Going Asexual: A Survey of Mites of the Genus Thyreophagus (Acari: Acaridae) Revealing a Large Number of New Parthenogenetic Species in the Holarctic Region.

Mites of the genus Thyreophagus (Acari: Acaridae) are distributed worldwide; they inhabit concealed habitats and include several beneficial and economically important species. However, species identification is difficult because many species are poorly described or delimited and their phoretic stages are unknown or uncorrelated. Furthermore, Thyreophagus is interesting because it includes entirely asexual (parthenogenetic) species. However, among the 34 described species of Thyreophagus, the asexual status is confirmed through laboratory rearing for only two species. Here, we provide detailed descriptions of five new species from North America (four) and Europe (one) based on adults and phoretic heteromorphic deutonymphs. Four of these species were asexual, while one was sexual. For most of these mites, the asexual status was confirmed and phoretic deutonymphs were obtained through rearing in the lab. We show that asexual mites retain seemingly functional copulatory and sperm storage systems, indicating that these lineages have relatively short evolutionary lifespans. One North American species, Thyreophagus ojibwe, was found in association with the native American chestnut Castanea dentata, suggesting a possibility that this mite can be used to control chestnut blight in North America. We also provide a diagnostic key to females, males, and heteromorphic deutonymphs of the Thyreophagus species in the world.

Thyreophagus tauricus sp. n., a New Subcortical Mite Species (Acari: Acaridae), with a COX1 DNA Sequence Analysis of Several Economically Important Species of Thyreophagus.

As part of a survey of the subcortical astigmatic mites of Crimea, we discovered a new sexual acarid species, Thyreophagus tauricus sp. n. This species was cultured in the laboratory to correlate the adult and deutonymphal stages. Using specimens obtained by these rearing experiments, we provide a detailed description of Th. tauricus (light microscopy, SEM) based on females, males and heteromorphic deutonymphs. Furthermore, to facilitate molecular identification, the entire COX1 gene was also sequenced for this and three other Palearctic species reared in the lab as pure cultures. Adults of Th. tauricus sp. n. are distinct among all other species of the genus by the presence of flattened, button-shaped or minute spiniform setae s III and IV, which are well-developed spiniform in all other known species of Thyreophagus. Heteromorphic deutonymphs of Th. tauricus are distinct from all other species of Thyreophagus by the presence of well-developed setae cm on the dorsal part of the subcapitular remnant (absent all other species). Th. tauricus is morphologically very similar to Th. corticalis; however, COX1 K2P distances between these two species were large, 19.8%. COX1 K2P distances between Th. tauricus and other species (Th. entomophagus, Th. "entomophagus" NC 066986.1, Th. calusorum, Th. corticalis) ranged between 20.1 and 24.3%. We show that the GenBank sequence of Th. "entomophagus" from China (NC 066986.1) was probably misidentified.

Taxonomic contribution to the knowledge of Galumnidae (Acari, Oribatida, Galumnidae) from Cuba.

The present study is based on galumnid mites (Oribatida, Galumnidae) collected from leaf litter of two mixed forests in Cuba; six species from three genera are identified. Three new species-Pergalumna (Pergalumna) cienfuegosensis sp. nov., P. (P.) foveolatostriata sp. nov. and Galumna (G.) gigantea sp. nov.-are described. Allogalumna brevisetosa (Bayartogtokh & Weigmann, 2005) is recorded in the Neotropical region for the first time; P. (P.) obvia (Berlese, 1914) is recorded in Cuba for the first time.

Beyond the Limits of Light: An Application of Super-Resolution Confocal Microscopy (sCLSM) to Investigate Eocene Amber Microfossils.

Amber is known as one of the best sources of fossil organisms preserved with exceptional fidelity. Historically, different methods of imaging have been applied to amber, including optical microscopy and microtomography. These methods are sufficient to resolve millimeter-scaled fossils. However, microfossils, such as microarthropods, require another resolution. Here, we describe a non-destructive method of super resolution confocal microscopy (sCLSM) to study amber-preserved microfossils, using a novel astigmatid mite species (genus Histiogaster, Acaridae) from Eocene Rovno amber as a model. We show that the resolution obtained with sCLSM is comparable to that of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) routinely used to study modern mites. We compare sCLSM imaging to other methods that are used to study amber inclusions and emphasize its advantages in examination of unique fossil specimens. Furthermore, we show that the deterioration of amber, which manifests in its darkening, positively correlates with its increased fluorescence. Our results demonstrate a great potential of the sCLSM method for imaging of the tiniest organisms preserved in amber.

Contribution to knowledge of the oribatid mite genus Symbioribates (Acari, Oribatida, Symbioribatidae), with descriptions of two new arboreal species from Vietnam.

The family Symbioribatidae is recorded in Vietnam for the first time. Two new arboreal species of SymbioribatesS. bimorphus sp. nov. and S. tripartitus sp. nov.are described, based on adults (males and females) collected from tree branches of Dipterocarpus alatus in Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam; the former species is sexually dimorphic, the latter species is the first non-sexually dimorphic representative within the genus. The generic diagnosis is presented. An identification key, distribution and habitats to the known representatives of Symbioribates are provided.

First records of cave-dwelling pseudoscorpions of the genus Ephippiochthonius Beier, 1930 (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones: Chthoniidae) from the Caucasus, with description of three new species from Abkhazia and taxonomic comments on the genus.

Three new hypogean Ephippiochthonius species from karst caves of Abkhazia (Western Caucasus) are described, including detailed diagnoses and illustrations: Ephippiochthonius kovali sp. nov., E.vargovitshi sp. nov. and E.dbari sp. nov. These are the first cave-dwelling species of the genus described from the Caucasus. The taxonomic significance of the position of the intermediate setae ih3 and ih4 on the antiaxial side of chelal hand in the genus Ephippiochthonius is discussed. Based on this and other features, the heterogeneity of the tetrachelatus-group is demonstrated. Given the presence of seta ph3, the following new combinations are proposed for the species formerly assigned to Ephippiochthonius: Occidenchthonius kemza (uri, Lee et Makarov, 1993) comb. nov. from Pecina u Kozuvarskoj Glami Cave, Serbia and Occidenchthonius romanicus (Beier, 1935) comb. nov. from Comana, Romania (all ex Ephippiochthonius).

Ontogenetic instars of the oribatid mite Spatiodamaeus kalugaensis sp. nov. (Acari, Oribatida, Damaeidae) from Russia.

A new species of the genus Spatiodamaeus (Oribatida, Damaeidae) is described from Russia, based on adult and juvenile instars collected from bark of Acer platanoides and soil-litter of mixed and broadleaf forests in European part of Russia and Western Siberia. The adult of Spatiodamaeus kalugaensis sp. nov. is similar to S. nortoni (Bayartogtokh, 2004) comb. nov. in having epimeral neotrichy but differs from the latter by the presence of the parastigmatic tubercle Sa, the form of the parastigmatic tubercle Sp and the notogastral setae c1, c2, and the barbulation of the rostral, epimeral, anogenital, and notogastral setae of p-series. Comparisons between juvenile instars of the new species and the known juveniles of Spatiodamaeus and Epidamaeus are presented.

The pseudoscorpions of the Caucasian Sphagnum bogs: part I. Description of Neobisium (Neobisium) adjaricum sp. nov. and redescription of the holotype of N. (N.) vilcekii Krumpál, 1983 (Arachnida, Pseudoscorpiones, Neobisiidae).

A new species of pseudoscorpions, Neobisium (Neobisium) adjaricumsp. nov., is described and diagnosed. It was collected in the Sphagnum habitats of Ispani lowland mires in Transcaucasia (Republic of Adjara, Georgia). The habitat of N. (N.) adjaricumsp. nov. is described. The holotype of N. (N.) vilcekii Krumpál, 1983, a species most similar morphologically to N. (N.) adjaricumsp. nov., known from the North Caucasus (Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, Russia), is redescribed. Diagnostic characters of the relative Caucasian species of the subgenus Neobisium Chamberlin, 1930 are analysed.

Taxonomy of European Damaeidae (Acari, Oribatida) XI. European species of the genus Piribelba Miko 2021: redescriptions of P. rossica (Bulanova-Zachvatkina, 1957) and P. piriformis (Mihelcic, 1964) using morphology and DNA sequence data.

Two closely related species of the genus Piribelba (Oribatida, Damaeidae) are redescribed based on morphology of adults and developmental instars. Redescription of P. rossica (Bulanova-Zachvatkina, 1957) is based on specimens collected in Russia, including specimens identified by Bulanova-Zachvatkina; redescription of P. piriformis (Mihelcic, 1964) is based on specimens collected in Europe, including Mihelcic's types. COX1 sequence barcoding of P. piriformis and P. rossica indicated that they are distinct species, having 12.0% uncorrected p-distances and 13.3% Kimura two-parameter distances (K2P). Based on the morphological and genetical differences, the synonymy of P. rossica and P. piriformis is rejected. A key to known species of Piribelba is provided.

Zetorchestes krisperi sp. nov. (Acari: Oribatida: Zetorchestidae) from Vietnam, with juvenile morphology and identification key to known species of the genus.

The description of a new species of oribatid mites (Oribatida) of the family ZetorchestidaeZetorchestes krisperi sp. nov.is proposed based on adult and tritonymph specimens collected from rainforest soil of Bi Dup-Nui Ba National Park (southern Vietnam). We also review the distinguishing characteristics for Zetorchestes species and present an identification key to Zetorchestes species of the world. Diagnostic features of Zetorchestes nymphs are discussed.

A new genus and two new species of Tarsonemidae (Acari: Heterostigmata) associated with bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) from Peru.

A new genus and species, Unguitarsonemus paradoxus n. gen., n. sp. and a new species, Pseudotarsonemoides peruviensis n. sp. (Acari: Trombidiformes: Tarsonemidae), are described based on phoretic females collected on bark beetles Phloeotribus pilula and Ph. biguttatus, respectively, from Peru. A key to species of the genus Pseudotarsonemoides is provided.

The cave-dwelling false scorpion genus Pseudoblothrus Beier, 1931 (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones: Syarinidae) in the Crimean Peninsula.

Based on morphological and molecular studies of material from caves in three karst regions of Crimea, the small, apparently relictual, Euro-Mediterranean and Macaronesian false scorpion genus Pseudoblothrus Beier, 1931 is shown to contain only one troglobiont species there, P. roszkovskii (Redikorzev, 1918), of which P. ljovuschkini Krumpál, 1984 and Obisium tauricum Lebedev, 1927 are junior subjective synonyms. A detailed redescription of the adults and tritonymph of P. roszkovskii is provided, together with phylogenetic and zoogeographical analyses.

Taxonomy of European Damaeidae (Acari: Oribatida) VII. Redescription of Neobelba pseudopapillipes Bulanova-Zachvatkina, 1967 with comments on its generic status.

We redescribe Neobelba pseudopapillipes Bulanova-Zachvatkina, 1967, single known species of Neobelba Bulanova-Zachvatkina, 1967, based on the material collected in Russia and Slovakia. The species shares many important characters of Metabelba Grandjean, 1936, particularly of the subgenus M. (Pateribelba) Mourek, Miko et Bernini, 2011. It can be easily distinguished by presence of companion seta d, coupled with solenidion on tibia IV. As the original material of Bulanova-Zachvatkina was lost, neotype and 14 paraneotypes from Voronezh region, Russia are newly designated. Based on the neotype redescription, Neobelba was re-defined and the new status was proposed. Synonymy with Metabelba s. str. as proposed by Subías (2013) is rejected, and Neobelba is considered to be a separate subgenus of Metabelba, as earlier proposed by Subías (2004). Present distribution of Metabelba (Neobelba) pseudopapillipes (Bulanova-Zachvatkina, 1967) and known ecological data on the species are provided.