Checklist of Indian mites in the family Laelapidae (Acari: Mesostigmata).

Laelapidae Canestrini, 1891 is one of the most diverse mite families in the order Mesostigmata, but the Indian fauna of this family is very poorly known. This paper is a checklist of the known species of Laelapidae recorded from India, with a summary of the available information on the distribution and biology of each species. The known fauna includes 66 species in 21 genera, plus seven species whose generic placement is unresolved and a number of others that lack validly published descriptions.

Description of nine new species of phytoseiid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) from Sikkim, a north eastern States of India.

A rapid roving survey was done in the East Sikkim district of the state Sikkim with a target to explore phytoseiid fauna of the region. Nine species of phytoseiid mites namely Amblyseius lanceae sp. nov.; Amblyseiulella cancellatus sp. nov.; Amblyseiulella gangtokiensis sp. nov.; Euseius tubuliferus sp. nov.; Okiseius pahari sp. nov.; Paraamblyseius ranipoolensis sp. nov.; Phytoseius ferrum sp. nov.; Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) himaliniae sp. nov. Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) kanchanjanghai sp. nov. are described with proper illustrations in the present paper.

The first record of Ceratotarsonemus (Acari: Tarsonemidae) from the Oriental region with description of a new species from West Bengal, India.

A new tarsonemid species Ceratotarsonemus bengalicus Karmakar and Kayal sp. nov. is described from specimens collected on leaves of the mandarin orange, Citrus reticulata (Rutaceae), in Rishikhola, Kalimpong district, West Bengal, India. This is the first record of the genus Ceratotarsonemus De Leon, 1956 in the Eurasian mainland. An updated key to the species of Ceratotarsonemus is provided.

Complementary description of three species of Steneotarsonemus (Acari: Tarsonemidae) from rice agroecosystems of Eastern India with notes on their taxonomic status, spatial distribution, intraspecific variation and species composition.

Rice agroecosystems are inhabited by a number of Steneotarsonemus species worldwide with various host plant relationships and taxonomic identities. To clarify this situation, a large-scale survey was initiated in rice growing belts of eastern India and this revealed the presence of four species of Steneotarsonemus viz. S. furcatus, S. konoi, S. spinki and S. subfurcatus. However, only S. spinki and S. subfurcatus were found infesting rice while the other species were found associated with a number of graminaceous weeds. We found three intraspecific variants within the population of S. spinki which are differentially distributed in nine separate locations covering four states across eastern India. A new subgenus Linzhangia is proposed for inclusion of exceptionally unique S. subfurcatus possessing setaceous v2 on prodorsum of female. Additionally, the population of S. spinki and S. subfurcatus were found to be differentially distributed across five different agroclimatic zones of West Bengal with S. spinki being the dominant species.

Seven new species of phytoseiid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) from Tripura, north-eastern India.

Tripura is a north eastern hilly state of India, and so far only 27 species of Phytoseiidae have been reported from the state. During the present survey 250 specimens were collected belonging to seven new species, namely Euseius tripuraensis sp. nov., Euseius spontaneum sp. nov., Euseius tripurii sp. nov., Phytoseius birbikrami sp. nov., Phytoseius khowaiensis sp. nov., Phytoseius baramuracus sp. nov., and Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) sonajhuriae sp. nov.

Description of eleven new species of phytoseiid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) from Meghalaya state, north eastern India.

A survey was done in the state of Meghalaya, India covering East Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills and Ri-Bhoi districts during May to July, 2019. During the survey 350 specimens were collected from which 11 new species are describedAmblyseius azaliae sp. nov., Amblyseius meghalayensis sp. nov., Euseius fascae sp. nov., Euseius dwakiensis sp. nov., Okiseius jainticus sp. nov., Okiseius unisetatus sp. nov., Phytoseius clavus sp. nov., Phytoseius aonlae sp. nov., Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) barapanicus sp. nov., Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) campana sp. nov., and Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) cherrapunjiensis sp. nov.

Taxonomic notes on subgenus Steneotarsonemoides (Acari: Tarsonemidae) with description of a new species of Steneotarsonemus from Tiger grass in the northern hill zone of West Bengal, India.

A new species of tarsonemid mite, Steneotarsonemus amlisoae sp. nov. collected from tiger grass Thysanolaena latifolia (Poaceae) is described with illustrations of adult female, male and larva. The new species is the fourth species of Steneotarsonemus described from India. The species shares a lot of similarities with S. konoi but differ by apodeme architecture, cheliceral structure, setal length and positions. A taxonomic note on subgenus Steneotarsonemoides is provided.

Description of five new species of Amblyseiinae (Acari: Phytoseiidae) associated with medicinal plants from the Northern Himalayan Zone of West Bengal, India.

Five new species of phytoseiid mites in the subfamily Amblyseiinae are described from specimens collected from princess flower (Tibouchina urvilleana Cogn.: Melastomataceae), datura (Datura metel L.: Solanaceae), rose (Rosa chinensis Jacq.: Rosaceae), and cinchona (Cinchona officinalis L.: Rubiaceae) from the northern hill zone of West Bengal in the Central Himalayan Mountain region, namely Amblyseiulella tibouchina sp. nov., Amblyseius rishyapensis sp. nov., Okiseius ramdhuracus sp. nov., Okiseius roseus sp. nov., and Typhlodromips cinchonai sp. nov.

Five new species and re-description of eight species belonging to the family Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) from West Bengal, India.

This paper reports on 13 species of Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) from West Bengal, India. Eight species, namely Euseius alstoniae (Gupta, 1975), Paraphytoseius orientalis (Narayanan, Kaur Ghai, 1960), Amblyseiulella heveae (Oudemans, 1930), Gynaeseius ricini (Ghai Menon, 1969), Neoseiulus longispinosus (Evans, 1952), Neoseiulus imbricatus (Corpuz Rimando, 1966), Neoseiulus barkeri Hughes, 1948 and Phytoseius kapuri Gupta, 1969 are re-described, and five species, Typhlodromips jhilimiliensis sp. nov, Typhlodromips neosyzygii sp. nov, Proprioseiopsis amari sp. nov, Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) bolpurensis sp. nov, and Phytoseius mauritiana sp. nov. are described as new. Neoseiulus barkeri Hughes, 1948 is reported from India for the first time.

Description of four new species of phytoseiid mites belonging to the genus emTyphlodromus/em (emAnthoseius/em) De Leon from West Bengal.

We report on a survey of phytoseiid mites associated with medicinal plants in West Bengal, India. Thirteen species were collected during the study, four of which are described as new species in the subgenus Typholodromus (Anthoseius) De Leon, 1959. The new species are Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) bulbosis Karmakar et al. sp. nov., Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) bengalensis Karmakar et al. sp. nov., Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) adhatoda Karmakar et al. sp. nov., and Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) sagaricus Karmakar et al. sp. nov.

First record of Metatarsonemus (Acari: Tarsonemidae) from India with description of two new species.

Two new species of Metatarsonemus Attiah, 1970 (Acari: Heterostigmatina: Tarsonemidae), M. badurkani Karmakar Mondal sp. nov. and M. shirishi Karmakar Mondal sp. nov., are described based on specimens collected from Ziziphus jujubae (Rhamnaceae), Lagerstroemia speciosa (Lythraceae), Piper betle (Piperaceae) and Albizia lebbeck (Leguminosae) in West Bengal, India. A larval description of M. shirishi and a dichotomous key to the species of Metatarsonemus are provided.

A new genus Bongotarsonemus with two new species of tarsonemid (Acari: Heterostigmata) mites discovered from the Himalayan forests of West Bengal, India.

Bongotarsonemus unicornus gen. nov., sp. nov. (Tarsonemidae: Tarsoneminae) is described from adult females and males collected on leaves of Sweet Cherry, Prunus avium L. (Rosaceae). Another species, Bongotarsonemus bicornus sp. nov. is described from adult females collected on leaves of a mountain fern Arthromeriswallichiana(Spreng.) Ching (Polypodiaceae). Both species were collected from the Himalayan forests of Darjeeling district in the State of West Bengal, India. Adult females of this new genus are unusual in having a median raised section of the prodorsum which is delimited by elongated tubercles bearing setae v1 and sometimes sc2. This area is ornamented with sclerotized ridges or elevated strial thickenings; and has a single or bifurcated spear-shaped horn between bases of setae v1. The new genus also has a characteristically bipartite sejugal apodeme and seta d on tibia I often reaching beyond the claw. Adult males are characterized by seta sc2 subequal to sc1; tarsus II with baciliform seta pl'' longer than half the length of the segment, and a conspicuously enlarged solenidion on tarsus IV. Both sexes are unique in having a fish-hook shaped claw on leg I with an elongated shank and strongly curved apex, and seta l' on femur I plumose.

Description of eight new species and re-description of four species belonging to the family Phytoseidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) from West Bengal, India.

This paper reports on 12 species of Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) from West Bengal, India. Amblyseius crotalariae (Gupta, 1977), Amblyseius guajavae (Gupta, 1978), Typhlodromips syzygii (Gupta, 1975), Scapulaseius asiaticus (Evans, 1953) are re-described, and Scapulaseius moraesi sp. nov., Euseius sundarbanensis sp. nov., Euseius astrictus sp. nov., Asperoseius latericulus sp. nov., Asperoseius jujubae sp. nov., Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) carambolae sp. nov., Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) heliotropium sp. nov. and Phytoseius namkhanaensis sp. nov. are described as new.

Eriophyoid mites from Eastern India: description of three new species (Acari: Prostigmata: Eriophyoidea).

Three new eriophyoid mite species, namely Dichopelmus puncti n. sp. (Eriophyidae) from cogan grass, Imperata cylindrica (Poaceae); Calacarus kalyaniensis n. sp. (Eriophyidae) from Siam weed, Chromolaena odorata (Asteraceae) and Neorhynacus bidhanae n. sp. (Diptilomiopidae) from Croton caudatus (Euphorbiaceae), are described and illustrated from West Bengal, India. The new species are vagrants on the leaves of their respective host plants with no visible damage observed. Keys to the known species of Dichopelmus and Neorhynacus are provided along with a checklist of eriophyoid mites species present in West Bengal.

The Lasioseius phytoseioides species group (Acari: Blattisociidae): new characterisation, description of a new species, complementary notes on seven described species and a taxonomic key for the group.

The Lasioseius phytoseioides species group was first characterised over 50 years ago. Two species of this group, Lasioseius chaudhrii (Wu & Wang) and Lasioseius parberlesei Bhattacharyya, have been considered potentially effective as biological control agents of pest mites of the family Tarsonemidae on rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Asia. A new characterisation of the species group is presented, taking into account a new species here described, Lasioseius piracicabensis Moraes & Pérez-Madruga n. sp., as well as other species mostly described since the first characterisation of the group. The main characteristics of the included species are the reduced number of dorsal idiosomal setae, including the absence of j1 and z1; antiaxial surface of fixed cheliceral digit with a subterminal pointed process; and males with broad lateral expansion of the peritrematic shield in the region between coxae II-III, bearing a pore and a lyrifissure. Complementary notes are presented for Lasioseius annandalei Bhattacharyya & Bhattacharyya, Lasioseius chaudhrii (Wu & Wang), Lasioseius parberlesei Bhattacharyya, L. phytoseioides Chant, Lasioseius punjabensis Bhattacharyya & Sanyal, Lasioseius terrestris Menon & Ghai and Lasioseius youcefi Athias-Henriot. New synonymies are proposed and possible misidentifications in the literature are discussed. A dichotomous key is presented to help the identification of the species of the group, and the distribution of the species is summarised.