Two new species of oribatid mites of the family Scheloribatidae (Acari, Oribatida) are described from upper soil and leaf litter in the primary evergreen lowland rainforest of Amazonian Peru. Perscheloribates (Ecuadoribates) olszanowskii sp. nov. differs from P. (Ecuadoribates) pentasacculus Ermilov & Kalúz, 2012 by the presence of long interlamellar setae, rudimentary parts of translamellar line, ten pairs of notogastral setae and four pairs of notogastral saccules. The subgenus Perscheloribates (Ecuadoribates) is recorded in Peru for the first time. Scheloribates (Bischeloribates) wachteli sp. nov. differs from S. (Bischeloribates) bidactylus Hammer, 1961 by the presence of comparatively long notogastral setae c and la and rudimentary parts of translamellar line. Revised subgeneric diagnoses for Perscheloribates (Ecuadoribates) and Scheloribates (Bischeloribates) are given.

In this study the morphological ontogeny, distribution and ecology of Edwardzetes edwardsii (Nicolet, 1855) and Sphaerozetes orbicularis (C.L. Koch, 1835) were investigated. The latter species looks strikingly similar to S. piriformis (Nicolet, 1855), and was recognized by a rounded distal part of lamellar cusp, which in S. orbicularis had an outer spine. However, the shape of the lamellar cusp varies in Norwegian adults of S. orbicularis being rounded or with one or two spines, which puts in question the validity of S. piriformis. Our study on the morphology of juveniles of these two morphological forms of S. orbicularis also indicates that they are identical, so we provisionally consider S. piriformis as a junior synonym of S. orbicularis (syn. nov.). The juveniles of E. edwardsii and S. orbicularis have a humeral organ and a humeral macrosclerite, which is common in Sphaerozetinae, and carry seta c₁ on the humeral macrosclerite. In the juveniles of E. edwardsii most gastronotal setae are of medium size and blunt, but the gastronotal shield of the larva is divided in two parts, whereas in the nymphs this shield is uniform. In all juvenile stages of S. orbicularis the gastronotal setae are short and the gastronotal shield is uniform. The adult of E. edwardsii has a rounded rostrum and 10 pairs of long notogastral setae, including c₂, whereas that of S. orbicularis has rostrum with two deep incisions and 11 pairs of short notogastral setae, including c₂ and c₃, which is typical of Sphaerozetes Berlese, 1885, but unique in Sphaerozetinae. Edwardzetes edwardsii has a holarctic distribution, whereas S. orbicularis is a Palaearctic species. The former species prefers forest litter, whereas the latter species prefers moss.

Mites Solenoplatilobus taiwanensus (Huang 2006) com. nov. (transferred from Sierraphytoptus) of the new monotypic genus Solenoplatilobus n. gen. (Phytoptidae: Sierraphytoptinae: Sierraphytoptini) possess a thin broad frontal lobe of prodorsal shield as well as the tibial solenidion I which were missed by previous authors. Sierraphytoptine mites Austracus havrylenkonisKeifer, 1944, studied in parallel and based on fresh material from Chile, have uniquely organized dorsal annuli which form thin imbricating cuticle plates overlapping one above another resembling roof tiles. The two studied early-derivative sierraphytoptine species inhabit relict eudicots from the families Nothofagaceae and Trochodendraceae which had wider geographic distribution in previous geological epochs. Early-diverging eriophyoids with a complete set of plesiomorphies inhabit arboreous plant species. Combination of plesiomorphic morphology and association with relict hosts justifies treating at least some of the phytoptids as relicts. Searching eriophyoids on relict vascular plants in refugia and biodiversity hotspots may result in finding new representatives of early-derivative taxa of Eriophyoidea which would be important for understanding early steps of evolution of these eriophyoid mites on plants.

Two new genera and four new species of eriophyoid mites in the tribe Anthocoptini from south China are described and illustrated in this paper: Agenusetacus fagraea gen. nov. & sp. nov. associated with Fagraea ceilanica Thunb. (Loganiaceae), Kudzuacarus puerariaes gen. nov. & sp. nov. found on Pueraria montana (Lour.) Merr. (Leguminosae), Tegolophus pittosporumi sp. nov. on Pittosporum pentandrum (Blanco) Merr. (Pittosporaceae) and Tegolophus lagerstroemiae sp. nov. on Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Pers. (Lythraceae). The new genus Kudzuacarus differs from all genera of Anthocoptini by the opisthosoma with five narrow furrows bound by six ridges, the middle two ridges merged into one ridge at two-thirds of dorsal opisthosoma. The following features distinguish the new genus Agenusetacus from the others: both anterolateral setae on coxisterna I and antaxial genual setae absent on leg II. All new species described here, were vagrants on their respective host plant causing no visible damage.

Two new species of Pulaeini, Lupaeus damavandiani Paktinat-Saeij & Castro sp. nov., and Pulaeus aryani Paktinat-Saeij & Castro sp. nov., are described and illustrated from soil, humus and moss in the Mazandaran province, Iran. Also, the status of two genera are considered. Eight new combinations are proposed, namely L. akbari (Bashir & Afzal, 2009) comb. nov., L. anjumi (Bashir & Afzal, 2007) comb. nov., L. ferventis (Taj & Chaudhri, 1990) comb. nov., L. haurio (Taj & Chaudhri, 1991) comb. nov., L. payatopalpus (Corpuz-Raros, 1996) comb. nov., L. stultus (Taj & Chaudhri, 1991) comb. nov., L. walii (Bashir & Afzal, 2009) comb. nov. and Neocunaxoides neopectinatus (Shiba, 1978) comb. nov. P. razanensis Den Heyer, 2013 syn. nov. considered a junior synonym of P. krama (Chaudhri, 1977). Lupaeus clarae (Den Heyer, 1981b) is reported for the first time from Iran. Keys to the Lupaeus and Pulaeus species of the world are provided.

Mites of the genus Dinogamasus are usually found in association with carpenter bees. Approximately 45 species of the genus have been described, almost all from the Oriental and Afrotropical Regions. A new species of laelapid mite, Dinogamasus kazerunensis sp. nov. associated with Xylocopa (Koptortosoma) pubescens Spinola (Hymenoptera: Apidae), is described and illustrated. This is the first report of the Dinogamasus from the Middle East Region.

The oribatid mite genus Ceratorchestes (Oribatida, Peloppiidae) is recorded in Peru for the first time. Two new species are described from upper soil and leaf litter in the primary evergreen lowland rainforest. Ceratorchestes (Ceratorchestes) processus Ermilov sp. nov. differs from C. (Ceratorchestes) setosus Balogh & Mahunka, 1969 by the presence of a strong dorso-anterior triangular process on trochanter IV and large tooth on the lateral ridge of the prodorsum, and by the localization of rostral seta on the prodorsum. Ceratorchestes (Paraceratorchestes) melzeri Ermilov sp. nov. differs from C. (Paraceratorchestes) variabilis Ermilov & Kalúz, 2012 by the presence of teeth on the lamellar cusp and a semioval furrow of epimere IV, by the localization of the translamella, epimeral seta 4b and adanal lyrifissure, and by the absence of a median tubercle on the rostrum. Updated generic and subgeneric diagnoses for Ceratorchestes are given. A new combination, Ceratorchestes (Paraceratorchestes) globosus Balogh & Mahunka, 1969 comb. nov., is proposed.

A new species of Agistemus, A. amazonicus Paktinat-Saeij, Bagheri & Noronha sp. nov. is described based on females collected from leaves of Cupuaçu (Cupuassu) trees (Theobroma grandiflorum (Willd. Ex Spreng.) Schumann), in the Pará state, Brazil. Also, a key to the American Agistemus species is provided.

Ixodes victoriensis Nuttall, 1916, a species of tick from wombats (Vombatus ursinus) from Victoria, Australia was described based on two adult female specimens. There has been one subsequent record only, and no records of males, nymphs or larvae. Here, I present a re-description of I. victoriensis adult female, and provide a description for the male, nymph and larva. I also provide new host records from potoroos (Potorous longipes and P. tridactylus), and new location records in Victoria and Tasmania.

We describe or redescribe five species of mites in the genus Ljunghia Oudemans (Acari: Laelapidae), all associated with trapdoor spiders (Liphistiidae) in Southeast Asia. Ljunghia bristowi (Finnegan) is associated with several species of Liphistius in Malaysia; Ljunghia annamitica sp. nov. occurs with two species of Qiongthela in Vietnam; and Ljunghia uttaradita sp. nov., Ljunghia lannaensis sp. nov., and Ljunghia schwendingeri sp. nov. are associated with unidentified species of Liphistius in Thailand. We provide a world key to females of the genus Ljunghia and review the systematics and biology of the genus.