María L. Moraza

A new species of Antennoseius (Vitzthumia) Thor (Acari: Mesostigmata, Ascidae), associated with carabid beetles in Iran and a key to species

A new species of Antennoseius (Vitzthumia) collected from Bembidion cf. turkestanicum Fassati, 1957 and Harpalus (s. str.) distinguendus (Duftschmid, 1812) (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in northeast Iran is described. Antennoseius (Vitzthumia) kamalii sp. nov. is characterized by dorsal shields smoothly reticulate, opisthogastric shields smooth, dorsal setae sparsely barbed (including setae j1) and homogeneous in length and shape; podonotal shield with 20 pairs of setae, opisthonotal shield with 15 pairs; 31 or 32 pairs of dorsal setae on soft cuticle; st3 on posterior margin of the shield or on soft cuticle. A key for adult females of the subgenus is presented.

Two new species of Neoseiulella muma of the Canary Islands (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Abstract Two new species of phytoseiid mites, Neoseiulella longiseta n. sp and Neoseiulella arinoi n. sp., collected from soil, litter and lichens on the islands of La Gomera and Tenerife (Canary Islands), Spain are described and illustrated. Females of both species have two pairs of sternal setae and four pairs of preanal setae.

A new species of Ljunghia Oudemans, 1932 (Arachnida, Acari, Laelapidae) from a mygalomorph spider

Moraza M. L., Iraola V. & Alemany C. 2009. — A new species of Ljunghia Oudemans, 1932 (Arachnida, Acari, Laelapidae) from a mygalomorph spider. Zoosystema 31 (1): 117-126. ABSTRACT Ljunghia (Ljunghia) luciae n. sp., associated with mygalomorph spiders, is described on the basis of material from Cyclosternum fasciatum (Cambridge, 1892) (Araneae, Theraphosidae) kept in captivity. Adults with dorsal shield reaching the posterior margin of dorsum and bearing 31 or 32 pairs of setae long and slightly serrate, except setae J5 short (21 podonotal and 11 opisthonotal); 15 or 16 pairs of ventral setae. Male sterno-genito-ventrianal shield with 11 pairs of ventral setae. A key to species of the genus, based on adult females and males, is given.

Mites coexistent with neotropical hispine beetles in unfurled leaves of Heliconia: a new genus and family of the Ascoidea (Acari: Mesostigmata: Gamasina)

The genus Antennocheles gen. nov. is based on adults and nymphs of two newly described species associated with hispine beetles of the genera Chelobasis and Cephaloleia occupying unfurled leaves of Heliconia in lowland rainforest of Costa Rica. Within the superfamily Ascoidea, this taxon is so distinctive morphologically and behaviourally as to justify its own family, Antennochelidae, fam. nov. These mites bear remarkably elongated cheliceral shafts, which may extend for lengths greater than the body but are fully ensheathed in repose within the body. Other unique attributes include linear arrangement of hypostomatic setae, a pore-like structure beside the corniculus, and adults with a pair of unique sternal invaginations for enlarged muscle insertions. While undergoing their life history in water films of unfurled host leaves, the mites exhibit a slow, swimming-like behaviour in quest for prey. As leaves unfurl, adult mites run quickly off and on their hispine beetle phoronts for dispersal. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0876014C-1433-463B-B1A4-4CD6886F9D28

Description of a new millipede-associated species (Acari: Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) from Iran and a key to species of Julolaelaps Berlese

A new species, Julolaelaps tritosternalis, of the family Laelapidae is described based on adult females and males of one new species from Northern Iran. These mites live associated with Ommatoiulus caspius (Lohmander) (Diplopoda, Julidae). Several morphological characteristics are noted, including the presence of a ventral disc-like structure on the tritosternal base, sternal shield with anteromedial convex protuberance, lack of setae z1, z3, z6, S1 and all deutonymphal setae r, convex alveolar protuberances for setae st1–st5, lack of setae v-2 on genu I and male with hypertrophied dentate movable cheliceral digit. A key to species of Julolaelaps is provided.

Short note: First European record of the family Cercomegistidae Trägardh, 1937 (Acari: Mesostigmata) in Spain

Abstract Presence of Cercoleipus coelonotus Kinn, 1970 (Acari: Mesostigmata: Cercomegistidae) in Spain, the first record of this mite and family in Europe, is reported from Ips sexdentatus Boern (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) in Leon on Pinus pinaster Aiton.

Pachyseiulus hispanicus n. gen., n. sp., from Navarra (Northern Spain) (Acari : Mesostigmata : Pachylaelapidae)

ABSTRACT A new genus and species of Pachylaelapidae, Pachyseiulus hispanicus, is described from beech, pine and larch forest soils in Navarra (Northern Spain). A revised key for the genera of the family Pachylaelapidae is provided.

Phoretic mites of the six-spined engraver beetle, Ips sexdentatus (Böerner, 1776) (Coleoptera, Scolytinae), on Pinus halepensis in Slovenia

In September 2009, specimens of Ips sexdentatus were captured using black cross vane traps in an old stand of Pinus halepensis Miller at Dekani in the submediterranean ecological region of Slovenia. Twenty-four per cent of them carried phoretic mites, and six taxa of mites were collected directly from their bodies: Cercoleipus coelonotus, Dendrolaelaps quadrisetus, Histiostoma ovalis, Trichouropoda polytricha, Uroobovella varians and Vulgarogamasus lyriformis. All of these species are documented here for the first time as associated with the six-spined engraver beetle in Slovenia. Both D. quadrisetus and V. lyriformis are predatory on bark beetle eggs and larvae and could be useful in biological control programmes. Moreover, H. ovalis may be an important vector of fungal spores of ophiostomatoid pathogenic fungi. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B3E36510-4687-42B8-BDCC-3912A2AB9EE0

A new species of Ameroseiidae from the Canary Islands, Spain (Acari: Mesostigmata)

Abstract A new species, Ameroseius michaelangeli n. sp. (Acari: Ameroseiidae), is described and illustrated. It was collected from soil and litter in Tenerife (Canary Islands), Spain.

Observations on Neoparasitus (=Bulbogamasus) associated with scarabaeid beetles in Indonesia (Acari: Mesostigmata)

Abstract Observations on the genus Neoparasitus complement and correct several observations and interpretations in the original description of Bulbogamasus sinicus Gu, Wang and Duan, 1991, species which is now transferred to Neoparasitus. This study supports a close relationship between Pachyseius (Pachylaelapidae) and Neoparasitus, leading to discussion of problems with the classification of this genus.