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New records of water mites from Iran and Turkey revealed by DNA barcoding are presented. DNA barcodes were recovered from 44 water mite specimens morphologically assigned to 18 species. The DNA barcoding data for the twelve species were uploaded into the BOLD database. One species of the Hygrobates longiporus-complex, H. thori Pešić & Smit sp. nov. is described as new for science and Hydrodroma persicaPešić & Saboori, 2012 is reported as new for Turkey. We propose to lower the taxonomic status of Hydrodroma golestanica to a subspecies of H. torrenticola, i.e. H. torrenticola golestanicanov. stat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nearly 60,000 species of Acari have been described in the world, many more await discovery and description. Persian Journal of Acarology has been one of the important journals for publishing articles on all aspects of acarology during the last 10 years (2012–2021). It published 315 papers including 248 articles, 63 correspondence articles, one monograph, and three book reviews by 188 authors during this decade, with descriptions of 66 new species. Four new genera were described in PJA in 2015 and 2016 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Torrenticola Piersig, 1896 is a common water mite group in the running waters in all biogeographical regions except Antarctica and Australasia. In the present study we used an integrative taxonomic approach by applying partial COI sequences (DNA-barcodes) to describe a new species of the genus Torrenticola, T. dowlingi Pešić sp. nov. from Iran. Morphologically, the new species is most similar to T. laskai Di Sabatino, 2009 from which it differs by the larger dimensions of idiosoma and genital field. The K2P distance that separated the new species from T. laskai was amounted to 3.98%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water mites of the Hygrobates fluviatilis complex are common in Palaearctic inhabiting mainly running and slowly flowing waters. In this study, we examined the specimens collected in a stream in Golestan Province of Iran which is currently the easternmost distribution limit of the latter species complex. We used a fragment of the mtDNA COI gene and the D2 region of 28S rDNA to test the genetic structure. Molecular analyses revealed presence of two new well-supported species with a mean genetic divergence of 12.80% and 14.66% COI, respectively, from their closest relatives. Phylogenetic analysis based on COI and nuclear DNA data placed H. grabowskiisp. nov. as the sister species of H. persicus, and H. uliisp. nov. as the sister species of H. turcicus. Discriminant statistical analysis revealed that the two newly discovered species could be separated on the basis of morphometric characters, but robust morphological differences were not found. Yet we were able to show that diversity in water mites is underestimated and that species delimitation requires an integrative approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spider genus Pterotricha Kulczyński, 1903 (Gnaphosidae) is surveyed in Iran. To date, three species of this genus were known in the country: P. loeffleri (Roewer, 1955), P. lentiginosa (C. L. Koch, 1837) and P. pseudoparasyriaca Nuruyeva & Huseynov, 2016. Here two new species are described, P. kovblyuki Zamani & Marusik, sp. n. (♂, western Iran) and P. montana Zamani & Marusik, sp. n. (♀, central and southwestern Iran), and P. cf. dalmasi Fage, 1929 (from Algeria to Jordan) is reported in Iran for the first time. Pterotricha tikaderi Gajbe, 1983 syn. n. (India) and P. loeffleri (Roewer, 1955), syn. n. are synonymized with P. strandi Spassky, 1936 (hitherto known from Turkmenistan only). The record of P. lentiginosa from Iran is apparently based on misidentification. A distribution map of the genus in Iran with new provincial records is provided. In addition, Iranotricha Zamani & Marusik, gen. n., a new genus closely related to Pterotricha, is described from southeastern Iran with the type species I. lutensis Zamani & Marusik, sp. n. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper four water mite species of the genus Atractides Koch, 1837 (Acari, Hygrobatidae) from Iran are described as new to science. Three of these have a complicated taxonomic history with misidentification and/or confusion. The populations from Iran provisionally assigned by Pešić et al. (2004) to Atractides lunipes Lundblad, 1956 is described as A. zagrosensis sp. nov. The male specimen from Bakhtiari Province, originally assigned by Pešić et al. (2004) to A. fluviatilis (Szalay, 1929) is described as A. bakhtiari sp. nov. Two of the new species belong to the nodipalpis-species group. The populations of the latter group in Iran were analysed using canonical discriminant analyses. Morphological analysis focused on morphometric characters helped us to resolve issues within this group of species and to correct the previous misidentifications. Atractides farsensis sp. nov. is a sister species of A. robustus (Sokolow, 1940) and is described from Fars province. The male specimen from Kerman province originally assigned by Asadi et al. (2003) to A. nodipalpis Thor, 1899 is here described as A. kljajici sp. nov. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species records of Oplitidae, Oplitis exopodi Hunter & Farrier, 1975 and Oplitis sarcinulus Hunter & Farrier, 1976 are redescribed based on Iranian specimens from leaf-litter forest in Mazandaran province, northern Iran. A key to the Iranian species of Oplitis is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Charletonia behshahriensis Hakimitabar and Saboori sp. nov. (Acari: Erythraeidae) is described from Behshahr city, Mazandaran province, Iran. A key to larval species of Charletonia with two intercoxalae II and III is presented. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C4860435-1673-4CC0-A24F-AF0247C5E84C [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species of the family Stigmaeidae namely,Stigmaeus isfahaniensissp. nov.andCheylostigmaeus sepasgosarianisp. nov.collected from soil and leaf litter underPinussp. (Pinaceae) andArmenian bulgur(Itch) are illustrated and described. LSIDurn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CEB7D976-DE97-4A94-9B07-BAC0326BCC04 [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article describes the species of Smaris maraghehiensis from Iran. Its name is derived from the city of Maragheh. Its palp femur and genu has one barbed seta, while its palp tibia has one barbed and one nude seta dorsally. It has two pairs of eyes at the level of posterior part of scutum without sclerite, anterior lens. Its larvae has dorsal scutum that is wider, with two pairs of sensilla and two pairs of non-sensillary setae. Its posterior sensilla arise at the scutum's posterior edge.

Abalakeus jahromiensis Sedghi, Saboori and Hakimitabar n. sp. (Acari: Erythraeidae) is described and illustrated from larvae ectoparasitic on an undetermined nymph of a bug (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) from Jahrom, Fars Province, Iran. A key to world larval species of the genus Abalakeus is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erythraeus (Erythraeus) adanaensis n. sp. is described and illustrated from larvae collected from an unknown host on citrus in Adana, Turkey. Grandjeanella bella Zhang, 1996 is recorded from Turkey for the first time, and a new host, Parlatoria oleae (Colvee), (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) is recorded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of the genus Coptocheles Summers and Schlinger 1955 (Acari: Caligonellidae), Coptocheles farsiensis, from Iran is described. A key to all the species in the genus is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new genus and two new species of mites of the family Trochometridiidae (Acari: Heterostigmata) are described from Iran: Neotrochometridium sensillum Hajiqanbar and Khaustov gen. nov., sp. nov. associated with two carabid beetles and Trochometridium iranicum Hajiqanbar and Khaustov sp. nov. associated with a halictid bee. We also present the first report of two previously described species. These findings provide the first record of the family Trochometridiidae from Iran. The chaetotaxy of tarsus I of the family is discussed and a key to world genera and species is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enemothrombium wohltmanni Saboori, Shojaei, and Hakimitabar n. sp. (Acari: Microtrombidiidae) is described and illustrated from larvae ectoparasitic on unidentified Chironomidae (Diptera). This is the third larval-described species of this genus in the world and the first Asian species. A key to species of Enemothrombium larvae of the world is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pteridopus alivaensis n. sp. (Acari: Chyzeriidae) is described and illustrated from larvae ectoparasitic on adults of Paradrymadusa sp. (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae), which is a new host, from Naviz village, Aliva area, Taleghan city, Tehran Province, Iran. A key to the species of Pteridopus of the world (larva) is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empitrombium pesici Saboori and Hakimitabar n. sp. (Acari: Microtrombidiidae) is described and illustrated. Larvae were reared from eggs in the laboratory at room temperature. This is the third larval species of this genus in the world and the first non-American species. A key to species of Empitrombium of the world (larva) is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Charletonia behbahanensis sp.n. and C. bojnordensis sp.n., larval erythraeids, are described from Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]