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Diplogyniopsis fluctuosumsp. nov. associated with passalid beetles is described based on females from China on undermined passalid beetles, as well as on females and males from Thailand on Aceraius helferi (Coleoptera: Passalidae). The species represents the second known species of Diplogyniopsis Trägårdh, prompting us to redefine the genus diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides an updated description of the type species of Weiseronyssus Samšiňák, W. mirus Samšiňák, with redescription of the female and male based on paratype slides and newly-collected mites. Specimens of W. mirus were collected in China from laboratory-reared Allomyrina dichotoma (Coleoptera: Scarabaeids: Dynastinae) larvae. A key to both sexes of Weiseronyssus species is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of tarsonemid mite from the tribe Coreitarsonemini, Coreitarsonemus eratosp. nov., is described from female, male and larval specimens collected from the odoriferous glands of the Australian gum-tree bug Amorbus rhombifer (Westwood, 1842). We summarise the hosts and distributions of each species, provide updated keys, and speculate that species of Coreitarsonemini are largely restricted to the tropics and host species that persist as adults year-round. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Storchia pacifica (Summers, 1964) is redescribed from specimens intercepted by staff of the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry from Cambodia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Kiribati, Laos, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Nigeria, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Uganda, Vanuatu, and Vietnam. Most of the specimens were intercepted on products made from woven natural fibre such as mats and baskets. The specimens show variation in the form of their dorsal setae, which are slender and tapered to strongly clavate distally. Otherwise, dorsal and leg chaetotaxy is consistent, as is the characteristic pattern of body striation of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 20th 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of tarsonemid mite, Steneotarsonemus hippodromus sp. nov., is described from kikuyu grass Pennisetum clandestinum (Poaceae). The new species is the fifth species of the subgenus Steneotarsonemoides. Keys to the subgenera of Steneotarsonemus and species of Steneotarsonemoides are provided, as is a list of species in each subgenus of Steneotarsonemus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Scissuralaelaps (Acari: Laelapidae: Iphiopsidinae), S. huberi sp. nov., is described from the millipede Acladocricus sp. (Spirobolida: Rhinocricidae) in the Philippines. The new species is close to S. bipartitus Ishikawa, which also has males with heavily sclerotised anterior and lateral margins of the peritrematal and metapodal shields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new species of Eutarsopolipus Berlese, 1913 (Acari: Podapolipidae) are described from adult females, larviform adult males and larval females collected from under the elytra of pterostichine carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in southeast Queensland: Eutarsopolipus earnshawi sp. nov. from Cratoferonia phylarchus (Sloane, 1900), Eutarsopolipus lambkinae sp. nov. from Notonomus angustibasis Sloane, 1902 and Eutarsopolipus rutherfordae sp. nov. from Trichosternus subvirens (Chaudoir, 1865) . All the new species belong to the ochoai species group and a key to species of this group is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new tribe, Obuloidini tr. nov. Beard, Ueckermann & Seeman, is proposed to include the genera Krugeria Meyer, Obuloides Baker & Tuttle and two new genera, Bauchania gen. nov. Beard & Seeman and Krobuloides gen. nov. Ueckermann. The genus Krugeria is revised, with the redescription of the type species Kru. ramosa Meyer (based on type material) and the addition of four new species, Kru. neseri sp. nov. Beard & Seeman, Kru. tshipise sp. nov. Beard & Seeman, and Kru. esseleeae Ueckermann from South Africa, and Kru. ueckermanni Beard & Seeman from Australia (new generic record). A new genus from South Africa, Krobuloides gen. nov. Ueckermann, is described based on three new species, Kro. aydeni sp. nov. Ueckermann, Kro. eduani sp. nov. Ueckermann and Kro. waldoi sp. nov. Ueckermann. The genus Obuloides is revised with redescriptions of the following species, all based on type material: the type species O. rajamohani Baker & Tuttle from India; O. rimando Corpuz-Raros from The Philippines; and O. crinitus Maake & Ueckermann, O. flavae Ueckermann, Theron & Tiedt, O. inquilinus Ueckermann et al., O. namibiensis Ueckermann et al., O. occidentalis Ueckermann et al., and O. ruginosus Ueckermann et al. from South Africa. A new genus, Bauchania gen. nov. Beard & Seeman, is described from Australia, based on two new species, B. dampiera sp. nov. Beard & Seeman and B. goodenia sp. nov. Beard & Seeman. A discussion of the character states shared by these four genera is presented, with a key to separate them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chrysomelobia matsuzawai sp. nov. and Chrysomelobia nipponica sp. nov. (Acari: Podapolipidae) are described from Gonioctena rubripennis Baly (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) collected in Japan. This is the first record of the genus Chrysomelobia Regenfuss, 1968 in Asia. Adult females of the type species for Chrysomelobia, Chrysomelobia mahunkai Regenfuss, 1968, were recollected from female specimens infesting a Gonioctena sp. in Germany. An updated key to all species of Chrysomelobia is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new tetranychine spider mites are described from Astragalus in Iran: Tetranychus neosalsolaesp. nov. and Augeriflechtmannia astragalussp. nov. The possible close relationship between the new species prompted us to review the genus AugeriflechtmanniaKoçak & Kemal, 2008—formerly DiplonychusAuger & Flechtmann, 2003. We refine the genus diagnosis and move Tetranychus armeniacaBagdasarian, 1951 and Tetranychus iraniensis Mahdavi & Ueckermann, 2013 to Augeriflechtmannia and discuss the possible synonymy of these species. The genus now comprises five species from Armenia, Iran and Tunisia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of the neotenic flat mite genus Larvacarus Baker and Pritchard, 1952 (Acariformes: Tetranychoidea: Tenuipalpidae), Larvacarus iranicus sp. nov., is described from females collected from Astragalus sp. (Fabaceae) in Iran (Kerman Province). This is the second report of this genus in the world. The relationships of Larvacarus with other flat mite genera, including the other larviform species in the genera Raoiellana Baker and Tuttle, 1972 and Phytoptipalpus Trägårdh, 1904 are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]