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A new species of Biskratrombium (Trombidiformes: Microtrombidiidae), B. persicumn. sp. is described and illustrated, from Fars province, southern Iran. Biskratrombium persicum larvae are ectoparasites of the adults of Phlebotomus (Paraphlebotomus) alexandri (Sinton, 1928), P. (Phlebotomus) papatasi (Scopoli, 1786) and Sergentomyia (Sergentomyia) mervynae (Pringle, 1953) (Diptera: Psychodidae). Fars province is considered as a significant focus of leishmaniasis, a disease which is mostly associated with rural areas; these areas offer favorable habitats to the phlebotomine sandflies due to limited sanitation. This study was performed to identify the natural enemies of sandflies (as leishmania disease vectors) in this region. In this research, B. persicum larvae were removed from their sandfly hosts collected from foci of leishmaniasis (e.g., sheep and goat keeping locations) using sticky traps. Also, the abundance of sandflies infested with the parasitic mite was calculated. Some morphological abnormalities in the species are noted and world parasitengone mites parasitizing phlebotomine sandflies are reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stigmaeid mites parasitizing phlebotomine sandflies were collected in Fars province, Southern Iran, during 2016–2017. The present study has revealed records of four species of stigmaeid mites, namely, Eustigmaeus johnstoni, Stigmaeus furcatus, Stigmaeus sinai, and Stigmaeus youngi. Among them, two species S. furcatus and S. youngi are recognized as new records for fauna of Iran. Meanwhile, S. furcatus is new report for mite fauna associated with sandflies in the world (S. furcatus is collected from sandflies for the first time in the world). Also, prevalence of stigmaeid mites on sandflies is evaluated. These parasitic mites were collected from phlebotomine sandflies comprising Phlebotomus (Paraphlebotomus) alexandri (Sinton), P. (Phlebotomus) papatasi (Scopoli), Sergentomyia (Sintonius) clydei (Sinton), Se. (Se.) sintoni Pringle, and Se. (Se.) theodori (Parrot). Moreover, wound scars resulting from mites' activities have been observed on abdomen of infested sandflies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]