A new species of the genus Isomira Mulsant, 1856, I. aliquoi sp. nov., is described from the island of Cyprus. It is compared to all its relatives of the Eastern Mediterranean Basin.

The adult and larval stages of a scale insect predator, Sticholotis ruficeps Weise, 1902 are described and illustrated. Sticholotis madagassa Weise, 1909 and Mesopilo soufrierensis Duverger, 2001 are synonyms of S. ruficeps (new synonyms). S. ruficeps has been used in biocontrol programs against various scale insects and it is here recorded from USA (Hawaii), Guadeloupe, Madagascar, Mascarene and Mauritius (Réunion Islands), Singapore, Indonesia, New Caledonia, Australia (Christmas and Cocos-Keeling Islands) and Cook Islands.

The genus Chujochilus Sasaji from China is reviewed. The following two species are described as new to science: C. sagittatus sp. nov. and C. parisensis sp. nov. A diagnosis of the genus and a key to known species are provided.

Eight new species of the tribe Megapenthini from the Indonesian island Sulawesi are described and illustrated: Abelater bosi sp. nov., A. buechei sp. nov., A. dongalaensis sp. nov., A. jakubi sp. nov., Cateanus sulawesiensis sp. nov., Friedrichiellus bosi sp. nov., Simodactylus saetosus sp. nov., and Xanthopenthes dongalaensis sp. nov. New records of further eight species of the tribe Megapenthini from Sulawesi are given. Abelater brandti Schimmel, 2004, and A. jaechi Schimmel, 2004 are recorded from this island for the first time.

The paper contains some remarks on the genus Pseudaoria Jacoby, 1908, a key to determining of all known species and the description of a new species Pseudoaoria petri sp. nov. from Sichuan.

The genus Calvarium Pic is redescribed and morphological characters discussed. A catalogue of the world species is presented and several new combinations are proposed. Indiocyphon Pic is regarded as a junior synonym of Calvarium Pic. Calvarium maxi Pic is designated the type species of Calvarium Pic. Calvarium inimpressum Pic, 1955 and Calvarium semiobscurum concoloripenne Pic, 1953 are junior synonyms of Calvarium latithorax (Pic, 1950). Several species are transferred from Cyphon to Calvarium: Calvarium carolinense (Blair) comb. nov., C. cautum (Klausnitzer) comb. nov., C. dentatum (Klausnitzer) comb. nov., C. foncki (Pic) comb. nov., C. fouqueti (Pic) comb. nov., C. gredleri (Klausnitzer) comb. nov., C. hashimotorum (Yoshitomi) comb. nov., C. johorense (Yoshitomi et Satô) comb. nov., C. latithorax (Pic) comb. nov., C. longior (Yoshitomi et Satô) comb. nov., C. notabile (Yoshitomi et Satô) comb. nov., C. paui (Pic) comb. nov., C. primitum (Klausnitzer) comb. nov., C. rotundatum (Klausnitzer) comb. nov., C. rufopacum (Klausnitzer) comb. nov., C. samuelsoni (Yoshitomi et Satô) comb. nov., C. sulawesicum (Yoshitomi et Satô) comb. nov., C. takahashii (Yoshitomi et Satô) comb. nov. Two species are transferred from Calvarium to Cyphon: Cyphon massarti (Pic) comb. nov. and C. semiobscurum (Pic) comb. nov.

Two new species of the genus Nazeris Fauvel collected from Meihuashan Nature Reserve, Fujian Province, are described under the names of N. fujianensis sp. nov. and N. xuiwangi sp. nov. The male sexual characters are described and illustrated.

Rearing of larvae from eggs deposited by adults in laboratory proved Pilosoma pluto Southcott, 1961 (based on larva) and Fessonia papillosa (Hermann, 1804) (based on adult) to be conspecific. Clipeosoma, Southcott, 1961 (larva) and Hirstiosoma (Berlese, 1887) (adult) are congeneric. The validity of Hirstiosoma latreillei (Grandjean, 1947) is confirmed, the larva of Hirstiosoma, ampulligera Berlese, 1887 is described for the first time. Data on egg development and nutrition of postlarval instars are provided. Causal reasoning for the exclusion of Phanolophinae from Smarididae is provided.

One new species of the ptyctimous mite Microtritia pinarensis sp. nov. is described from Cuba. Some morphological notes about some known species — Mesotritia maerkeli Sheals, 1965, Mesotritia nova Starý, 1992, Indotritia nuda Mahunka, 1988, Euphthiracarus (Pocsia) microseta (Starý, 1993) and Microtritia glabrata, Starý, 1993 — are given.

The morphology of juvenile stages of the oribatid mites Pedrocortesella africana Pletzen, 1963 and Aleurodamaeus africanus Mahunka, 1984 is described and illustrated. The juveniles of Pedrocortesella africana are characterized by: cuticle with reticular ornamentation and folds; body with microgranular cerotegument; prodorsal setae leaf-shaped, sensilli petiolate, tuberculate blades with a rounded distal margin; gastronotic region flat; larva and nymphs with nine pairs of leaf-shaped gastronotic setae; scalps folded, larval scalp with seven pairs of setae, nymphal scalps with six pairs of setae; leg famulus sunken. The juveniles of Aleurodamaeus africanus are characterized by: cuticle smooth; body with filamentous cerotegument and with very not numerous granules; prodorsal setae setiform (except short interlamellar setae in nymphs); gastronotic region convex in lateral aspect; larva and nymphs with 12 of setiform gastronotic setae; scalps with reticular ornamentation, larval scalp with nine pairs of setae, nymphal scalps with ten pairs of setae; leg famulus emergent. The comparative analysis between known juveniles in Plateremaeoidea and Gymnodamaeoidea are given.

We described Machadobelba shtanchaevae sp. nov. and Microtegeus khaustovi sp. nov., collected in Bale Mountains National Park (Africa, Ethiopia). The first new species is similar to Machadobelba symmetrica Balogh, 1958 (Distribution: Africa, Congo) and to Machadobelba ceylonica Balogh, 1970 (Asia, Sri Lanka), but differs from the former species by body size, length of costulae and length of notogastral setae, and from the latter species by body size, morphology of cristae and position of adanal setae ad3. Microtegeus khaustovi sp. nov. is similar to Microtegeus variabilis Mahunka, 1988 (Africa, Tanzania) and Microtegeus rugosus Mahunka, 1982 (Africa, Ethiopia), but differs from the former species by body size, number of prodorsal tubercles, length of notogastral setae c, and morphology of the notogaster; from the latter species it differs by morphology of lamellar setae, the number of prodorsal tubercles, and morphology of the notogaster.

The results of experimental rearing of Neotrombicula inopinata and Leptotrombidium russicum and of field studies aiming at finding the hitherto unknown habitats occupied by active postlarval forms are presented. Diagnoses of deutonymphs reared from field-collected larvae of both species are provided. Literature interpretation of deutonymph of N. inopinata is inconsistent with the characteristics of deutonymph of N. inopinata obtained from larvae by experimental rearing. Larvae of L. russicum and L. silvaticum can be separated only on the base of host spectrum. Considering the biology of the parasite and host species, it is likely that postlarval forms of bat-parasitizing species may be confined to tree and cave habitats, whereas those species that are known as parasites of rodents inhabit the soil habitats.

Hitherto data on ecological relations between terrestrial Parasitengona mites and ants are summarized and supplemented with the characteristics of two observed cases, which confirm the specific feeding adaptations of some Erythraeidae. Altogether, 21 species representing six Parasitengona families have been recorded as displaying permanent, temporary or accidental relationship with ants. Of those only the parasitic larvae of Forania mentonensis (André, 1929), F. sendrai Mayoral et Barranco, 2010, Makolia crimeaensis Saboori, Khaustov et Hakimitabar, 2009, Leptus clarki Southcott, 1989 and L. debeauforti (Oudemans, 1905) may be regarded as specialists. The verified diagnosis of M. crimeaensis, based on the material originating from Crimea (Ukraine) is proposed.

Balaustium murorum (Hermann, 1804) is redescribed. Characteristics of active postlarval forms and first characteristics of larvae, supplemented with data on biology of the species, are provided. Female of B. murorum, from which larvae were obtained by experimental rearing, has been designated as neotype. Key characters, hitherto used by different authors in order to distinguish between members of Balaustium are discussed. Seventeen species known from larvae are presently assigned to Balaustium, at the total number of 41 members of the genus known worldwide.

Trischidothrombium discrepans (Willmann, 1950) is redescribed basing on postlarval instars. The larva of the genus is described for the first time. Data on habitat specificity and phenology of the species as well as on larval developmental time are given. A female, from which larvae were obtained by experimental rearing, has been designated as neotype. The distribution of the genus, hitherto known from Austria and Hungary, is extended for Poland. The phylogenetic position of Trischidothrombium within the Microtrombidiidae is discussed.

Vestia gulo and V. turgida are iteroparous simultaneous hermaphrodites. In the wild they are active from April till October; they reproduce in the spring and summer (egg retention from May to August), and hibernate from November till March. Their gonads show the greatest activity in the spring and summer (maturation of oocytes, intensive vitellogenesis: March–May, numerous mature oocytes: May–July; production and maturation of spermatozoa: March–May; numerous packets of mature spermatozoa: May–October), which coincides with the reproductive season. The onset of reproduction is determined by the size of the pool of vitellogenic and mature oocytes; oocyte production starts in the summer of the previous vegetation season and lasts till next spring. Mature spermatozoa are present in the gonad from spring till autumn which indicates an ability to mate during the whole active period. During hibernation the gonads contain no spermatids, mature spermatozoa or advanced vitellogenic oocytes.