In this work, we describe abnormalities in adults of Amblyomma mixtum, Amblyomma naponense, Amblyomma cf. oblongoguttatum and Amblyomma tapirellum of Costa Rica. General anomalies manifested as body asymmetry, nanism, and gigantism, while local anomalies occurred in the legs, festoons, anal pore and spiracle. These are the firsts mention of abnormalities in ticks from Costa Rica.

Seeds from the cocoa tree, Theobroma cacao L. (Malvaceae), make up the raw materials for cocoa which is used to produce chocolate. In Peru, cocoa is produced mainly by smallholder farmers under a small-scale agriculture model. During March and September 2020, surveys of organic smallholding farms were conducted in four Districts of the Department of Piura in northwestern Peru. Three species of the family Tuckerellidae (peacock mites) were collected and identified from this region in Peru: namely Tuckerella ornata (Tucker), Tu. pavoniformis (Ewing), and Tu. knorri Baker & Tuttle. In this article, we report the presence of peacock mites affecting cocoa crops in Peru for the first time. The populations of peacock mites found in the cocoa trees were considerable and causing significant fruit damage. A key to the species of Tuckerella found in cocoa is presented.

Three new aturid species are described and illustrated from China: Woolastookia allobasilicalabricasp. nov., and Paraxonopsis suturasp. nov. in the Axonopsinae, and Aturus jixiensissp. nov. in the Aturinae. The genus Paraxonopsis is a newly recorded genus for the Chinese fauna. Woolastookia allobasilicalabricasp. nov. is the third species and Aturus jixiensissp. nov. is the second species in their respective genera from China. A key to the Chinese fauna of Aturidae is provided in this paper. Meanwhile, the diagnosis of Paraxonopsis is revised.

Parameters that describe foraging behavior play a key role in selection of natural enemies used in biological control programs. These parameters are greatly affected by patch condition and food source type. This study was carried out to evaluate foraging behavior in Neoseiulus barkeri (Hughes) (Acari: Phytoseiidae), a predatory mite of Tetranychus urticae Koch under different patch and diet conditions. The predation rate of N. barkeri at different egg and nymph densities of T. urticae (2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128) was investigated in both limited and unlimited patches either in the presence or absence of pollen as an additional food source under laboratory conditions. A Type II functional response was determined for N. barkeri on eggs or nymphs of T. urticae in both unlimited and limited patches. The type of functional response was not affected by presence or absence of pollen. The numerical response, in terms of eggs laid, increased curvilinear with increasing prey density. The numerical response was similar in shape to a Type II functional response. The efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI) of female N. barkeri decreased in all treatments when prey density increased. The type of patch (limited or unlimited) and prey stage (egg or nymph in the presence or absence of pollen) can affect searching efficiency (a) and handling time (T_h) (functional response) as well as daily fecundity and ECI (numerical response) of the phytoseiid predator mite, N. barkeri with implications for its use in biological control.

A new species of the genus MixonychusRyke & Meyer, 1960 (Acari: Trombidiformes: Tetranychidae), namely Mixonychus (Tylonychus) religiosaesp. nov. is described and illustrated based on females, deutonymphs, protonymphs and male collected from Ficus religiosa L. (Moraceae) in Southern of Iran (Kerman Province). This is the first report of Mixonychus (Tylonychus) from Palearctic area.

A new species of the family Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata), Neoseiulus cunhaensis Döker & Ueckermann sp. nov. is described from female specimens. In addition, a key to the species of the paspalivorus species group in the genus Neoseiulus Hughes is presented.

The oribatid mite genus Mucrobates (Oribatida, Scheloribatidae) is revised, based on type species (Mucrobates fissuratus) and one new species (Mucrobates cayoaguaensissp. nov.) which is described from leaf litter in Panama. The new species differs from the type species by the smaller body size, the presence of triangular carina at the lateral margin of the coxisternum, and the absence of pedotectum II. New diagnosis for Mucrobates is proposed and the correctness and value of some morphological generic traits (e.g. number of ventral lyrifissures; structure of pedotectum II; leg tibia thorn-like process) are discussed, resulting in the following proposals: status of Mucrobates is supported, it differs mostly from the related genera in Oripodoidea by having strong anterodorsal thorn-like process on leg tibiae III and IV. The species Mucrobates microsetosusErmilov & Kalúz, 2012 is removed from Mucrobates and included in the subgenus Scheloribates (Hemileius).

A new species and three new records of oribatid mites collected from soil/litter samples of Malappuram Dt. of Kerala, South India, are studied. Indoribates (Indoribates) irumbuzhiensissp. nov. shares some morphological similarities with I. (I.) hauseri (Mahunka, 1997) and I.(I.) crassisetiger (Fukuyama & Aoki, 2000) described from Borneo and China respectively. However, the larger body size, smooth rostral setae, straight interlamellar setae, long and smooth notogastral setae, barbed/ciliate nature of genital setae, g₄ and g₅, distally pointed anal and adanal setae, and presence of basiventral tooth on tibia I and II keep its identity separate from the above two species. Identification key to all known species of subgenus Indoribates (Indoribates) is provided. The paper also include three new records of oribatid mites from India viz. Gibbicepheus (Gibbicepheus) kanekoi (Aoki 1958), Yoshiobodes (Yoshiobodes) camerunensis Fernández, Theron, Leiva & Tiedt.,2017 and Eupelops intermedius (Hammer, 1979), of which, Y. (Y) camerunensis is new record for the Oriental Region and first record of the genus from India.

A new oribatid mite subgenus, Parabelbella (Paradyobelba) subgen. nov. (Oribatida, Damaeidae), characterized by unusual tubercular anterior propodolateral apophyse PA in combination with tubercular apophyses P, Sa and Sp, with type species Parabelbella (Paradyobelba) elchacoensissp. nov., is proposed and described from Ecuador. The relations between genera Parabelbella and Dyobelba are discussed on the background of two major lineages within Dameidae. Parabelbella dimidiaspina Xie, Yan & Yang, 2013 is recombined in Dyobelba.

Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) is a notorious crop pest with a worldwide distribution that has developed resistance to a wide range of acaricides. Combined tactics of pest management have special significance not only for a reduction in pesticide residues but also to maintain the natural enemy activity, which is an objective of IPM programs. Here, we investigated the effect of low-lethal concentrations of bifenazate at LC₁₀, LC₂₀, and LC₃₀ on development and reproduction parameters of Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae). Lethal and sub-lethal concentrations were estimated using leaf dip bioassay method. The crude data were analyzed based on age-stage, two-sex life table analysis. Toxicological assays showed bifenazate treatments gradually decreased the longevity and total life span of both sexes. Our results indicated that reproductive and total fecundity of the next generation were also affected by sublethal concentrations. All concentrations caused a significant decline in oviposition days, compared to the control. The intrinsic rate of increase (r_m) varied from 0.1344 to 0.1151 day^-1 for the mites treated with distilled water and LC₃₀ treatments, respectively. The finite rate of increase (λ) was affected by the acaricide concentration (lowest at LC₃₀ concentration: 1.1221 day^-1). Bifenazate concentration (LC₁₀, LC₂₀ and LC₃₀) treatments gradually reduced the gross reproduction rate (GRR) and net reproductive rate (R₀). Based on obtained results from current study, bifenazate is not a favorable acaricide with A. swiriskii and cannot be recommended to use with this predatory mite in integrated management.

The oribatid mite family Hungarobelbidae is widely distributed in the northern hemisphere, but has been represented by only two genera and eight known species. Herein, we propose a remarkable new species, Hungarobelba nortonroyisp. nov. based on adults from western USA, exhibiting curious mixtures of character states of both genera of this family, Costeremus and Hungarobelba. Based on available data, we assess current views of the family-level classification of Costeremus rejecting its placement in Damaeolidae, and a close relationship is suggested between Costeremus and Hungarobelba. Also, recent transfer of the damaeid genus Tokukobelba to Hungarobelbidae is reversed, as there are no synapomorphies linking the latter two taxa. Furthermore, a brief note on habitat ecology and biogeography of hitherto know species is given, and a key for the identification of adults of the known genera and species of Hungarobelbidae in the world, is provided.