In far-western Canada, gallinaceous birds are hosts of hard ticks (Ixodida: Ixodidae) that can carry zoonotic pathogens. In this study, we collected the avian coastal tick, Ixodes auritulus Neumann, the western blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacificus Cooley & Kohls, and Ixodes spinipalpis Hadwen & Nuttall, from gallinaceous birds on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Notably, we provide the first records of these three tick species on California Quail, Callipepla californica (Shaw), in Canada. We document the first records of I. auritulus parasitizing Sooty Grouse, Dendragapus fulginosis (Ridway). Moreover, we furnish the first report of I. spinipalpis on a quail. An I. pacificus nymph was collected from a California Quail, and it was positive for the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt & Brenner. Using PCR on the nymphal extract and DNA sequencing on the borrelial amplicon, we specifically detected B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), a genospecies pathogenic to humans and certain domestic animals. Since some ground-dwelling birds are involved in the enzootic maintenance of Lyme disease, veterinarians, wildlife rehabilitators, hunters, and health-care providers should be vigilant that gallinaceous birds may play a role in the enzootic transmission of B. burgdorferi s.l. in Canada.

We conducted a survey on chigger mites infesting amphibians at Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve in Southeast Mexico, where we collected 25 frogs of three species: Lithobates berlandieri (n = 5), L. brownorum (n = 3) and L. vaillanti (n = 17). A total of 916 mites belonging to Hannemania mexicana Hoffmann, 1965 were collected. It is the first record of H. mexicana in the state of Veracruz and in L. brownorum and L. vaillanti. The frog species with the highest level of infestation was L. berlandieri with a prevalence of 80%, a mean abundance of 56 mites per host, and a mean intensity of 70 mites per infested host. Additionally, to corroborate identification we compared specimens from the type series of H. mexicana and we found variation in some characters of taxonomic importance such as the number of setae on leg genu and the shape of the palpal claw.

Two new species of the feather mite genus Analloptes Trouessart, 1885 (Xolalgidae: Ingrassiinae) are described from birds in China: Analloptes turnicis Mu and Wang sp. nov. ex barred buttonquail, Turnix suscitator (Gmelin, 1789) (Charadriiformes: Turnicidae) from Guizhou; and A. qujingensis Su and Wang sp. nov. ex red-billed chough, Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax (Linnaeus, 1758) (Passeriformes: Corvidae) from Yunnan. Two previously known species are redescribed based on the material from their type hosts collected from China: Analloptes megnini Trouessart, 1885 ex water rail, Rallus aquaticus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Gruiformes: Rallidae) from Yunnan, and Dubininia melopsittaci Atyeo and Gaud, 1987 ex budgerigar, Melopsittacus undulatus (Shaw, 1805) (Psittaciformes: Psittaculidae) from Guizhou.

Five new species of oribatid mites of the family Damaeidae, Damaeus (Tectodamaeus) kuankuoshuiensis sp. nov., Damaeus (Tectodamaeus) subtilisfinem sp. nov., Damaeus (Tectodamaeus) bawanglingensis sp. nov., Damaeus (Tectodamaeus) femurgibbus sp. nov. and Damaeus (Tectodamaeus) obscurusgibbus sp. nov., are described from Guizhou, Yunnan, Hainan, Guangdong and Sichuan provinces in China.

Six new genera and new species of eriophyoid mites from Thailand were reported in this paper. They are Yangnarus dipterocarpi and Rapinarus maphoki on Dipterocarpus alatus Roxb. ex G.Don (Dipterocarpaceae); Longanella lamyai and Lamyacarus longani on Dimocarpus longan Lour. ssp. longan var. longan (Sapindaceae); Kradukarus suregadi on Suregada multiflora (A.Juss.) Baill. (Euphorbiaceae) and Wangthonga phayomae on Shorea roxburghii G. Don (Dipterocarpaceae). All of them are vagrants found on the under leaf surfaces.

Madinahustium acaciaum gen. nov., sp. nov. (Acari: Erythraeidae: Balaustiinae) is described and illustrated from larvae, collected from Acacia sp. (Fabaceae) from Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia. It is the second species of the subfamily Balaustiinae Grandjean after Balaustium yousifi Kamran and Alatawi from the country. A key to the larval genera of the subfamily Balaustinae Grandjean is provided.

Four new species of mites of the genus Hispiniphis are described, all among those upon which the original description of the genus was based, associated with beetles of different species of the hispine genus Cephaloleia. A key is given to the described species of Hispiniphis and Makarovaia, the known two genera whose adults and immatures are found under the elytra of rolled-leaf hispine beetles. Aspects of ontogenetic acceleration and duplication of some idiosomatic setae are discussed. Evidence of larviparity, along with problematical differences between small dimensions of the adult female genital area and a relatively large larva, are considered. An evolutionary trend towards smaller body sizes among these mites is discussed. Further evidence of host preferences by these mites is presented, along with indications that there may be a vast diversity of these mites associated with hispine beetles in the Neotropical Region.

Mites of the genus Pneumolaelaps Berlese are often found in association with bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Approximately sixty species of the genus have been described worldwide but only two of them have been recorded in New Zealand, viz. Pneumolaelaps bombicolens (Canestrini, 1885) and P. breviseta (Evans & Till, 1966). A new species, Pneumolaelaps niutirani, collected from hives of honeybee Apis mellifera (Apidae) and nests of the German wasp Vespula germanica (Vespidae) brings the number of species in New Zealand to three. We herein review P. bombicolens and P. breviseta, describe the new species, Pneumolaelaps niutirani, with notes on its biology, and provide a key to the species known in New Zealand. This is the first report of Pneumolaelaps in association with a vespid wasp.

A new species of the genus Blattisocius Keegan, 1944 is described based on adult females collected from rotting sawdust in Semnan Province, Iran. Blattisocius damghaniae sp. nov. can be distinguished from other species of the genus by some characters, e.g. presence of 33 pairs of relatively short setae on dorsal shield, including z1 and s2; sternal shield longer than wide; ventrianal shield with almost parallel lateral margins, somewhat as wide as epigynal shield, with only three pairs of preanal setae; peritremes short; cheliceral fixed digit slightly shorter than movable digit, with three teeth; movable digit unidentate; genu I with 12 setae.