Larvae of Valgothrombium confusum (Berlese), V. major (Halbert) and V. valgum (George) were obtained by experimental rearing from field-collected females. Unknown larvae of V. confusum and V. major are described for the first time in this study. Additionally, morphological similarity among species of Valgothrombium are discussed. These three species are new records for the Turkish fauna.

Of the genus Lebertia Neuman, 1880 (Acari, Hydrachnidiae, Lebertiidae), three subgenera, Septlebertia, Mixolebertia and Eolebertia, and the species Lebertia (Septlebertia) convergella Tuzovskij, 1990 are recorded for the first time from China. Four species new to science are described and illustrated: Lebertia (Mixolebertia) xuanensis sp. nov., Lebertia (s. str.) borealis sp. nov., Lebertia (s. str.) maolanensis sp. nov., and Lebertia (Eolebertia) exceedia sp. nov. A key is provided to the known Chinese species of the genus Lebertia.

The morphological ontogeny of Cosmochthonius oralensissp. nov. from West Kazakhstan is described and illustrated. The adult of this species has thin cerotegument and microfoveae on the pygidium, as has C. minifoveolatusGil et al., 1991, but the latter species is smaller than C. oralensis and its basal cilia on erected setae of f-series are distinctly longer than on setae of e-series; in C. oralensis these cilia are of similar length. The juveniles of both species are similar to adults, except for smaller body size and more delicate cuticle of juveniles. These species also differ from each other by the number of cilia on erected setae, both in the juveniles and adults. The morphology of C. oralensis is compared with congeners.

Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) is considered a specialized predator of spider mites and has mainly been used to control Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae). However, this phytoseiid is also able to feed and reproduce on certain pollens. In the present laboratory study, survival, development time, and reproduction of N. californicus were determined when reared on T. urticae, Typha angustifolia pollen, or on a combined diet of both foods. The immature stages of N. californicus developed faster when T. urticae was present in the diet. The total developmental time of females was longer when offered T. angustifolia pollen only (6.6 days), than when fed on T. urticae (4.5 days) or T. urticae + pollen (4.5 days). The oviposition rate of N. californicus was higher on the two diets containing T. urticae (3.1-3.3 eggs/female/day) than on T. angustifolia pollen alone (0.9 eggs/female/day). The intrinsic rates of natural increase (r_m) were estimated to be 0.273, 0.268 and 0.149 females/female/day on T. urticae, T. urticae + T. angustifolia and T. angustifolia, respectively. Our results indicate that supplementing a T. urticae diet with T. angustifolia pollen would not improve population parameters. However, in the absence of spider mites, providing commercial pollen might help sustain populations of the phytoseiid in the field.

A new species of oribatid mite from Kazakhstan, belonging to the genus DyobelbaNorton, 1978 (Oribatida, Damaeidae), is described based on adult and tritonymphal instar. Dyobelba veraesp. nov. can be distinguished from the other species of Dyobelba its the thick notogastral setae, the presence prodorsal tubercles Ba and ventrosejugal tubercles V, absence of Bp, Da, Dp and apophysis P, the short, broadly rounded parastigmatic tubercles, and its short legs with heavily and coarsely barbed leg setae. The structural features of Dyobelba tritonymphs are discussed.

In the present study, samples of tick, tissue and blood from free-living wild small mammals (rodents and marsupials) captured in two municipalities from the Amazon biome of the Mato Grosso state, were molecularly tested for rickettsial infection. A total of 148 mammal specimens (46 rodents and 102 marsupials) were trapped, and 2,700 Amblyomma ticks (2,000 larvae and 700 nymphs) were collected. Ticks were recognized into four Amblyomma species: Amblyomma cajennense sensu stricto, Amblyomma coelebs, Amblyomma humerale, and Amblyomma scalpturatum, with new data for tick-host associations from small mammals in the Amazon biome. All tissue and blood samples of small mammals tested by PCR for rickettsial detection were negative. However, concerning tick-Rickettsia associations, Rickettsia amblyommatis was detected in all four tick species identified in the present study, being the first record for A. scalpturatum ticks. Furthermore, an uncharacterized species of Rickettsia belonging to the spotted fever group was detected in A. humerale as well.

Predatory mites are inquilines on the surface of leaves where they forage, find shelter and reproduce. Richness of predatory mites and their interactions with the host plants could be dependent on ecological features of the vegetation. We investigate the interaction networks composed by predatory mites and their host plants in xeromorphic and non-xeromorphic habitats in Brazil. Plant-mite interaction networks were described by the following parameters: mite species richness, network connectance, and network nestedness. We have analyzed 41 plant-mite networks composed by 138 predatory mite species, 248 host plant species and 1,099 distinct interactions. Predatory mites were represented by 13 families. Phytoseiidae was the most speciose mite family with 89 species, followed by Cunaxidae (8) and Stigmaeidae (8). Networks from non-xeromorphic habitats presented higher mite species richness in comparison to xeromorphic ones. Similarly, network connectance and nestedness were larger within non-xeromorphic habitats than within xeromorphic habitats. Our results revealed that plant-mite networks are richer and more densely connected in non-xeromorphic habitats than in xeromorphic habitats. This could be explained by the less severe ecological and environmental constraints in non-xeromorphic vegetation, which is responsible for a more diverse mite community, allowing the establishment of more complex ecological interactions.

The mite Oligonychus punicae has potential for development in Eucalyptus spp. in clonal minigardens. However, there is no information on its biological and reproductive parameters on eucalyptus species. The objective of this study is to evaluate the biological and reproductive performance of O. punicae on different species of eucalyptus cultivated in a clonal minigarden. Development time, survival, longevity, fecundity and life table parameters of O. punicae were determined on six species of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus urophylla, Eucalyptus brassiana, Eucalyptus grandis, Eucalyptus tereticorinis, Eucalyptus pellita and Corymbia citriodora). All eggs of O. punicae originated females and completed the cycle in all hosts. Differences were observed in development, longevity, pre-oviposition, oviposition and post-oviposition, and fecundity of females of O. punicae when different eucalyptus species were used as hosts for O. punicae. The best performance of O. punicae was observed on E. tereticornis, while the worst performance was observed on C. citriodora, on which the net reproductive rates (R₀) ranged from 5.09 to 44.85, the intrinsic rate of population increase (r_m) ranged from 0.09 to 0.19, the finite rate of population increase (λ) ranged from 1.10 to 1.21, and the mean generation time (T) ranged from 0.09 to 0.19. These results suggest that E. tereticornis is an excellent host for O. punicae.

Two new species of oribatid mites of the genus Neoribates (Oribatida, Parakalummidae) are described based on adult specimens from leaf litter in the Montagne d'Ambre National Park of North Madagascar. Neoribates africanussp. nov. and N. madagascarensissp. nov. clearly differs from all species of the genus by the absence of interlamellar seta (including alveolus). An identification key and data on distribution and ecology of known African species of Parakalummidae are presented.

Knowledge of the effects of pesticides on biological control agents is necessary for the successful implementation of integrated pest management programs. Laboratory bioassays were conducted to evaluate the effects of Biomite^®, a natural acaricide, on the life table parameters of Neoseiulus californicus McGregor (Acari: Phytoseiidae), as one of the most important natural enemies of Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) under laboratory conditions at 25 ± 2°C, 65 ± 5% RH and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L:D) h. The raw data were analyzed based on the two-sex life table theory. Biomite^® concentrations LC₁₀ and LC₂₀ gradually and significantly reduced the longevity and total life span of both sexes, as well as total fecundity. Besides, concentration LC₂₀ significantly reduced the gross reproductive rate (GRR) and the net reproductive rate (R₀). However, the intrinsic rate of increase (r) and the finite rate of increase (λ) were not significantly affected. Thereby, due to an unfavorable shortened in life history characters of N. californicus such as total life span, reproductive periods and biological parameters (such as R₀ and GRR), as a consequence of Biomite^® treatment, it can be concluded that this acaricide should not be used with N. californicus in integrated pest management programs.

Vitellogenin (Vg) and Vitellogenin receptor (VgR) play key roles in the reproductive process and development of many arthropod species, including Amblyseius eharai, a dominant natural enemy of spider mites and other small pests. In this study, impacts of different food on A. eharai fecundity were investigated. Two Vg genes (AeVg1 and AeVg2) and AeVgR genes were cloned, with their expression pattern analyzed. When fed with different foods including Tetranychus cinnabarinus, Aleuroglyphus ovatus and Camellia oleifera pollen, the number of eggs for each female of A. eharai was influenced significantly (P<0.05), while the hatching rate of eggs not significantly (P>0.05). The open reading frames of AeVg1, AeVg2 and AeVgR were 5673, 5634 and 5597 bp, encoding 1857, 1851 and 1830 amino acids, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of the amino acid sequences between the AeVgs and AeVgR and 35 other Vg and VgRs from other arthropod species showed that A. eharai AeVg1 was related most closely to Neoseiulus barkeri Vg1, AeVg2 was related most closely to Neoseiulus cucumeris Vg2, AeVgR was most similar to Varroa jacobsori VgR. AeVgs and AeVgR had similar expression patterns: the highest expression was observed in the oviposition female stage, and the highest expression was observed in A. eharai fed with C. oleifera pollen. Positive correlations between expression of AeVgs and AeVgR and fecundity were observed. These results will help us understand the molecular mechanism of the reproductive capacity in A. eharai.

Turkey has great potential in vegetable production especially in greenhouses. However, plant pests such as Tetranychus urticae Koch can cause significant yield losses with the contribution of suitable climate conditions of greenhouses that allow to fast development of spider mites. Although synthetic acaricides are the most preferred control tools to manage T. urticae populations in Turkey, control failure has often been reported because of its ability to quickly develop resistance. In this study, bifenthrin and hexythiazox toxicity over five field-collected strains were evaluated and mechanisms of resistance have also been investigated via biochemical and molecular methods. Resistance mutations in voltage gated sodium channel and chitin synthase I which are the target sites of bifenthrin and hexythiazox, respectively, were found in various strains. The specific activity of P450 and GST enzymes was significantly increased in all field-collected strains comparing with susceptible strain. In addition, synergists of P450 and esterase enzymes enhanced the bifenthrin and hexythiazox toxicity, respectively. The results of this study will contribute to design proper resistance management strategies in Turkish greenhouses.