Microspalacinae, a new subfamily of the feather mite family Alloptidae Gaud (Acarina, Analgoidea).

Microspalacinae subfam. n. (Analgoidea, Alloptidae) is established for the feather mite genus Microspalax Mégnin et Trouessart (= Connivelobus Dubinin, new synonymy). Morphologies of the species are described and illustrated with line drawings and SEM micrographs, and taxonomical comments are given for named species. The mites are known from shearwaters (Procellaridae) and stormpetrels (Hydrobatidae); host associations are discussed. The alloptid subfamily Thysanocercinae Atyeo et Peterson is elevated to familial rank.     

Parasitic mites of Surinam. XXXII. New species of feather mites (Sarcoptiformes, Analgoidea).

Seven new species of feather mites belonging to families Analgidae, Falculiferidae, Pterolichidae, Pteronyssidae and Xolalgidae are described from Columbiformes, Cuculiformes, Piciformes and Passeriformes of Surinam.     

The feather mites of the family Proctophyllodidae (acari, sarcoptiformes) from Nepalese birds

Eight species of birds of the families Fringillidae (3), Motacillidae (2), Prunellidae (1), Pycnonotidae (1) and Turdidae (1) were found to be parasitized by 8 species of the genus Proctophyllodes, 3 of them being new to science: P. danieli sp. n. from Pycnonotus leucogenys, P. macrophallus sp. n. from Prunella collaris and P. puniceus sp. n. from Pyrrhospiza punicea. Other species recorded are P. anthi, P. cotyledon, P. glandarinus, P. leucosticti and P. aff. poublani. All hosts were collected in the region of the Barun river valley in East Nepal in the altitude of 3,600-4,900 m a. s. l.     

Picobia polonica sp. n. (Acari: Prostigmata: Syringophilidae), a new species of quill mite from the domestic hen, Gallus gallus domesticus (Aves: Phasianidae).

Female, physogastric female and male of Picobia polonica sp. n. collected from the domestic hen Gallus gallus domesticus (L.) in Poland are described and the phenomenon of physogastry in this and related species is briefly discussed. Picobia polonica is similar to Picobia khulkhshani (Kivganov et Sharafat, 1995). These two species can be distinguished by the following characters: P. polonica: chelicerae dentate, each with three minute teeth; setae g1 and pg2 subequal in length; ratio pg1 : pg2, 3: 1. P. khulkhshani: chelicerae edentate; setae g1 twice shorter than pg2; ratio pg1 : pg2, 1.6: 1.     

New records of Ichneumonidae (hymenoptera) species from Turkey

In this study, six Ichneumonidae species were recorded for the first time in Turkey:Tromatobia ornata (Gravenhorst, 1829) andStronyglopsis abdominalis Kasparyan, 1974 (Pimplinae);Tryphon auricularis Thomson, 1883 andThibetoides acerbus Viktorov, 1964 (Tryphoninae);Pion crassipes Homgren, 1857 (Ctenopelmatinae); andTemelucha tricolorata (Sedivy, 1968) (Cremastinae). The faunistic and distributional data notes are given for each species.     

Two new species of Apoloniinae (Acari: Trombiculoidea: Leeuwenhoekiidae) from African small mammals, with a key to the species of the world

The genus Liuella Wang et Bai, 1992 is transferred from Trombiculidae to Apoloniinae and a new species Liuella monosetosa sp. n. described from specimens taken in Morocco from the hosts Gerbillus sp. and Meriones libycus Lichtenstein. A new species of Straelensia Vercammen-Grandjean et Kolebinova, 1968, Straelensia variocula sp. n. is described from specimens taken in Morocco and Burkina Faso from the hosts Genetta thierryi Matschie, Gerbillus sp., M. libycus and Elephantulus rozeti (Duvernoy). A list of species, hosts and localities and a key to the species of the Apoloniinae of the world are presented.     

Two new species of the family Syringophilidae (Acari: Cheyletoidea) from passeriform birds collected in the Altai

Two new species of the syringophilid mites (Acari: Syringophilidae) are described from quills of passeriform birds. Syringophilopsis faini sp. n. is described from Sylvia curruca (L.) (Sylviidae) and Syringophiloidus carpodaci sp. n. is described from Carpodacus erythrinus (Pall.) (Fringillidae). Characters are detailed that differentiate Syringophilopsis faini from three species of a new "turdus" group, and Syringophiloidus carpodaci from S. minor.     

A new genus of syringophilid mites (Acari: Cheyletoidea: Syringophilidae) from cuculiform birds (Aves: Cuculiformes)

Cuculisyringophilus crotophaginus gen. n. et sp. n. is described from the guira cuckoo Guira guira (Gmelin) from Paraguay and also was collected from the groove-billed ani Crotophaga sulcirostris Swainson from Colombia and Mexico. This new genus is closely related to Neoaulobia Fain, Bochkov et Mironov, 2000 but is distinguished by the following characters: propodosomal setae sce are situated distinctly anterior to level of setae d1, leg setae vs'II are absent, apodemes I are divergent.     

A new species of Neoascarophis (Nematoda: Cystidicolidae) parasitic in Mullus argentinae (Perciformes: Mullidae) from the Atlantic coast of South America

A new nematode species (Neoascarophis mariae n. sp.) is described based on specimens collected from the Argentine goatfish Mullus argentinae (Hubbs et Marini) from coastal waters off the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In the genus, the new species belongs to the group of species with females that have the vulva near the posterior end of the body. Only males of Neoascarophis longispicula Moravec et Klimpel, 2009 are known and can be distinguished from those of the new species by their larger body, developed and somewhat dorsoventrally expanded flat inner part of the pseudolabia, bifurcate deirids and larger spicules (the left one with a rounded tip) with a different length ratio. Other species with females that have the vulva near the equatorial region are N. yarihige Machida, 1976 and N. bathygadi Machida, 1976. Both males and females of N. yarihige are longer than those of the new species and have a shorter vestibule; males have shorter spicules with a different length ratio. Neoascarophis bathygadi is the only member of the genus that shares the presence of a cephalic vesicle with the new species, which, however, is shorter and arises at 40 microm from the anterior end instead from the deirids, as in the new species. Both males and females of N. bathygadi are also longer than those of the new species and have a shorter vestibule; males have a larger left spicule, but shorter right spicule and a different length ratio. Ascarophis upeneichthys Johnston et Mawson, 1945, a parasite ofa mullid host, is transferred to Neoascarophis Machida, 1976 and is distinguished from the new species by having a shorter vestibule in females and shorter spicules (left spicule with a pointed tip) with a different length ratio in males.     

Trichoecius calomysci sp. n. (Acari: Myocoptidae), a new mite species from Iran

A new species of myocoptid mite, Trichoecius calomysci sp. n. (Acari: Myocoptidae), from Calomyscus sp. (Rodentia: Cricetidae) from Iran is described.     

Digeneans and cestodes parasitic in the white-faced ibis Plegadis chihi (Aves: Threskiornithidae) from Argentina

Some digeneans and cestodes parasitic in a population of the white-faced ibis Plegadis chihi (Vieillot) from Buenos Aires province, Argentina, are presented. The digeneans Dietziella egregia (Dietz, 1909), Patagifer bilobus (Rudolphi, 1819), Ascocotyle (Leighia) hadra Ostrowski de Nu?ez, 1992 and Posthodiplostomum nanum Dubois, 1937 from the intestine; Prosthogonimus ovatus (Rudolphi, 1803) from the cloaca; Athesmia heterolecithodes (Braun, 1899) from the bile ducts and the cestode Hymenolepis megalops (Nitzsch in Creplin, 1829) from the cloaca, were recorded. The discovery of D. egregia, P. ovatus, A. heterolecithodes and P. nanum constitute new host and/or new geographical records. Adults of A. (L.) hadra, previously described in experimental definitive hosts, are first reported from a naturally infected bird. Hymenolepis megalops, a cestode of Anseriformes is first reported from Ciconiiformes.     

New records of endoparasitoidBassus fabricius, 1804 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Agathidinae) species from Turkey

SixBassus species were recorded for the first time in Turkey:B. calculator (Fabricius, 1798),B. cingulipes (Nees, 1814),B. conspicuus (Wesmael, 1837),B. graecus Achterberg, 1992,B. rugulosus (Needs, 1834) andB. zaykovi (Nixon, 1986). By adding these new records, the number ofBassus species in Turkey has been raısed from seven to 13. Distribution and known hosts are given.     

Life history of Proprioseiopsis badri feeding on four eriophyid mite species (Acari: Phytoseiidae and Eriophyidae)

The influence of four eriophyid mite species as prey, Aceria dioscoridis, Aceria olivi, Aculops lycopersici and Cisaberoptus kenyae, on the biology and demographic parameters of the predatory mite Proprioseiopsis badri, was studied under laboratory conditions. Feeding on A. dioscoridis and A. olivi enhanced the development of P. badri, resulted in the longest mean generation time and were the most suitable foods for the oviposition of the predator, as exhibited by the highest fecundity, net reproductive rate and gross reproductive rate. Preying on A. lycopersici gave the lowest fecundity, net and gross reproductive rates and finite rate of increase; therefore, this prey was the least suitable for the oviposition of P. badri. Preying on A. dioscoridis and A. olivi produced higher intrinsic rates of increase, reproduction rates and finite rates of increase for the predator in comparison with A. lycopersici and C. kenyae, which had the lowest value. These differences in response to various eriophyid pests should be considered for the production of healthy cultures of P. badri.     

Comparative life history characteristics of the mite predator Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on mite and pollen diets

The food diversification strategy that can offer suitable nutrients as a diet for the natural enemies may possibly help to decrease pest populations by boosting the efficiency of predators. Therefore, my objective was to evaluate the effects of plant and animal diets on biological parameters of the phytoseiid mite Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans). This predator that is a natural enemy of mites was reared on plant pollens (maize (Zea mays L.), sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), mungbean (Vigna radiata L.), cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), and rose (Rosa multiflora Thunb.), offered alone, and in combination with the prey mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank). Results showed that N. cucumeris fed, developed and reproduced better when it was provided with plant and animal diets together, compared to pollens offered alone. The predator showed the most efficient capability for completion of life parameters (development, survival, fecundity, oviposition, longevity and instantaneous rate of increase) with maize and mungbean ingested pollens in combination with T. putrescentiae. The least competency was observed on cucumber and rose pollens used separately. The lowest developmental time of the predator from neonate larva to adult emergence, the highest immature survivorship, higher fecundity, long oviposition period, and the highest adult female's life span were observed when offered maize pollens along with T. putrescentiae compared to other treatments. Accordingly, the instantaneous rate of population increase (r_i) day^?1 was surpassed by N. cucumeris for the combination of pollen and T. putrescentiae diets than pollens utilized alone. It is determined that N. cucumeris can reproduce and develop more successfully on a food complex consisting of pollen and animal diets than any single diet. These findings reveal that pollen can be used by N. cucumeris as a suitable alternative food in periods when prey in the field is sparse or absent. Moreover, such propensity of predators to feed on food from plant origin increases their survival during periods when prey is locally scarce, but natural enemies might occur at the expense of an ability to utilize food as efficiently as specialized predators to boost the management strategies of pest species in field's ecosystem.