genus Monunguis, are known to parasitize bat flies. Here we present the first records of the hyperparasites Monunguis streblida and Gloeandromyces pageanus f. polymorphus parasitizing Streblidae bat flies in Colombia and a summary of these hyperparasitic interactions in the Neotropics. We detected fungi and mites parasitizing bat flies that were collected in the Magdalena River Basin, Colombia, in field expeditions in 2018, 2022, and 2023. We identified 17 bat flies and two species of hyperparasites, specifically M. streblida and the fungi Gloeandromyces. Our search for reports of these interactions in the Neotropics revealed that seven species of Trichobius (Streblidae) are parasitized by M. streblida, whereas Paratrichobius longicrus (Streblidae) is parasitized by Gloeandromyces pageanus f. polymorphus. These interactions have been reported in 11 countries, but our records are the first of M. streblida and Laboulbeniales fungi parasitizing bat flies in Colombia. So far, a total of 14 species of fungi and one species of mite have been associated with 19 species of bat flies, which in turn, are linked to 15 species of Neotropical bats.

Catalogue of Bracychthoniidae (Sarcoptiformes, Oribatida) specimens deposited in the State Museum of Natural History NASU, Lviv, Ukraine

Brachychthoniids are tiny mites, typically measuring less than 250 µm in length (Krant et al. 2009). Brachychthoniids can be distinguished from other oribatids by the fact that their notogaster is divided into 3 plates by 2 transverse furrows (Weigmann, 2006). The anteriormost plate has 6 pairs of setae (c and d rows) (Krant et al., 2009). Without extra cupules immediately lateral to mid-dorsal setae (Krant et al., 2009). The genital plates and the combined anal/peranal plates are of similar size (Krant et al., 2009). There is 1 pair of aggenital setae, 2 pairs of setae on the anal plates, and the peranal plates are present with 1 pair of setae (Krant et al., 2009). In terms of geography and ecology, brachychthoniids may be the most extensively spread family among oribatid mites (Krant et al., 2009). Besides being varied and plentiful in damp forest soil and litter, they are frequently found in disclimax communities and newly established habitats (Norton and Palmer, 1991). The world fauna of Brachythoniidae is represented by 163 species belonging to 12 genera (Subias, 2004). In Ukraine, 40 species of mites of this family, belonging to 9 genera. Thus, the species diversity in Ukraine is 25% of the world's fauna. The collection of oribatid mites of the State Museum of Natural History of the NAS of Ukraine contains 9 species of brachychthoniids, as follows: Liochthonius alpestris (Forsslund, 1958), L. hystricinus (Forsslund, 1942), L. muscorum Forsslund, 1964, L. brevis (Michael, 1888), L. sellnicki (Thor, 1930), Sellnickochthonius suecicus (Forsslund, 1942), S. zеlawaiensis (Sellnick, 1928), Eobrachychthonius oudemansi van der Hammen 1952 and Synchthonius crenulatus (Jacot, 1938). They have been collected in the western regions of Ukraine and are represented by 96 individuals, which make up 16 records. In particular, the collection contains samples collected from Zakarpatska, Lvivska and Ivano-Frankivska provinces. Some materials were collected in nature conservation areas: Nature Reserve Roztochchia, National Natural Park Synevyr and Carpathian Biosphere Reserve. This article was written with the support of the National Research Foundation of Ukraine, call 2022.01 «Science for the Recovery of Ukraine in the War and Post-War Periods» the project 2022.01/0013 «Digitization of natural history collections damaged as a result of hostilities and related factors: development of protocols and implementation on the basis of the State Museum of Natural History of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine». The contents of this article do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Research Foundation of Ukraine and are the sole responsibility of the State Museum of Natural History, NAS of Ukraine.

Species of Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) predators of thrips and whiteflies: a review

The biological control of thrips and whiteflies, major pests of crops in greenhouses, is mainly based on the use of hymenopteran parasitoids and many predatory species. Several species of the family Phytoseiidae are natural enemies of these pests. Although several phytoseiid species have been commercially available in the last two decades, more and more research on their efficiency has been accumulated. Data on many additional species as potential predators has been published but research is still limited. This manuscript aims to present the results of relatively recent research about each phytoseiid species studied/commercialized to control whiteflies and thrips. The phytoseiid mite species are divided into three groups: predators that prey on whiteflies and thrips with a preference for phytophagous mites, those commercially produced for managing whiteflies and thrips, and those needing further research to clarify their potential. Available information about the efficacy and limitations of each species is provided and future perspectives for their use are proposed.

A new genus and two new species of eriophyid mites from medicinal plants in Thailand &lt;/p &gt;

A new genus and two new species of the family Eriophyidae (Acari: Eriophyoidea) from medicinal plants, Thailand are described and illustrated. There are Asetapatella ipomoneae gen. nov., sp. nov. on Ipomoea carnea subsp. fistulosa (Mart. ex Choisy) D.F. Austin (Convolvulaceae) and Aceria rotundifolii n. sp., on Mitragyna rotundifolia (Roxb.) Kuntze (Rubiaceae). Asetapatella ipomoneae gen. nov., sp. nov. is vagrant on the lower leaf surface, causing no apparent symptoms to the host plant. Aceria rotundifolii n. sp. caused erineum on both sides of the host’s leaves.

Nasal mites in Molothrus ater (Aves: Icteridae) from different geographic locations in the USA

ABSTRACT Nasal mites are endoparasites that spend their entire life cycle inside the nasal cavities and respiratory passages of birds. The brown-headed cowbird, Molothrus ater (Boddaert, 1783) (hereafter BHCO), is an icterid bird that uses brood parasitism as a reproductive strategy in which it lays eggs in the nests of other bird species and allows the host to raise its young. Interestingly, nasal mites previously collected from brown-headed cowbirds represent some species shared by other icterids and others known from common host taxa. In this study, we examined how nasal mite species richness and prevalence differed geographically across three of the four migratory flyways of North America in a large sample size of BHCO. In total, ~4000 nasal mites (~3900 Rhinonyssidae (Mesostigmata) and 85 Ereynetidae (Trombidiformes)), representing nine species, were recovered from 856 cowbirds with a prevalence of 89%. Nasal mite prevalence was not significantly related with geographic location or host sex, suggesting that patterns of infection in BHCO occur similarly in all locations.

Optimizing Identification of Allergic Sensitization to Seasonal Inhalant Allergens in the USA: Implications for Constructing Optimal Panels to Evaluate Patients with Allergy

Introduction: While a specific number and type of antigens are recognized to detect perennial inhalant allergies, the optimal number and combination of allergens to reliably identify seasonal allergic sensitization is unclear due to limited national data. This study analyzed aeroallergen testing data from a large US clinical reference laboratory to provide guidance for optimizing seasonal allergen test selection. Methods: The 2019 serum IgE tests for seasonal inhalant allergens were identified from the Quest Diagnostics database. Patients with results for at least 1 of 31 seasonal allergens across 4 allergen classes (11 trees, 7 weeds, 5 grasses, and 8 molds) were analyzed. A step-by-step conditional approach was employed to determine the minimum number and species of allergens needed to identify at least 98% of sensitized patients for each class. Results: Of 88,042 patients tested for ≥1 seasonal allergen, 1.5%, 1.8%, 1.3%, and 1.6% were tested for all trees, weeds, grasses, and molds, respectively. Of those tested for all allergens within a class, 40.4%, 38.6%, 29.5%, and 21.2% were sensitized to at least one tree, weed, grass, or mold allergen, respectively. Identification of ≥98% of sensitized patients within a class required 8 allergens for trees (mountain cedar, maple box elder, walnut, white ash, elm, birch, cottonwood, and hickory/pecan), 5 for weeds (common ragweed short, rough pigweed, English plantain, lamb's quarters/goosefoot, and Russian thistle), 3 for grasses (June/Kentucky blue grass, Johnson grass, and Bermuda grass), and 7 for molds (Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus fumigatus, Mucor racemosus, Epicoccum purpurascens, Penicillium notatum, Helminthosporium halodes, and Fusarium moniliforme). Conclusion: A minimum of 23 antigens is required to optimally detect sensitization to four classes of seasonal allergens (i.e., ≥98% identification). The addition of these allergens to unique perennial allergens (cat, dog, mouse, cockroach, and 2 dust mite species) results in a comprehensive elucidation of inhalant allergen sensitization. This knowledge provides a pivotal guide for clinical laboratories as they construct allergen panels to optimize diagnostic yield.

Neoseiulus mites as biological control agents against Megalurothrips usitatus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and Frankliniella intonsa (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on cowpea crop: laboratory to field.

Megalurothrips usitatus (Bagnall) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and Frankliniella intonsa (Trybom) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) have been detrimental to cowpea production in many countries. Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the prey stage preference and functional response of 2 predatory mites species, Neoseiulus barkeri (Hughes) (Acari: Phytoseiidae), and Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) (Acari: Phytoseiidae), towards 2 thrips species (TS), M. usitatus, and F. intonsa, at varying densities and life stages on cowpea. Results shown that Neoseiulus species had a preference for different life stages of prey. Neoseiulus barkeri consumed more M. usitatus nymphs, while N. californicus consumed more F. intonsa (second-instar nymphs). The functional response of the 2 Neoseiulus spp. to nymphs of 2 TS was Type II on cowpea. The higher attack rate coefficient (a') and shorter handling time (Th) values were found on N. barkeri against M. usitatus, and a similar trend was found for those in N. californicus against F. intonsa. Field-caged trials were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of Neoseiulus spp. in controlling 2 TS. The results have shown that Neoseiulus spp. was effective in controlling the 2 TS, with varying control efficacies at high or low release rates. The study provided valuable information on using Neoseiulus spp. as biological control agents against M. usitatus and F. intonsa in cowpea crops.

Two new species of Platynothrus and Heminothrus (Oribatida: Crotoniidae) from Mexico

The oribatid mite genera Platynothrus and Heminothrus currently comprise 20 and 10 species, respectively, and collectively have a cosmopolitan distribution. They have been classified into three to five subgenera, depending on the classification. For Platynothrus, a couple of new species have been described in the last two years, while for Heminothrus, the last formal description of a new species was 26 years ago. In this study, we describe two new species of these crotoniid mites, discovered in the soil and litter of a tropical montane cloud forest in Mexico. One of these new species belongs to the genus Platynothrus, which can be distinguished from other species of this genus by the short clavate sensillus, curved smooth interlamellar seta, and the length of the notogastral setae. The second new species belongs to the genus Heminothrus, being characterized by a short rhomboidal sensillus and a very long interlamellar seta. Intraspecific genetic distances of the COX-1 mitochondrial marker were 2.15%, and 0.81% for the new Platynothrus and Heminothrus species, respectively.

First Report of Tetranychus truncatus Ehara (Acari: Tetranychidae) Infesting Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in India through Morphological and Molecular Insight

Background: Red spider mite, Tetranychus truncatus Ehara (Acari: Tetranychidae) infests many agriculture and horticulture crops in India, but to date it had not been found damaging cultivated groundnut. During 2022-23, the incidence of this species was high in many groundnut growing regions of Tamil Nadu. Identification of the species is highly essential for effective management of the particular pest. Hence, the aim of this research was to identify the mite species infesting groundnut crop and describe the damage caused. Methods: Survey was carried out all over Tamil Nadu and samples of mite infested groundnut leaves were collected from field based on damage symptoms, observed and examined under Stereo zoom microscope, microslides were prepared using Hoyer’s medium and taxonomic characters were studied under phase contrast microscope. Molecular analysis was done by genomic DNA isolation, PCR amplification, sequencing and BLAST performed to check the identity with GenBank Sequences. ITS2 primer was used. Result: Red spider mite species, T. truncatus was identified first time in groundnut through both morphological characters and molecular tools. Female: Idiosomal setae longer than the interval between their longitudinal bases and gradually tapers distally. Diamond- shaped pattern of striae between e1 and f1 setal bases. Tarsus I with 4 tactile setae proximal to proximal duplex setae. Male: Aedeagus with tiny terminal knob, apparently truncate with a slight indentation on the dorsal margin.

Can water mites’ parasitism influence the number of microplastics ingested by aquatic insects?

Microplastic pollution endangers both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Their spread across the food chain also endangers human health. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) can be viewed as the final barrier between microplastics and the environment. In addition, it is well-known that water mites are abundant parasites in aquatic ecosystems, and nearly all insect orders with aquatic stages are considered potential hosts for at least one water mite species. However, no studies have been conducted to test the direct and indirect effects of parasites on population dynamics in freshwater ecosystems or the role of predators in shaping the behavior and life histories of aquatic organisms. Thus, this work aimed to study the seasonal abundance, distribution, composition, and risk assessment of MPs in surface water, aquatic insects (Coroxide and Notonectidae), and for the first time, water mites (Hydrachnidiae), as well as the effect of water mites’ parasitism on the number of MPs ingested by aquatic insects in two of the most polluted wastewater sites (S1 and S2) in Sohag Governorate, Egypt. The two wastewater sites receive different wastewater inputs (domestic and industrial). The results showed that the MPs abundance in surface water was higher in S2 than in S1 during the four seasons of the year, where the microplastic abundance in surface water was 2.05 ± 0.79 and 3.01 ± 0.9 particles/L in S1 and S2, respectively. Also, MPs were significantly higher in S2 in two insect taxa (Corixidae and Notonectidae) that are known to be infected by water mites. In contrast, the number of MPs was lower in S1, where water mites were absent. In addition, our results showed that adult water mites accumulated MPs. Overall, the 500–2000 µm size range was the most prevalent for both wastewater sites. Fibers were the most common MP morphotype discovered, followed by fragments. The dominant colors of MP were blue, red, and black. Furthermore, FTIR spectroscopy revealed the existence of three distinct polymers, namely polyester (PES), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene (PE). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the effect of water mites’ parasitism on the number of MPs ingested by aquatic organisms. However, Further research is needed to confirm our suggestion.

Three new feather mite species of the genus Proterothrix Gaud, 1968 (Analgoidea: Proctophyllodidae: Pterodectinae) from birds of paradise (Passeriformes: Paradisaeidae)

Three new feather mite species of the genus Proterothrix Gaud, 1968 (Proctophyllodidae: Pterodectinae) are described from birds of paradise (Corvida: Paradisaeidae): Proterothrix maior sp. n. and P. modestasimilis sp. n. from the Crinkle-collared Manucode, Manucodia chalybatus (Pennant, 1781), and P. papuensis from the Lesser Bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea minor Shaw, 1809. All three species belong to the wolffi species group, in having almost closed coxal fields III in males and parallel-sided terminal cleft in females.

SEROPREVALENCE AND CLINICAL FEATURES OF SCRUB TYPHUS AMONG FEBRILE PATIENTS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Objective: Rickettsial infections is the most neglected and underdiagnosed tropical diseases in developing countries. The most common rickettsial disease, which is caused by the obligate intracellular gram-negative bacteria Orientia tsutsugamushi, is Scrub Typhus. Scrub typhus can prove to an important diagnosis in pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO) patients and is transmitted by a species of trombiculid mites (“chiggers”). Aim of this study is to find seroprevalence and clinical features of scrub typhus among febrile patients from a tertiary care hospital in North India. Methods: This study was undertaken for a period of 1 y. All the patients attending the outpatient department or admitted indoors suspected of PUO were included in the study. Serum samples of suspected cases were tested for IgM Scrub typhus. Results: During the study period, a total of 755 cases were tested for scrub typhus, out of which 223 were positive so, the seroprevlance of Scrub typhus is 29.5%. Out of 223 positive patients, 105 (47%) were males and 118 (53%) were females. Maximum no. of patients was from age group 21 to 40 y of age and maximum number of cases is in autumn season. Most common clinical feature is fever, followed by myalgia, headache, ocular pain, dyspnoea, cough and eschar, respectively. Conclusion: Scrub typhus is an emerging tropical rickettsial disease in the Indian subcontinent. The present study highlights the importance of screening of PUO cases for Scrub typhus as timely institution of simple empirical treatment can prove to be lifesaving in such cases.

Morphological variation and abnormalities in two species of Typhlodromus Scheuten (Acari: Phytoseiidae)&lt;/p &gt;

Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) bagdasarjani Wainstein &amp; Arutunjan and T. (A.) khosrovensis Arutunjan have been frequently recorded from Iran. While investigating the population dynamics of these two predatory mite species on white mulberry in 2022 and 2023, in Tehran (Iran), our study unveiled intriguing morphological abnormalities and variations. Specifically, variations were observed in the number of dorsal shield solenostomes, insertion of ventrianal setae, shape of spermatheca and length of peritreme. In this context, detailed re-descriptions for both species are presented, accompanied by documentation of the observed abnormalities and variations.