A number of genera of Histiostomatidae inhabit phytotelmata, being found fully submerged and filtering organic matter from the fluid. One such phytotelm habitat is the fluid-filled pitchers of species of Nepenthes, a carnivorous plant genus widely distributed in the Old World tropics. As in most histiostomatid species, males of Nepenthes-inhabiting mites seek out tritonymphal females and guard them from other males, a behavior termed “precopulatory mate-guarding”. Upon ecdysis of the tritonymph to adult, mating takes place. Successful mate-guarding prevents other males from gaining access to a virgin female and helps ensure the guarding male's paternity of any resultant offspring.

While most Nepenthes-inhabiting genera are ambulatory, walking about on decomposing arthropods in the pitchers, species of the genus Creutzeria are natatory and propel themselves through the fluid using legs greatly modified for this purpose. Males of purely ambulatory species typically climb onto the dorsum of a tritonymphal female and firmly clasp her idiosoma with their legs. Some species do not move about on their own accord, but rely on the female to carry them. In others, two pairs of legs are used for clutching the female; the other two pairs are very long, thereby allowing the male to walk about while holding the securely clasped female off the substrate. Swimming is a more laborious task, especially since the male must propel not only himself through the fluid but also the female. The mate-guarding behavior of Creutzeria spp. was studied by direct observation under a stereomicroscope and from videos filmed through a stereomicroscope. In addition, phase contrast and scanning electron microscopy were used to examine the morphological adaptations associated with mateguarding and mating. Legs I of males are greatly modified for clasping a tritonymphal female during mateguarding and legs III and IV for swimming. Legs II are a morphological compromise, being used for swimming as well as for grasping the substrate for resting when legs I are occupied with a female.

Temperature is the main abiotic factor influencing the performance of natural enemies. The effect of temperature on the developmental rate of Phytoseius plumifer (Canestrini & Fanzago), feeding on Tetranychus urticae Koch, was determined at seven constant temperatures of 15, 20, 25, 27, 30, 35 and 37°C. Eggs did not hatch at 10°C and 40°C. Total developmental time from egg to adult emergence at the mentioned temperatures was estimated to be 27.6, 15.9, 8.00, 6.8, 6.6, 5.3 and 7.5 days, respectively. Developmental time decreased with increasing temperature from 15 to 35°C. The estimated lower temperature threshold for the entire developmental time and the effective accumulative temperature (thermal constant) of P. plumifer using the Ikemoto & Takai linear model were 10.72°C and 125.3 degree-days (DD), and using the common linear model were 10.46°C and 125.3 DD, respectively. Data were fitted to various nonlinear developmental rate models and the thermal thresholds (T_min and T_max) and optimal temperature (T_opt) for developmental rate were determined. Data were fitted to eight models appropriately, however, the Ikemoto and Takai linear model and Briere 2 models were recommended for the description of temperature-dependent development of P. plumifer. Temperature-dependent development data, thermal requirements and temperature thresholds can be used to predict the occurrence, number of generations and population dynamics of P. plumifer as an important biocontrol agent of T. urticae.

A single female Amblyomma triguttatum triguttatum found on a sleepy lizard, Tiliqua rugosa, in the mid-north of South Australia constitutes a new host and locality record for this tick. As A. t. triguttatum is involved with the natural cycle of Coxiella burnetii in Australia, the new locality record may indicate the potential for spread of this disease.

An isolated population of a reptile tick closely resembling Amblyomma limbatum is reported from a very small area of saltpan vegetation near Lochiel in South Australia. This population lies well outside the known range of A. limbatum, and most specimens are distinguished from this species by a small second ridge or spur on coxa II. The discovery of this pocket suggests that the distribution of reptile ticks in Australia may be more complex than previously assumed.

The acaricidal activities of methanol, dichloromethane and hexane extracts obtained from leaves of eight wild plants, Justicia adhatoda L., Momordica charantia L., Embelia ribes Burm.f., Commelina diffusa Burm.f., Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers., Ageratum conyzoides L., Galinsoga parviflora Cav. and Bidens pilosa L. were tested against the mushroom mites, Luciaphorus perniciosus Rack and Formicomotes heteromorphus Magowski by a filter paper contact toxicity bioassay. Based upon 24 h LD₅₀ values, the dichloromethane extract of J. adhatoda was the most toxic to L. perniciosus (17.44 µg/cm²), followed by the hexane extract of the same plant (19.27 µg/cm²) and the methanolic extract of L. cubeba (19.58 µg/cm²). In contrast, these extracts had a comparatively low activity against F. heteromorphus. Most toxic to F. heteromorphus was the hexane extract of L. cubeba (27.99 µg/cm²), followed by the methanol and dichloromethane extracts of this plant (29.83 and 39.25 µg/cm², respectively). These results suggest that extracts of J. adhatoda and L. cubeba have potential to be used as botanical pesticides to control mushroom mites.

The larval stage of Amblyomma pacae Aragão is described using optical and scanning electron microscopy. Unfed larvae were obtained from a colony of A. pacae originating from engorged females collected on Agouti paca (Linnaeus) from Monte Negro County, state of Rondônia, Western Amazon, Brazil. Several morphological characters are described for the first time, including the chaetotaxy of the idiosoma, palpi and Haller's organ, as well as morphological features of the idiosoma, gnathosoma and legs. The topographical and numerical patterns of integumentary pores (porotaxy) of the larva are described using a recently proposed nomenclature. Only a few morphological differences were observed between the A. pacae larva and other Amblyomma spp. larvae previously described from Brazil; however, some of these characters can be used to differentiate A. pacae from other species of this genus.

Neomegistus remus sp. nov. (Acari: Mesostigmata: Paramegistidae) is described from two female specimens collected from Lord's Table Mountain in Queensland on the millipede Proporobolus sp. (Spirobolida: Rhinocricidae). This new mite species is the second for the genus, which was previously known from millipedes in South Africa and Madagascar. We also rediagnose Neomegistus and provide a new diagnosis for Ophiomegistus, whose members share many characters in common with Neomegistus. The leg chaetotaxy for the Paramegistidae is also reviewed.

Halolaelaps posidonis sp. nov. and Halolaelaps bilobatus sp. nov. (Acari: Halolaelapidae) are described from seaweed on beaches in southern Australia. This is the first record of the family Halolaelapidae from the Australian Region. The classification of genera and subgenera in the family Halolaelapidae is reviewed, and shown to be in need of a comprehensive revision.

Neopodocinum caputmedusae (Berlese, 1908), Macrocheles peniculatus Berlese, 1918 and M. recki Bregetova & Koroleva, 1960 are recorded for the first time from Iran. The genus Neopodocinum Oudemans, 1902 is also new to the Iranian fauna. Neopodocinum caputmedusae was collected from a beetle (Copris sp., Scarabaeidae; Coleoptera) and M. peniculatus and M. recki were found in the soil. A key is provided to the adult females of the known species of Macrochelidae of Iran.

Trombidium payamiensis sp. nov., a new species of larval Trombidiidae collected as free-living on soil in an alfalfa field, is described and illustrated from Payam village, near to Tabriz City, East Azarbaijan province, Iran.

Males of Recifella colorata (K.O. Viets) are described for the first time, which allows the subgeneric position to be tested. Moreover, R. colorata is included in the key given by Smit (2007).

A new species of oribatid mite of the family Oppiidae Sellnick, 1937, Oxyoppia (Dzarogneta) iranensis sp. nov., is described from Iran. The new species is recognized by the long sensillus with a lanceolate and pectinate head, poorly developed humeral processes, conspicuously barbed notogastral and ventral setae, and its large body size. This species was collected from soil of pasture plants, especially Bromus sp.

A new species of fossil oribatid mite, Ommatocepheus nortoni sp. nov. (Acariformes, Oribatida), is described from the Spanish Lower Cretaceous. The fossil is preserved in amber found in a new outcrop near Salinillas de Buradón (Province of Álava, northern Spain). It represents the first bioinclusion found at this locality and the third oribatid species described from Spanish Cretaceous amber.

This paper provides an annotated list of 112 valid species discovered or recorded in China until the end of June, 2008 in 8 families and 31 genera of the superfamily Raphignathoidea. Information on the invalid names, synonyms and nomina nuda related to the Chinese fauna is provided. A new synonym and four new combinations are proposed, namely, Eustigmaeus yandangensis syn. nov., Ledermuelleria changbaiensis comb. nov., Zetzellia litchii comb. nov., Z. longanae comb. nov. and Z. spinosus comb. nov. A name, Agistemus phyllanthus is considered a nomen nudum.

This paper provides an analysis of and index to new Acari described in Systematic & Applied Acarology during the last twelve years (1996–2007). A total of 336 papers was published during this period, with taxonomic papers accounting for 60%. Among the 208 taxonomic papers, 143 papers (68.8%) contain descriptions of new taxa or new names. These papers contain a total of 264 new taxa (new names), with three families, 31 genera/ subgenera and 230 species. Among these, only two are new species names proposed for previously occupied homonyms; all others are newly established taxa. Most new taxa/names (85.2%) are of the Acariformes. Among the 225 new taxa (new names) of the Acariformes, most (93.3%) are of the Trombidiformes. New taxa/names are distributed in 40 families of Trombidiformes, 10 families of Sarcoptiformes and 7 families of Mesostigmata. Most families have only one to three new taxa/names: 19 families with 1 new taxon, 13 families with 2 new taxa, and 6 families with 3 new taxa. There are 116 authors for new taxa/names, with an average of two taxa/ names per author (maximum 37, minimum 1). Most authors (70%) described one to three new taxa/names each: 38 authors with 1 new taxon, 31 authors with 2 new taxa, and 12 authors with 3 new taxa. Geographically, these authors are from 22 countries in Asia, Africa, Australasia, Europe, South America and North America, with a strong representation by authors in the Asia-Pacific region.