Phytoseiidae comprised over 2000 described species with different feeding habits. However, the mechanisms of food selection were virtually unknown in most phytoseiid mites. To explore the potential mechanism of odor perception, we compared the type and number of chemosensilla on the tarsi of legs and pedipalps by scanning and transmission electron microscopy in three representative predatory mites, i.e., Phytoseiulus persimilis (specialized predator of Tetranychus), Neoseiulus californicus (selective predator of tetranychid mites), and Amblyseius swirskii (generalist predator). All three species had two types of putatively olfactory sensilla, with a porous vs. grooved surface on the tip of the first pair of legs. Of these, five porous setae were found in each of the three species of predatory mites studied. However, only one grooved seta was found at the tip of the first pair of legs in P. persimilis, and two in A. swirskii and N. californicus. In addition, the pedipalp has nine grooved setae, which were hypothesized to be contact chemosensilla in each of the three species. No porous setae were found on either pedipalp or the other three pairs of legs, i.e., leg II, III and IV. Additionally, we provided a new chaetotactic notation for the tarsus of leg I by considering the type and number of setae based on our observation of the three species of Phytoseiidae studied.

Diet and social experience during development can have profound influences on the fitness of individuals and subsequently affect population dynamics. Understanding the factors driving population size is fundamental to ecological studies and pest management. In this study, we investigated the interplay between diet-induced plasticity, cannibalism, social interactions, and life history traits in Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot, a natural predator of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch. This research explored how varying prey densities and the presence of a non-feeding conspecific during P. persimilis' immature development impacts survival, cannibalism, prey consumption, developmental time, and size at maturity. Results show that survival rates are influenced by prey availability, with an increase in cannibalism observed under low prey density conditions. The presence of non-feeding conspecifics had a significant impact on P. persimilis, leading to increased prey consumption, accelerated immature development, and reduced size at maturity. These findings provide insights into the complex dynamics of predator-prey interactions and offer valuable implications for pest management strategies involving P. persimilis. The influence of diet and social interaction on additional life history traits, such as lifespan and fecundity, should be examined in future studies.

Two new diptilomiopid mite species of the genus Davisella Amrine, Stasny et Flechtmann are described from arboreal Meliaceae of economic potential from Bahia state, Northeastern Brazil—Davisella toonae sp. nov. from the exotic tree Toona ciliata M. Roem., and Davisella cedrelae sp. nov. from the native tree Cedrela odorata L. The two new species are vagrants on lower leaflets surfaces, and no apparent damage to the host plant was observed. Most of the nine species of the genus previously described were collected from the Americas and/or associated with dicotyledons. The two new species represent the first record of the genus in Meliaceae. An expanded diagnosis of Davisella and a key to the eleven species described is provided.

A new species of flat mite (Acari: Tenuipalpidae), Brevipalpus canastra Castro, Beard & Ochoa sp. nov., is described from the adult female, deutonymph, protonymph and larval stages collected on Sabicea brasiliensis (Rubiaceae), in the Cerrado region of Brazil. The new species belongs to the Brevipalpus phoenicis species group. The ontogenetic changes in the idiosoma and leg chaetotaxy of all stages are presented and micrographs using low-temperature scanning electron microscopy (LT-SEM) are provided.

A new species of mite, Amblyseius taiguensis Liu, Ma & Fan, sp. nov. (Acari: Phytoseiidae), has been recently discovered from Setaria viridis (L.) P. Beauv. (Poaceae) in Taigu County, Shanxi Province, China. The morphology of this new species is described in detail for all life stages, including larva, protonymph, deutonymph and adult female and male. A comparison of the morphology of A. taiguensis sp. nov. with other related species in the genus Amblyseius Berlese has been conducted. This new finding contributes to the diversity of phytoseiid mites in China and the studies of morphological changes could have implications for the understanding of the developmental and evolutionary biology of Amblyseius.

A new subgenus Egeoglandula subgen. nov., has been erected within the water mite genus Neumania Lebert, 1879. This subgenus includes the following four species: Neumania disetus Jin, 1997, Neumania cercalis Jin, 1997, Neumania dolichotricha Jin, 1997 and Neumania navina Cook, 1967. The latter species is recorded for the first time from China. Additionally, three new species of the new subgenus are described: Neumania segrega sp. nov., Neumania palosa sp. nov., Neumania secara sp. nov. These new findings contribute to the knowledge of the genus Neumania from China.

Female and male of the new species, Stigmaeus burjaticus sp. nov. (Acari: Stigmaeidae), collected from soil in Buryatia are described. Females of Stigmaeus fidelis Kuznetsov and Eustigmaeus parakauaiensis Kapaxidi, Stathakis and Papadoulis, collected from soil and moss, are recorded from Russia for the first time and redescribed based on materials from Kabardino-Balkaria (North Caucasus).

Adult females and males of Caligonella brevia sp. nov. (Caligonellidae) are described and illustrated from mosses in an oak forest at the Karasu Valley in Türkiye. The new species has the following distinctive combination of characters: dorsal idiosomal shield absent, two pairs of ocelli on prodorsum, ventral idiosoma with a shield-like unstriated area between coxae, one pair of pseudanal setae on anal shields, genital setae absent, genu I bearing solenidion κ, the outer solenidion on tibia I noticeably longer than inner solenidion. This paper also contains comments on some members of the genera Molothrognathus Summers & Schlinger and Neognathus Willmann. In this sense, the names of Neognathus attiahi Soliman & Gomaa, Neognathus oteifi Soliman & Gomaa, Molothrognathus platelettus Soliman & Gomaa and Molothrognathus seuzius Soliman & Gomaa are considered as nomina nuda.

The genus Typhlodromina (Acari: Phytoseiidae) comprises six species worldwide. Three of them were previously recorded in New Zealand. During our studies of the phytoseiid mites, notable misidentifications were found in mite collections within New Zealand. This paper aims to rectify the taxonomic uncertainties associated with this genus in the country. We conducted a comprehensive examination of specimens deposited in major collections across the country, employing detailed morphological characteristics. Our findings indicate that only two species, T. aristidesi (El Banhawy) and T. musero (Schicha), are present in New Zealand and the prior records of T. eharai Muma and Denmark actually correspond to T. musero (Schicha).

The 16th International Congress of Acarology was successfully conducted from December 1 to 5, 2022, at the Owen G. Glenn Building, The University of Auckland, in Auckland, New Zealand. The event saw a total of 259 attendees from 32 different countries or regions, with two-thirds of them participating virtually. Besides the opening and closing ceremonies, the congress included (1) five plenary keynote presentations (one each day), (2) 52 invited presentations across eight symposia, 93 presentations in 10 subject sections, and 19 poster flash presentations in two parallel sessions, and (3) 16 poster presentations. This congress was the first of its kind to publish the proceedings before the event began and to provide video recordings for the participants and potentially the wider community.