A new digamasellid mite of the subgenus Longoseiulus Lindquist (Acari, Mesostigmata) from Slovakia.

A new digamasellid mite, Longoseius (Longoseiulus) disparisetussp. nov., was described from females found in the wood detritus of tree cavity of freshly felled elm (Fraxinus sp.) in a park in southwestern Slovakia. The new species differs from known congeners by the number of setae on some leg segments (genu II with eight setae, tibiae II and III with seven and six setae, respectively) and by the unusual presence of three pairs of conspicuously shortened setae (J3, J4, and Z3) on the posterior dorsal shield. In other known Longoseiulus species, the genu II has 11 setae, the tibiae II and III have 10 and seven setae, respectively, and almost all dorsal setae are of similar length (except for the elongated Z4 and S4), none of which is formed as a microseta. A dichotomous key for females is provided to identify species classified worldwide in Longoseiulus.

A new genus and two new species of melicharid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) associated with wood-decaying fungi and mycophagous erotylid beetles (Coleoptera: Erotylidae) in Europe.

We describe a new genus in the mite family Melicharidae, Mycomelichares Masán Joharchi gen. nov., to accommodate two new species, Mycomelichares polypori Masán Joharchi sp. nov. and Mycomelichares reductus Masán Joharchi sp. nov. on the basis of specimens collected on wood-decaying fungi and/or mycophagous beetles of the genera Triplax Herbst and Tritoma Fabricius (Coleoptera: Erotylidae) in Slovakia and European part of Russia, respectively. Moreover, two previously described Proctolaelaps species-P. cyllodi Samsinák, 1960 and P. slovacus Masán, 1998 are transferred to the newly established genus. The new genus is characterized by specific characters in tritosternum (enlarged and brush-shaped, having their laciniae thickened, basaly fused and distally densely pilose), chelicerae (slightly dish-shaped digits with long, narrow and sharp denticles), ventral hypostome (setae h1 enlarged, thickened and distally flattened), setation (tendency towards placement of R series setae on soft integument, and reduction of some setae on idiosoma and legs), and unusual ecological specialisation on fungal substrates. Mycomelichares polypori sp. nov. is adapted to the life in sporophores of the basidiomycete bracket fungus, Polyporus squamosus (Polyporaceae). Mites of this species can be abundantly found on the lower fertile surface of the fungus, including large spore-bearing pores. Furthermore, keys to the melicharid genera reported from Palaearct, and the species of the genus are provided.

A new wood-inhabiting mite species of the genus Dendroseius Karg, 1965 (Acari, Mesostigmata, Rhodacaridae) from Central Europe (Slovakia).

A new rhodacarid mite of the genus Dendroseius Karg, 1965, D. reductus sp. nov., was described based on females found in wood detritus and under bark of dead and dying poplar trees in a flood-plain forest in South Slovakia. The new species is unusual among the known congeners in the specifically formed triramous epistome of which the central projection is reduced in length, truncate, and markedly shorter than lateral ones. In other congeneric species, the anterior margin of the epistome possesses three pointed projections of similar size. A dichotomous key for identification of females of the world species classified in the genus Dendroseius is provided.

Review of the genus Holostaspis Kolenati, 1858 (Acari: Laelapidae).

Mites in the genus Holostaspis Kolenati, 1858 (Acari: Laelapidae) are usually found in association with ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). In this paper we review the genus based on examination of six species from Slovakia, namely H. ambigua sp. nov., H. collina (Huhta Karg, 2010), H. flexuosa (Michael, 1891) comb. nov., H. isotricha Kolenati, 1858, H. montana (Berlese, 1904) and H. oophila (Wasmann, 1897). We also carried out a careful study of the published work on Holostaspis and related genera, and examined types in the Berlese Acaroteca and other collections. Seven species previously described under the names Hypoaspis (Holostaspis) and Holostaspis are transferred to other genera-H. (H.) brevidentis Karg, 1978 = Pseudoparasitus brevidentis (Karg, 1978) comb. nov., H. (H.) chelaris Teng, Zhang Cui, 1992 = Euandrolaelaps chelaris (Teng, Zhang Cui, 1992) comb. nov., H. (H.) metapodalii Karg, 1978 = Gymnolaelaps metapodalii (Karg, 1978) comb. nov., H. mooni Keum, Jung Joharchi, 2017 = Hypoaspisella mooni (Keum, Jung Joharchi, 2017) comb. nov., H. (H.) serpentis Karg, 1979 = Hypoaspisella serpentis (Karg, 1979) comb. nov., H. (H.) tridentata Karg, 1979 = Gymnolaelaps tridentatus (Karg, 1979) comb. nov., and Holostaspis (Holostaspis) marginedentatus Trägårdh, 1910 is transferred to Glyptholaspis (Macrochelidae). Based on features of the type specimens (deposited at the Berlese Collection in Florence), the morphological concept of Myrmonyssus (Laelaspulus) acuminatus Berlese, 1903 is revised and the systematic status of the subgenus is re-evaluated. The monobasic Laelaspulus Berlese, 1904 is now removed from synonymy with Myrmozercon Berlese, 1902 and newly considered as a junior synonym of Holostaspis. Another four revised species, originally classified in Laelaps Koch, Myrmozercon Berlese or Hypoaspis Canestrini, are transferred into Holostaspis-L. flexuosa Michael, 1891 = Holostaspis flexuosa (Michael, 1891) comb. nov., M. iranicus Babaeian Nemati, 2014 = Holostaspis iranica (Babaeian Nemati, 2014) comb. nov., M. michaeli Joharchi, 2013 = Holostaspis michaeli (Joharchi, 2013) comb. nov., and H. submontana Bai, Gu Chen, 1994 = Holostaspis submontana (Bai, Gu Chen, 1994) comb. nov. A complete list of all species formerly classified in Holostaspis is presented, with details of their current placement. An identification key for the species now included in Holostaspis is also provided.

A new myrmecophilous mite species of the genus Cosmolaelaps Berlese, 1903 (Acari, Mesostigmata, Laelapidae) from Central Europe (Slovakia).

A new laelapid mite of the genus Cosmolaelaps Berlese, 1903, C. ekaterinae sp. n., is described based on female and male adults found in a mixed ant colony of Lasius umbratus (Nylander, 1846) infiltrated by another congeneric species, Lasius fuliginosus (Latreille, 1798). The new species is unusual for Cosmolaelaps in having dorsal setae that are particularly elongate and tapered. In addition to the new species description, we comment on the classification of some species that were recently included in Cosmolaelaps.

Macrocheles species (Acari: Macrochelidae) associated with human corpses in Europe.

The biology of macrochelid mites might offer new venues for the interpretation of the environmental conditions surrounding human death and decomposition. Three human corpses, one from Sweden and two from Spain, have been analysed for the occurrence of Macrochelidae species. Macrocheles muscaedomesticae (Scopoli) females were associated with a corpse that was found in a popular beach area of southeast Spain. Their arrival coincides with the occurrence of one of their major carrier species, the filth fly Fannia scalaris, the activity of which peaks during mid-summer. Macrocheles glaber (Müller) specimens were collected from a corpse in a shallow grave in a forest in Sweden at the end of summer, concurrent with the arrival of beetles attracted by odours from the corpse. Macrocheles perglaber Filipponi and Pegazzano adults were sampled from a corpse found indoors in the rural surroundings of Granada city, south Spain. The phoretic behaviour of this species is similar to that of M. glaber, but it is more specific to Scarabaeidae and Geotrupidae dung beetles, most of which favour human faeces. Macrocheles muscaedomesticae is known from urban and rural areas and poultry farms, M. glaber from outdoors, particularly the countryside, whereas M. perglaber is known from outdoor, rural, and remote, potentially mountainous locations. Macrocheles muscaedomesticae and M. perglaber are reported for the first time from the Iberian Peninsula. This is the first record of M. perglaber from human remains.

A new species and subgenus of Pachylaelaps Berlese from Turkey (Acari: Pachylaelapidae).

This paper reports on three interesting species of the mite family Pachylaelapidae from Turkey (Acari: Mesostigmata). A new subgenus Longipachys Masán Ó¦zbek, subgen. nov., with type species Pachylaelaps (Longipachylaelaps) anatolicus Ó¦zbek, is erected in the genus Pachylaelaps Berlese. The description of P. anatolicus is extended to include females and males found in leaf litter in various habitats. A new species Pachylaelaps (Pachylaelaps) armiger sp. nov. is described, and compared with related species that have a polydentate chelicera. Pachylaelaps (Pachylaelaps) evansi Costa, 1971, a species previously reported from Israel, is recorded in Turkey for the first time.

A morphological re-evaluation of Pachyseiushumeralis Berlese, 1910 (Acari, Mesostigmata, Pachylaelapidae).

Based on features of the lectotype and newly collected specimens from Italy (Boboli Gardens, Florence), a morphological concept of Pachyseiushumeralis Berlese, 1910 is revised and re-evaluated. New diagnostic character states important for recognition of the species are provided. A misidentified species, formerly widely published in Europe under the name P.humeralis, is established as a new species, Pachyseiussubhumeralis sp. n.

A revision of the family Ameroseiidae (Acari, Mesostigmata), with some data on Slovak fauna.

The family Ameroseiidae Evans, 1961 (Acari: Mesostigmata) includes a total of 12 valid and adequately described genera, namely Afrocypholaelaps Elsen, 1972, Ameroseiella Bregetova, 1977, Ameroseius Berlese, 1904, Asperolaelaps Womersley, 1956, Brontispalaelaps Womersley, 1956, Epicriopsis Berlese, 1916, Hattena Domrow, 1963, Kleemannia Oudemans, 1930, Neocypholaelaps Vitzthum, 1942, Pseudoameroseiusgen. n., Sertitympanum Elsen & Whitaker, 1985 and Sinoseius Bai & Gu, 1995. One of these genera includes subgenera, namely Kleemannia (Primoseius) Womersley, 1956. All genera are reviewed and re-diagnosed, and a dichotomous key is provided for their identification. Ameroseius (50 species), Kleemannia (28 species) and Neocypholaelaps (22 species) are the largest genera in the family. Ameroseiella, Kleemannia, Kleemannia (Primoseius) and Sinoseius are considered to be valid taxa and, in presented systematic classification, they are removed from synonymy with Ameroseius. The genus Pseudoameroseiusgen. n., with type species Ameroseius michaelangeli Moraza, 2006 (from Canary Islands), is newly erected to further refine broad primary concept of Ameroseius as understood by some former authors (Karg, Bregetova). Asperolaelaps is removed from synonymy with Neocypholaelaps. Three new species are here described, namely Ameroseius renataesp. n. (based on specimens from Slovakia), Kleemannia dolichochaetasp. n. (from Spain) and Kleemannia mirandasp. n. (from U.S.A.). The following new junior synonymies are proposed: Ameroseius apodius Karg, 1971 = Ameroseiella macrochelae (Westerboer, 1963); Ameroseius bregetovae Livshits & Mitrofanov, 1975 = Neocypholaelaps favus Ishikawa, 1968; Ameroseius chinensis Khalili-Moghadam & Saboori, 2016 = Ameroseius guyimingi Ma, 1997; Ameroseius crassisetosus Ye & Ma, 1993, Ameroseius qinghaiensis Li & Yang, 2000 and Ameroseius norvegicus Narita, Abduch & Moraes, 2015 = Ameroseius corbiculus (Sowerby, 1806); Ameroseius dubitatus Berlese, 1918 = Kleemannia plumosa (Oudemans, 1902); Ameroseius eumorphus Bregetova, 1977 and Kleemannia potchefstroomensis Kruger & Loots, 1980 = Kleemannia pseudoplumosa (Rack, 1972); Ameroseius gilarovi Petrova, 1986 = Kleemannia plumigera Oudemans, 1930; Ameroseius imparsetosus Westerboer, 1963 = Ameroseius georgei (Turk, 1943); Ameroseius lanatus Solomon, 1969 and Ameroseius fimetorum Karg, 1971 = Kleemannia tenella (Berlese, 1916); Ameroseius lanceosetis Livshits & Mitrofanov, 1975 = Kleemannia pavida (C. L. Koch, 1839); Ameroseius marginalis Fan & Li, 1993 and Ameroseius sichuanensis Fan & Li, 1993 = Kleemannia insignis (Bernhard, 1963); Ameroseius pseudofurcatus Livshits & Mitrofanov, 1975 = Ameroseius furcatus Karg, 1971; Ameroseius stramenis Karg, 1976 and Lasioseius (Lasioseius) gracilis Halbert, 1923 = Kleemannia delicata (Berlese, 1918); Epicriopsis langei Livshits & Mitrofanov, 1975 and Epicriopsis baloghi Kandil, 1978 = Epicriopsis palustris Karg, 1971; Epicriopsis rivus Karg, 1971 = Epicriopsis mirabilis Willmann, 1956; Neocypholaelaps ewae Haitlinger, 1987 = Neocypholaelaps indicus Evans, 1963; Neocypholaelaps lindquisti Prasad, 1968, Afrocypholaelaps ranomafanaensis Haitlinger, 1987 and Afrocypholaelaps analicullus Ho, Ma, Wang & Severinghaus, 2010 = Afrocypholaelaps africanus (Evans, 1963); Sinoseius pinnatus Huhta & Karg, 2010 = Sinoseius lobatus Bai, Gu & Fang, 1995. Ameroseius womersleyi Masán, is a replacement name proposed for Ameroseius ornatus Womersley, 1956, a junior secondary homonym of Cornubia ornata Turk, 1943 [= Ameroseius corbiculus (Sowerby, 1806)]. Cornubia georgei Turk, 1943 is removed from synonymy with Ameroseius corbiculus (Sowerby, 1806). An annotated catalogue of the world species of Ameroseiidae is provided, partly based on type (in more than 60 species) and non-type specimens from various museum deposits and personal collections, including new or revised material from Slovakia. It contains 206 named species (138 valid species, 37 synonyms, nine unrecognizable species, 15 species previously excluded from Ameroseiidae, and seven "nomina nuda"), with details of their authorship, synonyms, nomenclatural and bibliographic details, generic placement, and morphology. Altogether 23 new combinations are proposed. The genus Sertitympanum with Sertitympanum nodosum (Sheals, 1962) and two further species, namely Kleemannia kosi El-Badry, Nasr & Hafez, 1979 and Kleemannia parplumosa Nasr & Abou-Awad, 1986, are reported from Europe for the first time. New keys are given for identification of 37 species belonging to eight genera which have been found in Europe to date (Ameroseiella, Ameroseius, Epicriopsis, Kleemannia, Neocypholaelaps, Pseudoameroseiusgen. n., Sertitympanum and Sinoseius). All of these genera except Pseudoameroseius gen. nov. and Sertitympanum occur in Slovakia. So, the fauna of Slovakia includes six genera and 27 species, including ten first reports for the country.

Four new species of the subgenus Pachylaelaps (Longipachylaelaps) from Italy, with a new identification key to the known species (Acari: Pachylaelapidae).

The study presents descriptions of four new species of mites in the subgenus Pachylaelaps (Longipachylaelaps) Masán, 2007 (Acari, Pachylaelapidae), based on females and males collected in forest habitats from the Bergamasque Alps and Prealps, Northern Italy. The new species are P. (L.) abludens sp. nov., P. (L.) bergomensis sp. nov., P. (L.) marcovallei sp. nov., and P. (L.) pantinii sp. nov. New species identification keys are provided for males and females.

Two new species of Pachylaelaps Berlese, 1888 from the Iberian Peninsula, with a key to European species (Acari, Gamasida, Pachylaelapidae).

Pachylaelaps (Pachylaelaps) pyrenaicus sp. n. and Pachylaelaps (Longipachylaelaps) brevipilis sp. n. (Acari, Pachylaelapidae) are described and illustrated based on specimens from litter and soil detritus of forest habitats in Spain (Pyrenees Mts) and Portugal (Serra da Labruja Mts), respectively. An identification key to European species of the genus Pachylaelaps Berlese, 1888 is provided.

A new mite of the genus Alliphis Halbert, 1923 from Iran (Acari: Eviphididae), with a summary of the world fauna.

A new species of mite belonging to the genus Alliphis Halbert, 1923 is described from Iran. The description of Alliphis carinatus Masán & Babaeian, sp. nov., is based on females collected on an unidentified coprid beetle of the genus Copris Geoffroy, 1762. The new species is unusual in having a strongly sclerotised dorsal shield with longitudinally oriented ridges. Among the 37 species which are or have been included in the genus Alliphis, only 15 of them can be now reliably classified within the genus, excluding Alliphis siculus (Oudemans, 1905) and Alliphis transversus Halliday, 2010, which probably require the new genera. Alliphis halberti Ryke & Meyer, 1957, Alliphis serrochaetae Ramaraju & Mohanasundaram, 1996 and Alliphis trichiensis Ramaraju & Mohanasundaram, 1996, are newly transferred to Alloseius Masán & Halliday, 2009 (Eviphididae), Neopodocinum Oudemans, 1902 (Macrochelidae) and Copriphis Berlese, 1910 (Eviphididae), respectively.

The genus Pachyseius Berlese, 1910 in Iran (Acari: Pachylaelapidae).

A new pachylaelapid mite Pachyseius persicus Babaeian & Masán sp. nov. is described and illustrated, based on adult females collected from litter and soil detritus of forest habitat in Northern Iran (Mazandaran Province). The new species can be easily distinguished from the other congeners by the following female character states: (1) presternal shields absent; (2) sternal shield coarsely punctate-reticulate over entire surface; (3) ventrianal shield with four pairs of pre-anal setae; (4) post-stigmatic section of peritrematal shields terminally rounded, reaching slightly beyond the coxae IV; (5) exopodal shields II-III free, exopodal shields III-IV fused to posterior section of peritrematal shields; (6) idiosoma with 11 pairs of setae in soft integument; (7) trochanter I with five setae, tarsus II with three spur-like setae, tarsus IV with 17 setae. Two species of Pachyseius previously reported from Iran, namely Pachyseius angustus Hyatt, 1956 and Pachyseius humeralis Berlese, 1910, are reviewed and discussed, respectively, and both records are considered to be based on misidentifications.

A review of the ectoparasitic mites (Acari: Dermanyssoidea) associated with birds and their nests in Slovakia, with notes on identification of some species.

We review the parasitic mites of the superfamily Dermanyssoidea found in the nests of Slovakian domestic and wild birds (and a few mammals), compiled from new data and literature sources. Three mite genera are included, namely Dermanyssus Dugès (Dermanyssidae), Ornithonyssus Sambon and Pellonyssus Clark & Yunker (Macronyssidae), in which we recognised nine reliably documented species. Pellonyssus is represented by one species, Dermanyssus by five species, and Ornithonyssus by three species. We compiled information on the ecological requirements and host preferences of these mite species, including data on geographic distribution, altitudinal distribution, and occurrence in different habitats and nest types. An identification key to the species occurring in Slovakia is provided, together with taxonomic remarks on the identification and external morphology of some selected species. Parasitic mites have been reported from 119 taxa of Slovakian vertebrates (including man), of which 108 belong to 17 orders of birds. Dermanyssus americanus Ewing and Ornithonyssus bursa (Berlese) are reported from Slovakia for the first time. Examination of older voucher material collected in Slovakia revealed many misidentified specimens: the name Dermanyssus hirundinis (Hermann) has been widely used for misidentified specimens of Dermanyssus carpathicus Zeman; D. americanus was confused with D. hirundinis; while O. bursa has been confused with Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Canestrini & Fanzago). Slovakia is the second country in Europe with known occurrence of the genus Pellonyssus. 

A new genus and species of edaphic mite (Acari: esostigmata: Eviphididae) from Iran.

The new genus Pedoniphis gen. nov. (Acari: Mesostigmata: Eviphididae) is described from soil detritus in Sabalan Mountains, northwest Iran, with P. persicus sp. nov. as type species. Among known eviphidid genera, the new genus is the most similar to Scamaphis Karg and Scarabacariphis Masán and it can be distinguished especially by the dorsal chaetotaxy (setae J2 absent, setae J5 rudimentary) and the specific form of the peritrematal-dorsal scutal complex (peritrematal shields reduced; peritremes well developed, fused to lateral margins of dorsal shield).

Review of the mite family Pachylaelapidae (Acari: Mesostigmata).

The family Pachylaelapidae Berlese, 1913 (Acari: Mesostigmata) includes a total of 16 valid and adequately described genera, namely Chaetodellus Masán & Halliday, 2013, Elaphrolaelaps Berlese, 1910, Mirabulbus Liu & Ma, 2001, Neopachylaelaps Masán, 2007, Olopachys Berlese, 1910, Onchodellus Berlese, 1904, Pachydellus Masán, 2007, Pachyglobolaelaps Masán, new genus, Pachylaelaps Berlese, 1888, Pachylaelapsoides Masán, 2007, Pachyseiulus Moraza & Johnston, 1990, Pachyseius Berlese, 1910, Pachysphaerolaelaps Masán, 2007, Paralaelaps Trägårdh, 1908, Pseudopachys Berlese, 1916 and Sphaerolaelaps Berlese, 1903. Three of these genera include subgenera, namely Elaphrolaelaps (Incisosternum) Elsen, 1974, Olopachys (Olopachylaella) Masán, 2007 and Pachylaelaps (Longipachylaelaps) Masán, 2007.The family is classified here into three subfamilies, Pachyseiinae Karg, 1971 including Pachyseius and Mirabulbus; Pachyseiulinae Masán, 2007 including Pachyseiulus and Pseudopachys; and Pachylaelapinae Berlese, 1913, with all the other genera. Pachylaelapinae is further divided into three tribes, Pachylaelapini, Paralaelapini and Onchodellini. Almost half of the known genera are monotypic: Neopachylaelaps, Pachyglobolaelaps, Pachylaelapsoides, Pachyseiulus, Pachysphaerolaelaps, Pseudopachys and Sphaerolaelaps, while Onchodellus and Pachylaelaps are the largest genera in the family.Eleven genera that were provisionally classified as Pachylaelapidae cannot be reliably placed into a family on the basis of the available information, or have been incorrectly placed in the Pachylaelapidae: Actinoseius Berlese, 1916, Beaurieuia Oudemans, 1929, Brachylaelaps Berlese, 1910, Bulbogamasus Gu, Wang & Duan, 1991, Megalolaelaps Berlese, 1892, Meliponapachys Turk, 1948, Neoparasitus Oudemans, 1901, Pachylaella Berlese, 1916, Platylaelaps Berlese, 1905, Pseudolaelaps Berlese, 1916 and Zygoseius Berlese, 1916.New synonymies are established for Pseudoparasitus (Pseudopachys) parasitizans Berlese, 1916 (= Pseudopachyseiulus ignacii Moraza & Johnston, 1993) and Pseudopachys Berlese, 1916 (= Pseudopachyseiulus Moraza & Johnston, 1993). Brachylaelaps and Pachylaella are here considered as genera of Neoparasitidae and Macrochelidae respectively, rather than Pachylaelapidae. The genus Mirabulbus is redefined and transferred from Bulbogamasidae to Pachyseiinae. Paralaelaps and Elaphrolaelaps are provisionally placed together in the Pachylaelapinae and the new tribe Paralaelapini. Altogether 44 new combinations are proposed.Onchodellus slovacus Masán and Pachyglobolaelaps hallidayi Masán are introduced as new species. Masán (2007a) described these species but did not designate holotypes for them, so their names are not available from that date.Replacement names are proposed for five junior homonyms: (1) Onchodellus michaelcostai Masán & Halliday, replacement name for Pachylaelaps brevis Costa, 1971, junior homonym of Pachylaelaps brevis Berlese, 1920; (2) Onchodellus morazae Masán & Halliday, replacement name for Pachylaelaps minutus Moraza & Peña, 2005, junior homonym of Pachylaelaps minutus Oudemans, 1901; (3) Pachylaelaps atlanticus Masán & Halliday, replacement name for Pachylaelaps major Van Driel, Loots & Marais, 1977, junior homonym of Pachylaelaps (Paralaelaps) major Berlese, 1918; (4) Pachylaelaps schweizeri Masán & Halliday, replacement name for Pachylaelaps latus Schweizer, 1961, junior homonym of Pachylaelaps (Platylaelaps) latus Berlese, 1905; and (5) Pachylaelaps similis Masán & Halliday, replacement name for Pachylaelaps reticulata Hafez & Nasr, 1982, junior homonym of Pachylaelaps (Onchodellus) reticulatus Berlese, 1904.We provide a catalogue of the world species of Pachylaelapidae, which includes 253 named species (including synonyms), with details of their authorship, synonyms, nomenclatural and bibliographic details and generic placement. 

Loricaseius lepontinus gen. nov., sp. nov., a new genus and species of eviphidid mite from the Italian Alps (Acari: Mesostigmata), with an updated key to European genera of the family Eviphididae.

A new monotypic genus and a new free-living edaphic species of the family Eviphididae, Loricaseius lepontinus gen. nov., sp. nov., are described on the basis of adults and deutonymphs collected from litter detritus in the Italian Lepontine Alps (Piemonte, Val d'Ossola). The new genus is characterized by a widened and truncate idiosomal vertex with widely spaced setae j2, peritrematal shields extensively expanded laterally in adult stages, narrowed intercoxal region, tarsus I dorsally concave, and strong sexual dimorphism of some secondary sexual characters (dorsal sculpture, posteroventral sclerotization of soft integument, shape of anal shield, opisthogastric and posterodorsal chaetotaxy). Also, the female's anal shield is surrounded by a large area of strongly sclerotized skin that resembles a ventri-anal shield, with well-developed anterolateral extensions projecting between the dorsal and peritrematal shields, and posteriorly and laterally fused with the dorsal shield. We show that this may be an unusual type of age-related secondary sclerotization unknown in the family. An updated key to European genera of the family is presented.

Proctolaelaps euserratus, an ecologically unusual melicharid mite (Acari, Mesostigmata) associated with animal and human decomposition.

Proctolaelaps euserratus Karg, 1994 (Acari, Mesostigmata, Melicharidae), exclusivelly known from the Galápagos Islands till now, is newly reported from decaying matter of animal and human decomposition in various countries of Europe (Slovakia, Spain, United Kingdom). In consequence of high levels of necrophilia, the species is considered to be ecologically unusual among the other melicharids, which are primary associated with other than necrophilic habitats, such as galleries of subcorticolous beetles, bumble bee nests, flowers, etc. Proctolaelaps euserratus is reviewed, morphologically re-described (with first diagnostic characters for males), and considered as a new potential marker for later stages of decomposition, namely butyric fermentation and dry decomposition as classified in modern concepts of forensic acarology.

Mites parasitic on Australasian and African spiders found in the pet trade; a redescription of Ljunghia pulleinei Womersley.

Parasitic mites associated with spiders are spreading world-wide through the trade in tarantulas and other pet species. Ljunghia pulleinei Womersley, a mesostigmatic laelapid mite originally found in association with the mygalomorph spider Selenocosmia stirlingi Hogg (Theraphosidae) in Australia, is redescribed and illustrated on the basis of specimens from the African theraphosid spider Pterinochilus chordatus (Gerstäcker) kept in captivity in the British Isles (Wales). The mite is known from older original descriptions of Womersley in 1956; the subsequent redescription of Domrow in 1975 seems to be questionable in conspecificity of treated specimens with the type material. Some inconsistencies in both descriptions are recognised here as intraspecific variability of the studied specimens. The genus Arachnyssus Ma, with species A. guangxiensis (type) and A. huwenae, is not considered to be a valid genus, and is included in synonymy with Ljunghia Oudemans. A new key to world species of the genus Ljunghia is provided.