Persian Journal of Acarology

Abstract The phytoseiid mite Flagroseius euflagellatus (Karg) is redescribed based on female and male specimens collected on Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merr. in Cat Tien National Park, Southern Vietnam, representing the first record of the species from the country. Previous descriptions are incomplete and contain inaccuracies in leg chaetotaxy and cheliceral dentition. We provide a comprehensive redescription with detailed illustrations and measurements of both sexes, and documenting previously overlooked morphological structures, including the complete setation patterns of all leg segments.

Abstract The genus Phauloppia (Oribatida, Oribatulidae) is recorded for the first time from Ethiopia. A new species, P. hageniaica sp. nov., is described based on females collected from bark and moss of Hagenia abyssinica in southeastern Ethiopia. The new species is characterized by the absence of the lamella.

Abstract Mites of the family Melicharidae (Acari: Mesostigmata), known from Iran, are listed, based on the literature and new records for six species, taken from samples collected in the Guilan Province, northern Iran. A total of 15 species belonging to three genera, Melichares Hering, Orthadenella Athias-Henriot and Proctolaelaps Berlese, are reported, the most common species being P. pygmaeus and P. intermedius. Information on their ecological and geographic distribution in Iran and elsewhere is provided for each species. Diagnosis for examined species is presented. A dichotomous key for the identification of the species reported in Iran is provided.

Abstract The genus Lunoribatula (Oribatida, Oribatulidae) is known from Ethiopia. The generic diagnosis is revised. The redescription of the type species, Lunoribatula polygonata Mahunka, 1982, is presented, based on the specimens collected from branches of Erica trimera and Acacia mearnsii in southeastern and central Ethiopia. Remarks on habitat of L. polygonata are provided.

Abstract The genus Oribatella (Oribatida, Oribatellidae) comprises 136 species with a cosmopolitan distribution. A new species, O. (Oribatella) prominens sp. nov., is described, based on adult specimens collected from litter and the upper soil stratum in the mixed Shorea robusta forest in lowland Nepal. The new species is characterized by the presence of the elongate prodorsobasal lamina at basal part of the prodorsum. An identification key to the known species of Oribatella from the Oriental region is presented, and a summary of the habitats of Nepalese Oribatella species is provided.

Abstract Here we describe a new species of mite, Acalitus kosahuatlus Acuña-Soto & Vanegas-Rico sp. nov., from the family Eriophyidae, collected in the state of Morelos, Mexico. This species causes galls on the leaves of Ipomoea wolcottiana Rose (Convolvulaceae), and is the first eriophyoid mite species recorded on this host plant worldwide and the second Acalitus species found on the plants of genus Ipomoea.

Abstract One new species of eriophyoid mites Disella jasminae sp. nov. from Jasminum officinale L. (family Oleaceae) was described and illustrated from New Alluvial Zone of West Bengal, India. The new mite species was found to be vagrant on the surface of the leaves without causing visible damage.

Abstract One new species of the genus Prometabelba (Oribatida, Damaeidae)—P. chilaloensis sp. nov.— is described, based on adults collected from litter and green mosses of forest in the Arsi Mountains National Park, central Ethiopia. An identification key to species of Damaeidae from the Afrotropical region is provided.

Abstract Trichogalumna (Oribatida, Galumnidae) currently comprises two subgenera and 34 species, collectively distributed in the pantropical and subtropical areas. A new subgenus— Trichogalumna (Paratrichogalumna) subgen. nov., with T. punctata Engelbrecht, 1972 as type species—is proposed. It differs from the other subgenera of Trichogalumna by the location of the adanal lyrifissure (distinctly distanced from anal plate). One new species—T. (T.) giaensis sp. nov.—is described, based on adults collected from forest litter in central Vietnam. The new species is characterized mainly by small body size; sparsely striate pteromorphs; dense polygonate-foveolate ornamentation in dorsocentral region of the notogaster; dense polygonate-tuberculate sculpturing between genital and anal plates; long bothridial seta with lanceolate, barbed head, having distinct, acicular apex; and four pairs of small, circular porose areas. The following synonymy is suggested: Trichogalumna (Trichogalumna) trowella Nakamura, Nakamura & Fujikawa, 2013 (= Trichogalumna gotoensis Shirosaki, Nakamura & Fujikawa, 2017 syn. nov.). An identification key to the known species of Trichogalumna is provided.

Abstract The present study is based on oribatid mite material collected from the Cat Tien National Park, Southern Vietnam, in November–December 2024. A list of 54 species/subspecies, belonging to 40 genera and 21 families, is presented. One new species—Dolicheremaeus leonilae sp. nov. (Otocepheidae)– is described. The new species is characterized by a large number of the medial notogastral condyles (five to seven).

Abstract The present study is based on oribatid mite materials collected from benthic samples in four river locations on the Grande Terre Island, New Caledonia. A list of eight species, belonging to six genera and five families, is presented; among them are taxa that are new for the fauna of New Caledonia. One new species of the genus Trhypochthoniellus (Trhypochthoniidae)—T. grandensis sp. nov.— is described; it is mainly characterized by the nasiform rostrum having ridges; slightly polygonate ornamentation on the notogaster and in the anogenital region; the absence of the bothridial seta and bothridium; the relative length of prodorsal setae: in ˃ le ˃ ro; 14 pairs (p₃ absent) of the notogastral setae setiform (except f₁ as alveolus), nearly smooth; the relative length of the notogastral setae: c₃, e₂, h₁, h₂, p₂ ˃ cp, e₁, h₃, p₁ ˃ d₂ ˃ c₁, c₂, d₁, f₂; six pairs of genital setae.

Abstract New species of oribatid mites of the family Galumnidae—Dimidiogalumna abaiensis sp. nov. and Galumna (Galumna) gamozonensis sp. nov.—are described from forest litter in the Gamo Zone, southern Ethiopia. Dimidiogalumna abaiensis differs from the related species D. grandjeani by the pteromorph pattern, the presence of the dorsosejugal suture, the form of the notogastral porose area Aa, the epimeral formula, and the length of the rostral and lamellar setae. Galumna (Galumna) gamozonensis differs from the related species G. (G.) grandjeani by the body size, the morphology of the rostrum, bothridial seta and notogastral porose area Aa, the presence of the dorsosejugal suture and a median pore, and the prodorsum and pteromorph pattern; G. (G.) gamozonensis differs from the related species G. (G.) korupensis by the morphology of the bothridial seta and notogastral porose areas Aa and A3, the presence of a median pore, and the prodorsum, pteromorph and genital plate pattern.

Abstract Machadobelba (Oribatida, Machadobelbidae) currently comprises 18 species collectively distributed in the Afrotropical, Neotropical, and Oriental regions. We describe a new species—M. bimorpha sp. nov.—based on adults collected from forest litter in Malaysia. The new species is characterized by the morphology of the rostral (short, phylliform, shortly ciliated distally in males versus medium-sized, setiform, sparsely barbed in females), bothridial (bifurcate), and notogastral (dilated mediodistally) setae, the presence of two anoadanal porose areas in males (versus absent in females), two long, longitudinal ridges in anterior part of the prodorsum, and the length of the costula (shorter than half of prodorsum).

Abstract We describe two new species of oribatid mites (Oribatida) based on adult males—Gymnobodes schedeli sp. nov. (Carabodidae) collected from rotten wood and humus under a tree in Zambia and Galumna (Galumna) luisi sp. nov. (Galumnidae) collected from detritus among Cyperus papyrus in Uganda. Gymnobodes schedeli sp. nov. differs from all species of the genus by the presence of a depression in the basal part of the prodorsum, and by the notogastral ornamentation/sculpturing. Galumna (Galumna) luisi sp. nov. differs from G. (G.) incisa by the body size, the morphology of the rostrum and notogastral porose areas Aa and A3, the presence of a rostral bulge and a long longitudinal fold having short lateral branches in the anteromedial part of the notogaster, the absence of a median pore, and the location of the notogastral lyrifissure im and leg famulus.

Abstract Chigger mite genus Hyracarus Lawrence, 1949, endemic to Tropical Africa, was revised based on the examination of type series, new materials, unpublished archive sources, and the literature. Five new species were described: Hyracarus bethuliensis sp. nov., H. ethiopicus sp. nov., H. sabiensis sp. nov., H. aryanicki sp. nov., and H. limpopoensis sp. nov. Three new subjective synonyms were established: Hyracarus [= Mastalacarus Goff & Lukoschus, 1983, syn. nov.; = Tateracarus Goff, 1983, syn. nov.] and Hyracarus thallomyia (Radford, 1947) [= Acomatacarus lawrencei Radford, 1948, syn. nov.]. Six new combinations were proposed: Hyracarus foliosetosus (Stekolnikov & Matthee, 2022) comb. nov., H. kimberleyensis (Stekolnikov & Matthee, 2022) comb. nov., H. quadrisetosus (Goff, 1983) comb. nov. (originally in the genus Tateracarus), H. namibiensis (Goff & Lukoschus, 1983) comb. nov. (originally in the genus Mastalacarus), H. thallomyia (Radford, 1947) comb. nov., and H. mutabilis (Vercammen-Grandjean & Brennan, 1957) comb. nov. (originally in the genus Acomatacarus Ewing, 1942). Currently, the genus includes 16 valid species known from South Africa (10 species), Namibia (2), Angola (1), Democratic Republic of the Congo (1), Uganda (1), and Ethiopia (1). Its species parasitize murid rodents (7 records), hyraxes (3), elephant shrews (2), dormice (1), shrews (1), bats (1), and skinks (1).

Abstract The supplementary description of Liacarus neonominatus Subías, 2004 (Oribatida, Liacaridae) is presented, based on the material collected from soil and sand in a shrub-lichen tundra, Yamal Peninsula, Western Siberia, Russia. The main morphological traits of this species are summarized. The taxonomic status of some liacarid genera related with Liacarus is discussed, resulting in the following taxonomic proposals: Liacarus Michael, 1898 (= Dorycranosus Woolley, 1969 syn. nov., = Procorynetes Woolley, 1969 syn. nov., = Rhaphidosus Woolley, 1969 syn. nov.).

Abstract The present study is based on oribatid mite material collected from forest leaf litter in the Pinar del Río Province, western Cuba. A list of 23 species, belonging to 19 genera and 13 families is presented; six species are recorded for the first time in Cuba. One new species belonging to the subgenus Galumna (Neogalumna)—G. (N.) paraharrysmiti sp. nov.—is described. An identification key to the known species of Galumna (Neogalumna) is provided. The taxonomic status of the subgenus Dimidiogalumna (Apodimidiogalumna) is discussed, resulting in the following taxonomic proposal: Galumna (Neogalumna) Hammer, 1973 (= Dimidiogalumna (Apodimidiogalumna) Subías, 2022 syn. nov.).

Abstract Forty-three species of oribatid mites (Oribatida), belonging to 31 genera and 18 families, were collected from leaf litter in a mixed forest from the vicinity of El Limón waterfall, Samaná Province, northern Dominican Republic; of these, 15 species, 13 genera and five families are recorded in this country for the first time. A new species of the genus Suctobelbella—S. (Flagrosuctobelba) limonensis sp. nov.—is described.

Abstract Thirty-four species of oribatid mites (Oribatida), belonging to 29 genera and 14 families, were collected from Saona Island, Southeast Dominican Republic. A new species of the genus Pergalumna—P. (Pergalumna) saonaensis sp. nov.—is described from leaf litter of the mixed forest.

Abstract Two new species of oribatid mites (Oribatida)—Hermannobates neotropicus sp. nov. (Hermanniellidae) and Mucrobates venezuelaensis sp. nov. (Scheloribatidae)—are described, based on materials collected from sweep sample in the cloud forest in Western Venezuela. The genus Mucrobates is recorded in the Venezuelan fauna for the first time. Hermannobates neotropicus sp. nov. differs from the closely related species, H. intermedius Călugăr, 1990, by length and morphology of the bothridial seta. Mucrobates venezuelaensis sp. nov. differs from the closely related species, M. cayoaguaensis Ermilov & Kontschán, 2021, by the body size, the length of the bothridial and exobothridial setae, the presence of the pedotectum II, keel-shaped ridge and seta v’ on the leg genu II, and the location of the adanal seta ad₁.

Abstract A new species of the genus Laelaspis Berlese, L. nematii sp. nov. is described based on adult female specimens collected in association with Cataglyphis fritillariae Khalili-Moghadam et al., (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Koohrang county (Dashte laleh), Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari Province, southwestern Iran.

Abstract The present study is based on oribatid mite material collected from five locations in Eastern Guatemala. A list of 98 species, belonging to 68 genera and 43 families, is presented; 70 species are recorded for the first time in Guatemalan fauna. A new species of genus Pergalumna, P. paraobsidiana sp. nov. is described from rainforest litter.

Abstract The present study is based on oribatid mite materials collected from the Gambela region, Ethiopia. A list of 41 species, belonging to 30 genera and 20 families, is presented. One new species Scheloribates (Scheloribates) aboboensis Ermilov sp. nov. (Scheloribatidae) is described.

Abstract A new species of the genus Flagellozetes (Oribatida, Galumnidae) – F. (Cosmogalumna) daklakensis sp. nov. – is described from dry litter in Shorea dipterocarp forest in Daklak Province, Central Vietnam. The species F. (C.) maolanensis is recorded for the first time in Vietnamese fauna. An identification key to the known species of Flagellozetes is presented.

Abstract Two new species of eriophyoid mites, Shevtchenkella holoptele sp. nov. from Holoptelea integrifolia (Roxb.) (Ulmaceae) and Diptilomiopus cordifoliae sp. nov. from Haldina cordifolia (Roxb.) (Rubiaceae) were described and illustrated from New Alluvial Zone of West Bengal, India. The two new mite species were found to be vagrant on under surface of the leaves without causing visible damage symptoms.