An analysis of the phylogeny of Ascidae sensu lato and related groups based on DNA data is presented. This group was recently separated in Ascidae sensu stricto, Melicharidae and Blattisociidae, retaining the first two families in Ascoidea and moving the third to Phytoseioidea. These changes were made based mainly on the morphology of the spermathecal apparatus. On the other hand, considerable morphological similarities exist between some genera of Ascidae s.l. and of Phytoseiidae and Rhodacaridae. This study uses partial sequences from the 18S and 28S regions of the nuclear ribosomal DNA to infer the phylogenetic relationships between Ascidae s.s., Melicharidae and Blattisociidae as well as their relationships with Phytoseiidae and Rhodacaridae. Results obtained with the Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood methods supported the paraphyly of Ascidae s.l., but did not support the recent assignment of their members into the recently conformed superfamilies. The results also suggested that Blattisociidae and Phytoseiidae constitute a monophyletic group and that Rhodacaridae is paraphyletic. Except for Protogamasellopsis posnaniensis Wiśniewski and Hirschmann, all rhodacaroid representatives considered in this analysis (Digamasellidae, Ologamasidae and Rhodacaridae), as well as Zygoseius Berlese (a genus currently of uncertain familial placement), were placed at the base of the constructed phylogenetic tree, constituting a sister group of the previously mentioned taxa. The phylogenetic hypothesis presented here suggests the need to reconsider the morphological structures presently used to characterize the families of Ascoidea, Phytoseioidea and Rhodacaroidea.

An ongoing debate in biological control consists of whether interference between biological agents can disrupt pest control. This study investigated the direct spray of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana(Balsamo) Vuillemin (three isolates: DEBI008, F and J.B.) against the predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii(Athias-Henriot) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in laboratory conditions. A. swirskii adults were highly susceptible to isolate F (total mortality±SE: 49.62±1.75% on the seventh day) but least susceptible to isolate DEBI008 (total mortality±SE: 16.25±0.81% on the seventh day). Viability of A. swirskii after spraying fungal isolate of DEBI008 on cucumber leaf discs at 4 time intervals (0, 24, 48 and 72 hours) was surveyed, but no significant difference was found. Our study showed that A. swirskii was susceptible to B. bassiana when conidia were applied directly to the mites. Further knowledge is needed to adjust the timing of various releases of both biological control agents to obtain maximum effectiveness in the greenhouse with minimum impact of the fungus on the predator.

Many studies have shown that the composition of invertebrate communities in soil changes under the influence of stressors in the soil ecosystem. Conversely, an observed altered community structure may be indicative of stress. In this study we aimed to investigate responses of oribatid mite communities to heavy metal (zinc, copper and cadmium) contamination of grasslands nearby a lead and zinc smelting plant at Zanjan, Iran. Soil analysis showed that the Zanjan plant is a major source of zinc and cadmium in the area. No relationship could be found between metal pollution and total density of oribatids, but the number of species and the Shannon diversity index were lowest in the sites polluted by zinc and cadmium. Species diversity was significantly negatively correlated with zinc and cadmium, but not with copper concentrations. Oribatula (Zygoribatula) connexa connexaBerlese, 1904, was a dominant species at all sites; the percentage dominance of this species was highest at the most polluted site. Our survey confirms that oribatid mite communities display a great variety of responses to heavy metals, depending on the species.

In this paper, three new species of Austrophthiracarus (Oribatida: Phthiracaridae) from New Zealand are described: (1) Austrophthiracarus waitere sp. nov. from the Waitere, Hawkes Bay, (2) Austrophthiracarus bah sp. nov. from the Mt. Moehau, Coromandel Peninsula, Hen & Chickens Island, and Lady Alice Island, and (3) Austrophthiracarus kirikiri sp. nov. from the Kirikiri, Saddle, Coromandel Peninsula. An updated key to all known species of Austrophthiracarus in New Zealand is provided.

Two species of oribatid mites with auriculate pteromorphs, Truncozetes paraecuadoriensis sp. nov. andGalumna paraoctopunctata sp. nov., are described from leaf litter of secondary forest in Costa Rica. Truncozetes paraecuadoriensis sp. nov. is most similar to T. ecuadoriensis Ermilov, Sandmann, Marian & Maraun, 2013, however, it differs from the latter by the body size, morphology of interlamellar and bothridial setae, structure of translamella and surface of epimeral region. Galumna paraoctopunctata sp. nov. is most similar to G. octopunctata (Ewing, 1909), however, it differs from the latter by the body size, structure of lamellar lines and morphology of notogastral porose areas A3. The genus Truncozetes is recorded for the first time in Costa Rica.

Three new species of the subfamily Nothopodinae from China are described and illustrated, including: Colopodacus formosus sp. nov. infesting Leycesteria formosa (Wall.) var. stenosepala Rehd. (Caprifoliaceae), Colopodacus cochinchinensus sp. nov. infesting Glycosmis cochinchinensis (Lour.) Pierre ex Engl. (Rutaceae) and Floracarus ruyuanicus sp. nov. infesting Elaeocarpus dubius A. DC. (Elaeocarpaceae). All the new species described here are vagrants.

Two new genera and four new species of the Diptilomiopidae from Thailand were described. They areKhamroka tomentosi gen. nov., sp. nov. on Ellipanthus tomentosus Kurz, Salaya takhronami gen. nov, sp. nov.on Sisyrolepis muricata (Pierre) Leenh. Diptilomiopus mandongii sp. nov. on Cordia dichotoma G. Forst. and Diptilomiopus khatkhaii sp. nov. on Oxyceros horridus Lour.

Larvae of Paratrombium farnazae sp. nov. (Acari: Trombidiidae) were collected from soil samples (off their host) in forests in Roodbar and Rezvanshahr cities, and larval P. megalochirum (Berlese, 1910) were collected as ectoparasites of Tetramorium sp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Fuman city. All sites are in Guilan province, northern Iran. The new species is described and illustrated, and is the first recorded larva of Paratrombium with a bipectinate medial seta on coxae II and III in the world. Also, we report a species of the genus Paratrombiumin Iran for the first time and as an ectoparasite of the family Formicidae for the second time. A key to world larvae of Paratrombium is provided and the generic diagnosis is amended.

A new species, Armascirus jini sp. nov., is described and illustrated. It is similar to A. cerris and A. gimpeli, and can be distinguished by the following features: lateral plates over the level of c1, with fine striation; genital plates triangle-shaped; genital setae g₁–g₄ unequal in length; leg genu I with 2 sts, tarsus I without tsl; median shield length:width 1:1. The key to the world species of Armascirus is updated.

A new species of Paraneognathus, P. iranicus sp. nov. is described based on females and a deutonymph collected from soil and leaf litter under citrus trees in Mazandaran province. A key to all known species of the genus Paraneognathus is provided. Also Eustigmaeus plumifer (Halbert, 1923) collected from soil of apple orchards in East Azerbaijan province, is re-described.

Tenuipalpus toropi sp. nov., is described from females, males, deutonymphs, protonymphs and larvae collected on Sapium glandulatum (Vell.) Pax (Euphorbiaceae) from the northwest of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. We include details of the ontogenetic changes in idiosomal and leg chaetotaxy for all stages.