In 2008, tick surveillance of migratory birds was conducted on Hong-do (Hong Island), Jeollanam Province, Republic of Korea. Seventy-seven ticks representing two genera and four species—Haemaphysalis flava Neumann (21 ticks), Haemaphysalis ornithophila Hoogstraal & Kohls (2), Ixodes nipponensis Kitaoka & Saito (3), and Ixodes turdus Nakatsuji (51)—were collected from 12 species of birds belonging to nine genera. Two male H. ornithophila, an uncommonly collected tick, were removed from a scaly thrush, Zoothera dauma (Latham), on Hong-do. Haemaphysalis ornithophila is a Southeast Asian species that was transported to Korea during the spring migration of Z. dauma to its breeding grounds in Russia. This first report of H. ornithophila from Korea has implications for the introduction of exotic tick species and their pathogens on migratory birds.

Selected life history characteristics of citrus brown mite, Eutetranychus orientalis (Klein), were studied at four constant temperatures (20, 25, 30 and 35 °C). Egg-to-adult developmental time of female ranged from 22.32 days at 20°C to 12.43 days at 30°C. An average of 305 degree-days was required to complete development above the lower threshold temperature (6.37 °C). Preimaginal mortality was 19.61, 22.76, 43.11 and 100 % at 20, 25, 30 and 35°C, respectively. Mean longevity of female E. orientalis ranged from 16.57 days at 20°C to 7.50 days at 30°C. Mean total fecundity ranged from 14.56 to 16.33 eggs / female. The sex ratio (female %) ranged from 75 to 80 %. Intrinsic rate of increase (rm) ranged from 0.144 at 30°C to 0.094 (individual per female per day) at 20 °C. The population had the ability to double with the shortest time at 30 °C (4.79 d) to the longest time at 20 °C (7.33 d). These data can be used to develop computer simulation models to predict E. orientalis development and population dynamics.

Eriophyid mites (Acari: Eriophyoidea: Eriophyidae: Rhombacus sp. and Acalox ptychocarpi Keifer) are recently-emerged pests of commercial eucalypt plantations in subtropical Australia. They cause severe blistering, necrosis and leaf loss to Corymbia citriodora subsp. variegata (F. Muell.) K.D. Hill & L.A.S. Johnson, one of the region's most important hardwood plantation species. In this study we examine the progression, incidence and severity of these damage symptoms. We also measure within-branch colonisation by mites to identify dispersive stages, and estimate the relative abundance of the two co-occurring species.

Rhombacus sp., an undescribed species, was numerically dominant, accounting for over 90 % of all adult mites. Adults were the dispersive stage, moving mostly within branches, but 12 % of recruitment onto new leaves occurred on previously uninfested branches. Damage incidence and severity were correlated, while older leaves had more damage than younger leaves. “Patch-type” damage was less frequent but was associated with higher mite numbers and damage scores than “spot-type” damage, while leaf discoloration symptoms related mostly to leaf age.

The tick species found in Brazil are reviewed. Today, 61 species belonging to nine genera (Argas (1 sp.), Antricola (3 spp.), Carios (10 spp.), Ornithodoros (3 spp.), Amblyomma (30 spp.), Dermacentor (1 sp.), Haemaphysalis (3 spp.), Ixodes (8 spp.), and Rhipicephalus (2 spp.)) are regarded as endemic or established in Brazil. The presence of 11 species (Amblyomma albopictum, Amblyomma fulvum, Amblyomma hirtum, Amblyomma multipunctum, Amblyomma pseudoparvum, Amblyomma scutatum, Aponomma omissum, Argas persicus, Carios puertoricensis, Ixodes pararicinus, and Rhipicephalus turanicus) is doubtful or requires confirmation. Reports of nine species (Amblyomma americanum, Amblyomma extraoculatum, Amblyomma imitator, Amblyomma maculatum, Dermacentor andersoni, Ixodes affinis, Ixodes cooleyi, Ixodes ricinus, and Rhipicephalus annulatus) are regarded as erroneous due to misidentifications or misleading information. Ten species (Amblyomma argentinae, Amblyomma darwini, Amblyomma parvitarsum, Bothriocroton undatum, Hyalomma aegyptium, Hyalomma dromedarii, Hyalomma marginatum, Otobius megnini, Rhipicephalus bursa, and Rhipicephalus evertsi) are exotic ticks that have probably failed to establish themselves in this country. Eight species (Amblyomma denticulatum, Ixodes imperfectus, Ixodes flavidus, Ixodes maloni, Ixodes perpunctatus, Ixodes pygmaeus, Ixodes serrafreirei, and Ixodes variolatus) are regarded as invalid because of inadequate descriptions. Finally, over 60 tick names cited as part of the Brazilian fauna are actually misspellings, misapplied names, or species that have fallen into synonymy.

Several larval, nymphal and female ticks belonging to the Ixodes auritulus species group were collected from Thraupis bonariensis (Gmelin, 1879) (Passeriformes: Thraupidae), Phrygilus fruticeti (Kittlitz, 1833), Sicalis olivascens (d´Orbigny & Lafresnaye, 1837) and Xenospingus concolor (d´Orbigny & Lafresnaye, 1837) (Passeriformes: Emberizidae) in Chusmisa (19° 40′S, 69° 10′W), Región de Taracapá, Region I, northern Chile. All these hosts and the collection locality are new for this species group. The gene sequence divergence between the I. auritulus group from Chusmisa and those from southern Argentina was 3.3%, but it remains unclear whether these populations represent different species.

Two new species of Neofedrizzia, Neofedrizzia susanae sp. nov. and Neofedrizzia jeffi sp. nov., are described from the passalid beetle Aulacocyclus teres (Percheron) collected in southeast Queensland, Australia.

Leptus (Leptus) kattikus sp. nov. is described from Nepal, and represents the first described Erythraeidae from this country. Leptus astrubali, Charletonia kovalamensis and Charletonia ramoni are new to the fauna of Nepal.

Arrenurus truncatellus and A. castaneus have similar adult morphology and some consider them to be synonymous. Here, larval morphology was examined to determine if their separation is warranted. Larvae of the two species differ in the shape of the dorsal plate, CpI/CpII/CpIII ratios and pectination of C1, C2, C3, C4, IITi10 and IIITa13 setae. The most distinct morphological differences between larvae of A. truncatellus and A. castaneus are different locations of ITa13, IITi10 and IIITi10 setae. Therefore, the two species are considered separate. The description of the larval morphology of A. truncatellus is compared with that given by Stechmann (1977).