Leipothrix is a morphologically distinct genus of eriophyoid mites (Eriophyoidea), primarily associated with angiosperms but also including a small group of fern-inhabiting species. We describe two new species: L. osmundastris n. sp. from a fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum) in West Virginia (USA) and L. ulanudensis n. sp. from a sedge (Carex pediformis) in Siberia (Russia). These findings represent the first records of Leipothrix on ferns in North America and monocots in northern Asia. The two new species closely resemble L. pterisfolii Lotfollahi and de Lillo 2017 from Iran, potentially indicating common ancestry, but their occurrence in geographically widely separated regions and on phylogenetically distant hosts complicates this scenario, raising questions about evolutionary pathways and host-shift events in Leipothrix. Because specimens of L. ulanudensis n. sp. were degraded, we used confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) to clarify key diagnostic features and demonstrate its utility for examining old slide-mounted specimens. Furthermore, we document the first evidence of serial spermatophore-like structures within males of L. osmundastris n. sp. This observation potentially reveals a novel mechanism of spermatophore formation, in contrast to the typical single-spermatophore process reported in many Eriophyoidea. Future work should elucidate the spermatophore production mechanisms in Leipothrix, resolve phylogeny of this genus, and clarify its evolutionary patterns across vascular plant lineages.

Two new feather mite species of the genus Proterothrix Gaud, 1968 (Proctophyllodidae: Pterodectinae) collected in China from the Red-tailed Laughingthrush Trochalopteron milnei (Passeriformes: Leiothrichidae) are described: Proterothrix papilio sp. n. and P. nanduhensis sp. n. Both new species belong to the paradoxornis species group in having in males seta e of tarsus I lanceolate and aedeagus long whip-shaped. Males of P. papilio have a unique distinctive character within the genus: a pair of stick-like pregenital sclerites; in other species of the genus this sclerite, if present, is represented by single median sclerite. Females of this species have setae h2 with a terminal filament, setae h1 situated at the level of supranal concavity, and genual setae mGI, mGII thick spiculiform. Males of P. nanduhensis have the aedeagus extending beyond lobar apices by almost half its length and the opisthosomal lobes elongated, attenuate to apex, with posterior ends rounded. Females of this species have lateral margins of prodorsal shield with small round incisions in anterior quarter, at level of trochanters I.

We describe two new mite species, namely, Neocunaxiodes huangshanensis Chen and Jin sp. nov. and N. pinus Chen and Jin sp. nov. from China. We also provide a species key of adult females of genus Neocunaxiodes from China.

In the present study, the genus Africoseiulella Kreiter is reported for the first time from Saudi Arabia. Subsequently, the species described as Nabiseius arabicus by Negm and Alatawi (2013) is transferred to Africoseiulella, based on the examination of the type specimens and on newly collected specimens from Saudi Arabia. The male of A. arabicus comb. nov. is described and illustrated along with the presentation of complementary information about the female. Some of the significant morphological characters in A. arabicus comb. nov. female are discussed for their importance in the phytoseiid taxonomy.

Aponychus corpuzae Rimando, 1966 and Stigmaeopsis nanjingensis (Ma and Yuan, 1980) were recorded on the bamboo species Phyllostachys reticulata for the first time in Russia. Both species inhabits only ornamental plants of bamboo in the favorable climatic conditions of humid subtropics in Sochi – urban territory of the Black Sea coast of the Western Caucasus.

The first occurrence of the widely distributed predatory mite Macrocheles robustulus (Berlese, 1904) on the cetoniin beetle pet species, Pachnoda marginata peregrina Kolbe is presented. A short description and new illustration are provided with a note on macrochelid mites associated with cetoniin beetles.

Background: Ticks are blood-feeding ectoparasites which transmit pathogens ranging from protozoa, viruses, bacteria to both humans and animals. For decades, acaricides have significantly contributed to reduction of the tick-population, and tick-borne diseases. However, there is an increase in acaricide tick-resistance globally. Since the 1960s, diagnosis of acaricide-resistant ticks relies mainly on two methods: the Larval Packet Test (LPT) and the Adult Immersion Test (AIT). The limitations of these methods are for instance, (1) each assay is restricted to one stage of tick-development. (2) the assays require special additional reagents and materials therefore unaffordable in resource constrained regions. Objective: To address these gaps, we have developed an alternative novel method named: the Bottle-Acaricide-Impregnation-Test (BAIT) and assessed its efficacy. Methodology: We examined the potential of BAIT to detect acaricide resistant and/or tolerant ticks. Three acaricides: DuoDip (Organophosphate), Norotraz (Amidine) and SyperTix (Synthetic pyrethroid) were independently tested against unfed and fed Rhipicephalus appendiculatus colony ticks at different stages of development (larvae, nymphs and adults). The test acaricides were applied separately at single (1x) and double (2x) working concentration and the efficacy of the BAIT assessed in comparison with the AIT, LPT and Nymph Immersion Test (NIT). Results: Our data reveals that: (1) the BAIT assay is as efficient as the AIT, LPT, and NIT, and (2) the efficiency of the tests does not vary with acaricide class or concentration (3). Conclusion: The BAIT method is universal to all tick-developmental stages, simpler, cheaper and could be applicable both under field and laboratory conditions.

Two new species of oribatid mites (Oribatida) of the superfamily Oripodoidea—Zygoribatula birhanensis n. sp. (Oribatulidae) and Scheloribates (Scheloribates) debreensis n. sp. (Scheloribatidae)—are described from moss and litter in forest with Erica arborea in the Amhara region, Central Ethiopia. The species Annobonzetes hamatus is combined in Scheloribates (Scheloribates).

Animal dung is an ephemeral, nutrient-rich resource that supports constantly changing, highly biodiverse invertebrate communities. The dung of large herbivores is especially attractive to invertebrates. Seven oribatid mite species in seven different families were collected from water buffalo dung from the Kizilirmak Delta on the Black Sea coast of Samsun Province in northern Türkiye. One new species, Plakoribates cernekensis n. sp. (Tegoribatidae) is described and illustrated. Bipassalozetes (B.) intermedius (Mihelčič, 1954) (Passalozetidae), Oribatella (Sacculoribatella) nasuorum Fujikawa, 2012 (Oribatellidae) and Humerobates rostrolamellatus Grandjean, 1936 (Humerobatidae) are new records for Türkiye. Peloptulus montanus Hull, 1914 (Phenopelopidae), Oribatula (O.) interrupta (Willmann, 1939) (Oribatulidae) and Scheloribates (S.) pallidulus (Koch, 1841) (Scheloribatidae) were also collected. Further taxonomic investigation of the richly biodiverse Kizilirmak Delta wetlands would likely reveal many new invertebrate species.

Caeculisoma pouyani Noei and Kohansal sp. nov. (Trombidiformes: Erythraeidae) ectoparasitic on Sphodromerus luteipes Uvarov (Orthoptera: Acrididae), an unidentified Cicadellidae nymph (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha) and an unidentified species of Miridae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) in Chahkandan and Zahan villages, Birjand, South Khorasan province, Iran, is described and illustrated. The newly described species is the first representative of the genus Caeculisoma Berlese in Iran. A key to the larval species of Caeculisoma of the world is updated.