Persian Journal of Acarology
Volume:9 Issue: 3, Summer 2020

New and interesting records of quill mites (Acari: Prostigmata, Syringophilidae) of passerine birds of southwestern Ukraine are presented. Three genera (Betasyringophiloidus Skoracki, 2011; Neoaulonastus Skoracki, 2004; TorotroglaKethley, 1970) and 11 species (Betasyringophiloidus saxicolus Skoracki, 2011; B. phoenicurus Skoracki, 2011; Neoaulonastus bisetatus (Fritsch, 1958); Syringophilopsis acrocephali Skoracki, 1999; S. blaszaki Skoracki & Dabert, 1999; S. fringillae (Fritsch, 1958); S. hirundus Skoracki, 2004; S. kazmierski Skoracki, 2004; S. rusticus Skoracki, 2004; Torotrogla rubeculi Skoracki, 2004; T. merulae Skoracki, Dabert & Ehrnsberger, 2000) are recorded for the first time in Ukraine. New host record for S. rusticus Skoracki, 2004 is given. The syringophilid fauna presently recorded from Ukraine is summarized and keyed.

Seventy-two females, one male, seven deutonymphs and two protonymphs specimens of Ledermuelleriopsis aminiae Nazari & Khanjani, 2017 were collected from Pülümür Valley, Turkey. Descriptions and illustrations of the nymph stages on the collected specimens of the species were given and the adult specimens were briefly described. This is the first record of L. aminiae from Turkey, and the first description of nymphal stages of the species. In addition, abnormalities in the number of intercoxal and aggenital setae in the female and male specimens of L. aminiae were mentioned here.

Moderate and humid region in north of Iran is home to a rich arthropod fauna, yet the mite fauna of Golestan province, with moderate Caspian climate, is poorly studied systematically. In this study, we conducted a faunistic study on heterostigmatic mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Eleutherengonides) associated with insects in Golestan Province. We used both day and overnight sampling methods to capture host insects in sampling sites. Thirteen species of seven heterostigmatic families were identified: Dolichocybidae (one species), Caraboacaridae (one species), Trochometridi-idae (one species), Neopygmephoridae (three species), Pygmephoridae (three species), Scutacaridae (two species) and Microdispidae (two species). The genus Formicomotes and subgenus Imparipes (Sporichneuthes) are new records for Iran and Asia, respectively. Beyond this, 13 new insect host records are reported for heterostigmatic mites. Finally, the world distribution of the recovered mites is reviewed.

Two collections of Tydeoidea from Mazandaran province revealed 16 species from six genera in two families. Of these, Tydeus lindquisti (Marshall, 1970) is a new record for Iran and 12 species are new records for the province. Photographs and supplementary data are provided for some species.

Fifty two species/subspecies of oribatid mites are identified from forest areas in the central Black Sea basin and Central Anatolia. Seventeen species among them are new records for the country. For each species GPS coordinates, habitat, regional and global distribution data are provided and for new records additional remarks with taxonomic, ecological and/or regional peculiarities are given.

Schizotetranychus smirnovi Wainstein is a serious pest of almond in Iran and its population has extremely increased recently in Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari province. Biological parameters of this mitewere determined on almond leaves (Mamaei variety), under laboratory conditions at 27.5 ± 1 °C, 50 ± 10 % RH, and photoperiod of 14:10 (L:D). More-over, population fluctuation of S. smirnovi and its predator, Scolothrips longicornis Priesner, were studied on almond (Mamaei c.v.) under field conditions (from April to October) during two successive years 2008–2009. Laboratory results showed that egg incubation period is the longest (3.25 ± 0.25 and 3.05 ± 0.25 days for female and male, respectively) in the immature stage. In addition, the female total immature period (2.91 ± 0.43 days) is longer than the male (2.87 ± 0.64 days). Female and male longevity were calculated as 13.20 ± 1.10 and 9.25 ± 0.75 days, respectively. Mean fecundity of the mite was calculated as 58.13 ± 6.60 eggs/female. Field studies showed that the mite overwintered as eggs around the buds of almond shoots. Overwintering eggs hatched depending on the climate conditions from the third decade of March (in 2008) to the third decade of April (in 2009). In both years, mite population continuously increased and reached to a maximum density during June and July. According to total degree-days the mite could produce 12–14 generations per year under field conditions. In addition, S. longicornis showed a strong response (F1,25 = 20.58, r = 0.69, P = 0.0001) to the S. smirnovi fluctuations; population of the mite and predatory thrips fluctuated simultaneously. Our findings may provide practical information about the seasonal abundance of S. simrnovi and be useful for agricultural experts and farmers to develop a successful integrated pest management (IPM) program.

Two-spotted spider mite (TSSM) (Tetranychus urticae Koch) is considered as the most important pest of bean in different parts of the world. In this study, 55 lines selected from different germplasms of pinto bean, were screened for resistance to the TSSM in two stages. In the first stage, they were classified into five groups based on the intensity of damage to their leaf disks (from 0, without damage to 6, feeding patches more than 80% of leaf area). Twenty-one lines presented the highest leaf damage index (LDI = 5.30 ± 0.27), therefore, they were excluded from subsequent experiments, except line ‘D521’, which was used as the susceptible check. In the second stage, 34 lines with LDI less than 4, along with line ‘D521’ (as susceptible), were studied using leaf disk bioassay. Based on the results, line ‘D521’ (7.52 ± 1.23 eggs/female/day) supported the highest, whereas, lines ‘L1’ (1.46 ± 0.23), ‘J29’ (1.60 ± 0.26) and ‘L19’ (1.69 ± 0.59 eggs/female/day) supported the lowest level of oviposition. The highest and lowest level of damage was observed on leaf disk of ‘D521’ (5.5 ± 0.40) and ‘L19’ (1.8 ± 0.37), respectively. The studied lines were classified into five groups, based on the mite response to the host (oviposition and mortality) and host response to the mite (damage score). In the cluster analysis, lines ‘D521’, ‘J633’, ‘D524’ and ‘D532’ appeared to be highly susceptible and susceptible, whereas, lines ‘L31’, ‘L329’, ‘L321’, ‘L16’, ‘B417’, ‘B425’, ‘L328’, ‘J29’, ‘J67’, ‘L19’, ‘D3’, ‘L25’ and ‘L1’ were resistant to TSSM, which can be used as the source of resistance in future plant breeding programs.