The largely unique fauna of ticks in Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) has been studied for 250 years. Here, we briefly review the early stages of tick taxonomy in the region, then focus on the activities of five people who contributed much to our knowledge of ticks in Australasia during the second half of the 20^th century: F.H.S Roberts, David H. Kemp, Douglas E. Moorhouse, Nixon Wilson and Harry Hoogstraal. We provide biographical notes on each and collated publication lists for Roberts, Kemp and Moorhouse. We recognize three eras of tick taxonomy in Australia. First, an era that we refer to as “colonial tick taxonomy”, where ticks were sent from the European colonies to taxonomists in Europe. Second, a brief but significant era that we refer to as “endemic tick taxonomy” defined by the works of F.H.S. Roberts. Thirdly, a final phase of “colonial taxonomy” where ticks were described by workers in the USA. In PNG there has been no phase of endemic tick taxonomy and, while Australian workers are once again describing new tick species, in PNG the USA continues to make the most significant contributions. Through this work, we now see Australasia as one of the “theatres of evolution” of Bothriocroton and Archaeocroton, the Amblyomma-like ticks without eyes. We briefly discuss the current hypotheses for the theatre of evolution of the Ixodida, consider the 22 genus and subgenus-level entities of the Prostriata (Ixodinae) as provisional biological entities, and provide observations on tick phylogenetics and future research. Finally, we outline additional genetic evidence, from a recent whole-transcriptome study, for the two clades of the subfamily Ixodinae (Prostriata), the Australasian Ixodes and all other Ixodes.

The cheyletid mites (Acari: Cheyletidae) collected from Kelkit Valley in Turkey are investigated. A new species, Cheletomorpha bochkovi sp. nov., is described and illustrated. The following five species are newly recorded from Turkey and redescribed: Cheletacarus raptor Volgin, Eucheyletia flabellifera Michael, Eutogenes foxi Baker, Ker pintoriensis Corpuz-Raros and Paracheyletia pyriformis Banks. This is the first report on the occurrence of the genera Cheletacarus Volgin, Eucheyletia Baker, Ker Muma and Paracheyletia Volgin in Turkey.

A field experiment was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of the native predatory mite Cydnoseius negevi (Swirski and Amitai) (=Typlodromus negevi) as a biological control agent for Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) complex, Onion thrips Thrips tapaci (Lindeman) and Tetranychus urticae (Koch). The efficacy of Phytoseiulus persimilis (Athias-Henriot) against these pests was also evaluated. The data obtained revealed reduction in population density of the above-mentioned pests in the experimental plots for P. persimilis and C. negivi compared to the control plot. Mean population density of each of the pests ranging from 32.2–0.5, 284.4–2.0 and 441.8–2.0 individuals / leaf for T. urticae, in the three plots respectively. The mean values of B. tabaci fluctuated between 41.1–2.1, 16.2–1.0 and 57.3–3.6. individuals / leaf and T. tabaci between 20.1–2.6, 13.7–1.4 and 24.9–1.9 individuals / leaf respectively. A slight non-consumptive negative effect is shown by P. persimilis against the pests B. tabaci and T. tabaci. This preliminary experiment hopefully will enhance the role of the native predator C. negevi to play a role in bio-control and its mass augmentation.

All development stages of Chiropturopoda nidiphila are described, which has previously been known only from the deutonymph stage. The species is closely associated with tree holes excavated by woodpeckers. Chiropturopoda nidiphila was redescribed and the genus diagnosis was completed. The description of the species morphology is based largely on scanning (SEM) electronograms. Diagnoses differentiating all of the known species of the genus Chiropturopoda are provided, including their developmental stages.

Abiotic factors, such as temperature, humidity, soil elements, along with biotic factors affect terrestrial arthropod communities. Since the application of agricultural fertilizers with the entrance of different elements causes changes in the soil physicochemical conditions, fertilizers may cause fluctuation in the population density of edaphic arthropods. Given this opinion, in this research, the effect of common fertilizers on the population fluctuation and distribution pattern of the predatory mite Leitneria pugio (Karg) was investigated. The experimental treatments were granular urea fertilizer with two doses (200 and 400 kg per ha), poultry manure, zinc sludge (to simulate the accumulation of zinc sulfate fertilizer in the soil), and control in five blocks. Humidity, pH, temperature, NO₃ ^– and NO₂ ^–, and elements (organic Carbon, K, Na, P, Fe, Cu, Pb, Cr, Cd, Ni, Zn, and As) of soil were measured, and their relationship with the predatory mite population was determined by Pearson correlation coefficient. Iwao's patchiness, Taylor's power law, and Morisita's coefficient of dispersion were used for determining the spatial distribution pattern of L. pugio. The spatial pattern of L. pugio was aggregated, and the highest population density of the predator was observed in December in zinc sludge and control treatments, and in May, in zinc sludge treatment, on the average 60, 35, and 110 per m², respectively. The relationship between mite's population and Cu and Pb was significantly positive, and L. pugio had a significantly negative relationship with P, NO₃ ^– and soil temperature. Nevertheless, the application of different fertilizers did not affect the spatial distribution pattern of the predator.

The South American palm weevil, Rhynchophorus palmarum (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), established in San Diego County, California, USA sometime around 2014. Attached to the motile adults of this destructive palm pest, we identified three species of uropodine mites (Parasitiformes: Uropodina), Centrouropoda n. sp., Dinychus n. sp. and Fuscuropoda marginata. Two of these species, Centrouropoda n. sp. and Dinychus n. sp. are recorded for the first time in the USA and were likely introduced by R. palmarum. Several species of mites, primarily of Uropodina, have previously been recorded as phoretic on Rhynchophorus spp. In this study, we examined 3,035 adult R. palmarum trapped over a 2.5-year period, July 2016 to December 2018, and documented the presence of and species composition of phoretic mites and their relationship with weevil morphometrics (i.e., pronotum length and width). The presence and species composition of mites on weevil body parts changed over the survey period. No mites were found under weevil elytra in 2016 and mite prevalence under elytra increased over 2017–2018 due to an increased abundance of Centrouropoda n. sp per individual beetle. Mite occurrence levels were significantly correlated with reduced pronotum widths of male weevils only. The significance of this finding on male weevil fitness is unknown. Potential implications of phoretic mites on aspects of the invasion biology of R. palmarum are discussed.

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) is an important pest of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Control of this pest is usually dependent on chemical pesticides. The use of resistant plant cultivars in conjugation with other control tactics generates more effective and long lasting results in management of many pests. In this study we used two-sex life table to evaluate the performance of T. urticae on five pepper cultivars (11983, ES4, Hashemi, Mahali and USL) before and after blooming of host plants. The results showed that the immature time, adult longevity and fecundity differed significantly among cultivars. Before blooming on 11983, the values for the intrinsic rate of increase (r) and the finite rate of increase (λ) were 0.0645 and 1.066 day^-1 respectively, which were significantly the lowest; the highest r and λ values was recorded on ES4 which were 0.1347 and 1.144 day^-1 respectively. After blooming there was no significant difference in these values among cultivars except for Mahali in which these values were significantly the highest (0.0751 and 1.078 day^-1 respectively). Comparing between the phenological stages of host plants (before and after blooming) indicated that after blooming all of the tested pepper cultivars were more resistant to T. urticae. In summary, among the different cultivars tested, the most suitable was ES4 and the least suitable was 11983 before blooming of host plants. After blooming the suitability of host plants changed and decreased significantly.

Predation ability is a key component determining the suppression of agricultural pests by natural enemies. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of prey density and developmental stage on the predation of Euseius scutalis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) and the oriental red mite, Eutetranychus orientalis (Acari: Tetranychidae). For this purpose, laboratory functional response experiments were conducted using female adults of E. scutalis. Results indicated that the predator causes an inverse density dependent mortality to larvae, nymphs and adults of the two-spotted spider mite, as well as the oriental red mite. The random predator equation was used to fit the data. E. scutalis handling time increased significantly with T. urticae and E. orientalis developmental stage. The maximum number of T. urticae prey consumed was 48.3 larvae, 28.5 nymphs and 11.0 adults, where the corresponding values for E. orientalis were 48.8, 32.2 and 18.2 larvae, nymphs and adults, respectively. Estimated handling times and attack rates of E. scutalis on larvae, nymphs and adults of T. urticae were 0.4970 h and 0.1058 h^-1, 0.8435 h and 0.1395 h^-1, and 2.1834 h and 0.0835 h^-1, respectively. The corresponding values on larvae, nymphs and adults of E. orientalis were 0.4920 h and 0.1166 h^-1, 0.7452 h and 0.1361 h^-1, and 1.3186 h and 0.0597 h^-1, respectively. The results of this study may be indicative of the predation ability of adults of E. scutalis on these notorious pests, providing a basis for determining release rates appropriate for various pest densities.

Surveys were carried out to assess Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) diversity in various habitats and ecosystems during the last two years in Russia. This study aimed to provide a review of the Russian species belonging to the genus Transeius Chant & McMurtry (Acari: Phytoseiidae) mostly based on the materials collected in this study as well as previous records. As a result, T. avetianae (Arutunjan & Ohandjanian) and T. proximus (Kolodochka) are reported for the first time in Russia. In addition, Transeius kornosorae Döker & Khaustov sp. nov. is described based on females. Furthermore, an identification key is provided for Russian species of the genus.

The morphological ontogeny of Limnozetes schatzi sp. nov. from Norway is described and illustrated. The adult of this species is the most similar to that of L. rugosus (), but differs from it mainly by the body shape (it is stockier in dorsal aspect and less convex in lateral aspect than L. rugosus), longer prodorsal seta in and notogastral setae, lack of seta c₃, which in some individuals of L. rugosus is present, and sculpture of notogaster. Moreover, in L. schatzi seta l′ on femur III is absent, but in L. rugosus it is present. Seta d on femora I–III and seta l′ on femora I and II have relatively long barbs, covered often with debris. The juveniles of L. schatzi have all gastronotal setae short, whereas the latter species has some setae longer (lm and lp in larva, lp in nymphs).

The original description of Scheloribates crassus was incomplete, lacking information and figures about some morphological structures. Our specimens of S. crassus match broadly with the original description of the type specimens. However, there are the following differences: the morphological structures of leg I–II, the number of saccules, the presence of small holes between h₃. Therefore, to help with its identification and discussion in the future, supplementary description of specimens is necessary. The supplementary description of Scheloribates crassus is presented on the basis of specimens from Auckland and Bay of Plenty, New Zealand in this paper.