Bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) are widespread and abundant in the western half of Eurasia, including Great Britain. These small rodents often come into contact with domestic animals and/or humans, either directly or indirectly, and thus are an interface between sylvatic and domestic cycles for zoonotic organisms. Bank voles were live-trapped and inspected for ticks in Cambridgeshire, Essex and Suffolk from June 1999 to April 2000. Infested voles hosted between 1 and 10 ticks. Larvae were the most frequent stage. Overall prevalence estimate of tick infestation was 14.5% (95% C.I. : 8.3% to 20.7%). Prevalence estimates fluctuated with seasons. Two tick species were identified : Ixodes ricinus (larvae only) and Ixodes trianguliceps (all three stages). The aggregated distribution of ticks on their hosts suggests that co-feeding transmission of tick-borne pathogens may happen in British bank voles. Further investigations are required to improve our knowledge and understanding of the epidemiology of tick-borne diseases in East Anglia.

A new species of PetalomiumCross 1965 (Acari: Heterostigmatina: Neopygmephoridae) is described. This mite was found associated (phoresy) with workers of an ant, Neoponera verenae (Forel 1922) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in several localities in the state of Bahia, Northeastern Brazil. This is the first record of the genus in South America. A closely related species, Petalomium gottrauxiMahunka 1977, is redescribed based on the paratype and specimens from Crimea. New recorded morphological structures are described and discussed.

Wild birds have an important role in the epidemiology of tick-borne diseases, serving as reservoirs for some tick-borne diseases and in the maintenance and dispersion of ticks. During the years of 1999, 2000 and 2001, birds were captured in three Atlantic forest fragments of the state of Paraná. Overall, 1,122 bird specimens of 36 species were captured. Of these, 80 (7.1% prevalence) birds were parasitized by ticks, comprising females of Ixodes paranaensis Barros-Battesti, Arzua, Pichorim & Keirans, and immature stages of Amblyommacalcaratum Neumann, Amblyomma longirostre (Koch), Amblyomma aureolatum (Pallas), Amblyomma ovale Koch, and Amblyomma parkeri Fonseca & Aragão. Two nymphs were identified as Amblyomma sp., although their external morphology was very similar to the A. parkeri nymph. This study provides new tick-host records for the state of Paraná and for Brazil.

Congocepheus camerunensis sp. nov. from Cameroon and Synkrotima zimbabwaegen. nov., sp. nov. from Zimbabwe are described using optical and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Congocepheus camerunensis is similar to C. heterotrichus, differentiated by: dissimilarity in shape and length of prodorsal, notogastral, epimeral, agenital, and adanal setae; placement, shape, and size of finger-like projection, bothridial ring and tutorium. Synkrotima zimbabwaegen. nov., sp. nov. is a distinctive species with a more or less flat elevated interlamellar process with longitudinal elevations and an anterior expansion; very complex ventral ornamentations with alternating depressed and elevated zones; genital neotrichy; absence of notogastral depression; the differences in shape and lengths of the prodorsal, notogastral, epimeral, genital, aggenital, adanal and anal setae in comparison to other species of the family Carabodidae.

The effects of temperature and humidity on physogastric development and reproduction of the mushroom mite Dolichocybe perniciosa (Acari: Dolichocybidae) were observed at five temperatures (8, 13, 18, 25 and 28°C), five relative humidities (22, 55, 65, 81 and 92% RH) and dark condition. Temperatures significantly affected the settling time, pre-physogastry time, physogastry rate, generation time and the number of progenies in physogastry, while humidity had little effect on these factors. Settling rate of wondering adult females increased and pre-physogastry time shortened with the increase of temperature. In the range of 13°C to 28°C more than two thirds of wondering females settled within 72 hours which was significantly higher than that at 8°C. About 60 to 64 progenies were produced when temperature was above 18°C. Dolichocybe perniciosa had the ability to survive at temperatures as high as 38°C and as low as 0°C after 24 hours but failed to settle and feed at -20°C or 42°C. It was capable to recover after being treated at 0°C for 72 hours.

The present study is based on oribatid mite material (Acari, Oribatida) collected near the city of Potchefstroom in South Africa. A list of identified taxa, including 44 species from 34 genera and 21 families, is presented; of these, five species (Epilohmannia dimorpha, Cultroribula bicuspidata, Suctobelbila fonticula, Protoribatesparacapucinus, Galumna baloghi) and one genus (Cultroribula) are recorded in the fauna of South Africa for the first time; one species (Limnozetes palmerae) is recorded in the Ethiopian region for the first time. Two new species belonging to the genera Scheloribates and Galumna are described. Scheloribates (Scheloribates) potchefstroomensis sp. nov. is morphologically most similar to S. (S.) diversidactylus (Hammer, 1961) and Scheloribates (S.) tricarinusCoetzer, 1968, but differs by the bothridial setae with developed heads and porose body surface. Galumna (Galumna) curvifamulus sp. nov. is morphologically most similar to G. (G.) colombianaErmilov, 2017, but differs by the posteromedial localization of setal alveoli la, tuberculate medioanterior part of prodorsum, striate pteromorphs, smooth subcapitular mentum and the positions of lyrifissures ih and ips. The systematic placement of Urubambates calcaratusMahunka, 1984 is discussed, resulting in the following taxonomic proposal: Scheloribates calcaratus (Mahunka, 1984) comb. nov.

Licneremaeus braziliensis sp.nov. is described and illustrated based on female specimens collected from palm leaflets (Arecaceae) in Ilhéus, state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil. This is the first species of the genus described from this country. A dichotomous key for identification of all known species of Licneremaeus is proposed.

Belba paracorynopus Bulanova-Zachvatkina, 1962 is redescribed on the basis of new material collected in Georgia and damaged paratypes of Bulanova-Zachvatkina. The species belongs to the Belba corynopus group and differs from other species of the group by the size and form of notogastral setae, formation of the prodorsum and detailed chaetotaxy of legs. Variability of certain traits and differences to the original description and material are discussed, as well as the relation to other species of this group. The finding in Georgia extends the known area of distribution from Far East and China to the west.

The 65^th Medical Brigade and Medical Department Activity-Korea, in collaboration with the Migratory Birds Research Center, National Park Research Institute, conducted a migratory bird tick-borne disease surveillance program during 2014–2015 on two small, remote, uninhabited islands, Hong (Gull) Island, southern Gyeongnam Province, and Nan Island, western Chungnam Province, Republic of Korea (ROK). Argasid ticks were collected from Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris) nestlings that had recently died and associated nest soil/litter, and all tick life history stages were identified morphologically. Because morphological keys are unreliable for the identification of adult and nymphal argasid ticks, identifications were confirmed by genotyping using polymerase chain reaction techniques. A total of 29 Ornithodoros capensis larvae and 2 Ornithodoros sawaii larvae were collected from 4 of 7 (57.1%) Black-tailed Gull nestlings that had recently died. An additional five O. capensis (2 males, 1 nymph, and 2 larvae) were collected from nest soil/litter. Only O. sawaii larvae (2/41, 4.9%) were collected from dead Black-tailed Gull nestlings on Nan Island. This is the first report of O. capensis from these seabird breeding islands.

A new species, Demodex bandicotaesp. nov. (Acariformes: Demodecidae), is described based on adult stages from the hairy skin of the greater bandicoot rat Bandicota indica (Bechstein, 1800), collected in Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos). Parasites were noted in 41.7% of bandicoot rats, with a mean intensity of 5.6 parasites in the tested skin fragments of the host. This is the first report on Demodecidae mites in rodents of the genus Bandicota Gray, 1873. A checklist of demodecid mites in rodents worldwide is also provided.

Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) causes severe damage in both greenhouse and field crops. Previous studies have found that a phytoseiid predatory mite, Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot, and an entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin, are both potential candidates for the control of this pest and have shown varying degrees of success. We assessed the compatibility of these two biological control agents for control of T. urticae on potted bean plants, examining the following treatments: i) a low release rate of P. persimilis (10 prey:1 predator), ii) a high release rate of P. persimilis (5:1), iii) a single application of B. bassiana (1 × 10⁸ spore/ml), iv) a single application of B. bassiana after application of the low release rate of P. persimilis, and v) a non-treatment control (no application of either B. bassiana or P. persimilis). A single application of B. bassiana reduced the egg and adult populations of T. urticae initially, but mite populations rebounded again after few days. Phytoseiulus persimilis at the high release rate eliminated the pest population completely, while the low release rate failed to control spider mites. The combined application of B. bassiana and low release rate of P. persimilis also successfully controlled T. urticae population (p < 0.001), with lowest corrected leaf damage (1.5%).

Hyperpedalloptes Dubinin (Analgoidea: Alloptidae) is one of the most amazing feather mite genera due to the strong hypertrophy of legs I in males, displayed asymmetrically in some species. Each of the three known species occurs on a particular ibis species of the genus Threskiornis (Pelecaniformes: Threskiornithidae). Based on examination of type and additionally collected materials, we (re)describe previously known and newly found male morphs of Hyperpedalloptes species and describe for the first time a female of H. petazophorus(Trouessart). We found that H. titanopedes Dubinin has three discrete morphs of males; those with asymmetrically hypertrophied legs I are considered to be heteromorphs, while males with symmetrically hypertrophied legs I and males without leg hypertrophy correspond to mesomorphs and homeomorphs, respectively. The previously known morphs of H. petazophorus and H. corymbophorus (Trouessart & Neumann) with symmetrically hypertrophied legs I are treated here as mesomorphic males.

The 65^th Medical Brigade and Medical Department Activity-Korea, in collaboration with the Migratory Birds Research Center, National Park Research Institute, conducted a migratory bird tick-borne disease surveillance program on Gugul and Sogugul Islands, two small, remote, uninhabited islands in southwestern Jeollanam Province, Republic of Korea (ROK) from 2015–2016. Ticks were collected from nest soil/litter of the Ancient Murrelet, Synthliboramphus antiquus, Japanese Murrelet, Synthliboramphus wumizusume, and Swinhoe's Storm Petrel, Hydrobates monorhis, using Tullgren funnels. A total of 100 Ornithodoros sawaii (25 females, 56 males, 17 nymphs, and 2 larvae) were collected from 2/33 (6.1%) Ancient Murrelet, 3/11 (27.3%) Japanese Murrelet, and 23/94 (24.5%) Swinhoe's Storm Petrel nest sites. In addition, 3 larvae were collected from Swinhoe's Storm Petrel nestlings. Ticks were identified morphologically and species determination was confirmed using polymerase chain reaction techniques. This is the first record of O. sawaii collected from nest soil/litter of the Japanese Murrelet during this bird's nesting season in the ROK.

The female of Pterygosoma aegyptiacaMostafa, 1974 (Acariformes: Prostigmata: Pterygosomatidae) is redescribed. This species, previously known only from its type locality (Egypt) and type host (Uromastyx sp.), is newly recorded from Sudan and from the ocellated spinytail, Uromastyx ocellata Lichtenstein. An unstriated area of idiosomal cuticle is proposed as a prodorsal shield, a character not previously attributed to the genus. Two pairs of idiosomal lyrifissures, ip and ih, are identified in PterygosomaPeters, 1849, for the first time, as is a distal microseta (κ) on leg genu I. A dorsal structure observed near the base of the leg tarsi is considered to be a lyrifissure (= proprioceptor) and is newly recorded in the Pterygosomatidae. In the light of these new morphological observations and of character states described recently by other authors, amendments to the diagnosis and definition of adult Pterygosoma are proposed. Questions are raised about the conspecificity of presumed syntypes of P. persicumHirst, 1917, and of specimens of P. tuberculataJack, 1962a, identified by its author. The number of idiosomal lyrifissures present in Geckobiella diolii (Baker, 1998) (new combination for Hirstiella diolii by Paredes-León et al. (2012)) is corrected from four to two.

A new species of Lohmanniidae, Meristacarus pubescentius sp. nov., is described from soil and leaf litter of Hainan Province, South China. It can be distinguished from all other Meristacarus species by the following characters: anterior exobothridial setae thorn-like, shorter than the interlamellar setae by one-tenth, transverse bands S₂–S₄, S₉, and S₁₀ complete while S₅–S₈ are interrupted medially. The new species is most similar to M. douheretiBalogh & Balogh, 1983 in having setiform notogastral setae and the median setae shorter than the marginal setae, but differ from M. douhereti by the very short, thorn-like anterior exobothridial seta, heavily ciliated sensillus and notogastral seta e₁ half as long as e₂. A supplementary description of Mixacarus (Phyllolohmannia) foliifer (Golosova, 1984), a new record to the Chinese fauna, is given from the same locality. Keys to species of Meristacarus and Mixacarus (Phyllolohmannia) are presented.

A new species of the genus Lamellarea (Oribatida, Lamellareidae) is described from nests of the termite Trinervitermes trinervoides (Sjöstedt) in the Franklin Game Reserve (Bloemfontein, South Africa). Lamellareakoki sp. nov. differs from all species of the genus by the following main morphological traits: lamellar cusps triangular, without anteromedial processes, separated; translamella long; rostrum with median indentation; several ridges located near tutoria. A revised generic diagnosis, an identification key to known species, and data on the distribution and ecology of Lamellarea are presented.