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Plasticity, especially in small newly founded populations, can expose genetic variation to selection during the evolutionary rescue of populations, allowing individuals to achieve a phenotype with which they can survive. However, developmental plasticity can also enable organisms to accommodate perturbations, generating new phenotypic variation. We explored whether, at the start of a colonization event, phenotype dynamics follow a "selective" process in which plasticity fuels evolutionary rescue or whether they are due to developmental plasticity in a "generative" process. We investigated this using the bulb mite Rhizoglyphus robini, which expresses a facultative, juvenile dispersal phenotype (deutonymph) under unfavorable conditions and shows alternative adult male phenotypes: competitive fighters or benign scramblers that are expressed to mitigate food stress and which have higher levels of genetic heterozygosity than fighters. Mimicking colonization dynamics, we founded small, medium and large populations from deutonymphs on low or high food to test if scramblers were expressed earliest postcolonization within (i) the smallest founder populations to alleviate inbreeding (selective hypothesis), or (ii) the largest founder populations as a direct consequence of food stress is highest due to higher food competition (generative hypothesis). In line with the generative hypothesis under both food environments, scramblers were expressed at the earliest in the largest founder populations, which also tended to show the lowest growth at the start of the experiment and had the lowest ultimate population size. Our findings highlight the necessity to seek explanations of how developmental pathways likely influence evolutionary rescue patterns, starting with how resource limitation (stress) shapes adaptive responses during colonization., (© 2025 The Author(s). Evolution & Development published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The poultry red mite (PRM), Dermanyssus gallinae, is a hematophagous ectoparasite that significantly threatens the poultry industry, not only through blood-feeding but also as a vector for deadly pathogens. With the growing challenge of acaricidal resistance, the demand for alternative control measures is urgent. However, effective PRM research, particularly in acaricidal efficacy and new drug discovery, hinges on the availability of reliable laboratory colonies. In this study, we successfully established a stable PRM laboratory colony, originally isolated from the field in 2021 and maintained under controlled conditions at the Research Institute for Animal Science in Biochemistry and Toxicology (RIAS). We investigated the growth kinetics and population dynamics of the laboratory colony within a Styrofoam-based maintenance box (SBMB) containing chicks. PRM propagation was tracked over 28 days, with mites collected every seven days. The average bulk weight of the mites in the trap increased from 4.3 ± 1.2 mg on day 7 to 201.4 ± 56.5 mg on day 28, despite seasonal variations, indicating optimal conditions for population growth. The collected mites spanned various blood-feeding developmental stages such as protonymph, deutonymph, and adult stages, enabling comprehensive assessments of molting and egg-laying efficiency. Our findings confirm that the laboratory colony of PRM can be stably maintained, providing a reliable source of PRMs for further experimental research aimed at advancing control strategies against this pervasive pest.

Claw characteristics of oribatid mites are strongly correlated with environmental factors and these characters remain constant throughout development when immatures and adults share the same ecology and lifestyle. In the present study, claw traits of oribatid mite species with constant ecology were compared with those of species showing a clear ecological shift between juvenile and adult stage. The arboreal Sellnickia caudata and the saxicolous Niphocepheus nivalis dwell in the same microhabitat during their life-cycle, whereas immatures of the terrestrial Carabodes areolatus and Mycobates carli, as well as of the aquatic Hydrozetes lemnae, are, in contrast to their adults, endophagous, meaning they feed and burrow within lichen and plant tissue. We performed a geometric morphometric investigation of their claws and could reveal significant differences in the claw shapes of immatures and adults of all species, except for N. nivalis. Claws of the endophagous juveniles of C. areolatus, M. carli and H. lemnae are generally sharper and higher than those of their adult counterparts. The burrowing lifestyle of the immatures apparently necessitates such specific claw morphologies. Despite having a constant ecology, the arboreal S. caudata also shows distinct differences between immature and adult claw traits, with juveniles possessing stronger curved and sharper claws. But immature stages also possess an additional tarsal adhesive pad which lacks in the adult stage. The presence or absence of this additional adhesive pad apparently requires changes in claw morphology to allow firm attachment on diverse plant surfaces. The present results demonstrate that claw characteristic can change during the development depending on the given ecological factors faced by each developmental stage and depending on the presence of additional attachment devices., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have nothing to declare!, (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Raoiella indica Hirst has rapidly and widely spread throughout the New World since 2004, primarily infesting coconut palms and interacting with the predator Amblyseius largoensis (Muma). Although A. largoensis feeds on R. indica at all stages of development, it cannot naturally reduce its population to levels that do not impact the host plant. Raoiella indica possesses dorsal setae that secrete exudates during all post-embryonic developmental stages, and females have a behavior that deliberately deposits droplets on the freshly laid egg, possibly as a defense strategy against predation in vulnerable stages. In this context, we analyzed whether the presence or absence of droplets in R. indica eggs affects predation using A. largoensis as a biological model. Thus, we evaluated whether some biological and behavioral characteristics of A. largoensis could be affected by the consumption of R. indica egg masses washed or unwashed with water. Also, we performed a chemical analysis of the droplets exuded by R. indica and provided a description of the oviposition behavior of R. indica. The predator showed a higher consumption rate and preference for washed eggs. The results suggest that the exudate droplets have defensive functions, which are incorporated by the female onto the egg during oviposition and subsequently during a patrolling behavior, as they lose their effect after being washed with water. Although the droplets do not prevent the predator from feeding, they reduce the number of R. indica eggs consumed without affecting the growth of A. largoensis., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Otopheidomenidae include 30 species of parasites of insects. These mites occur in areas with warm and hot climates. The only exception is Hemipteroseius adleri, the distribution of which reaches the central European region, which is characterised by a moderate climate with below-zero temperatures in winter. In Europe, H. adleri only parasitises the red firebug (Pyrrhocoris apterus). Field observations indicate that only fertilised females of H. adleri survive winter conditions. The aim of the study therefore was to evaluate the impact of air temperature on the development and survival of H. adleri. A research model was established involving mites parasitising red firebugs in laboratory conditions at 15, 20, 25 and 30 °C. After oviposition, no egg development was possible at 15 °C. Egg development began at 20 °C, however the egg-to-adult period lasted for 13 days and larval mortality was significantly higher at this temperature than at 25 and 30 °C. At the latter tem temperatures, mites matured fastest (five and four days, respectively). The net reproductive rate (R 0 ) was 10.8, the mean generation time was (T) 14.4 (SD = 0.273), the intrinsic rate of population increase (r m ) was 0.165 (SD = 0.003), and the finite rate of population increase (λ) was 1.12. At 25 °C, H. adleri required 4.2 days to double its population. The results indicate that the thermal conditions prevailing in early spring in central Europe are highly unfavourable for the effective reproduction of H. adleri. The presence of northern populations of this mite is discussed in the context of behavioural thermoregulation mechanisms adapted by its host, P. apterus., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Parasitengona (velvet mites, chiggers and water mites) is a highly diverse and globally distributed mite lineage encompassing over 11,000 described species, inhabiting terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats. Certain species, such as chiggers (Trombiculidae), have a great medical and veterinary importance as they feed on their vertebrate hosts and vector pathogens. Despite extensive previous research, the classification of Parasitengona is still contentious, particularly regarding the boundaries between superfamilies and families, exacerbated by the absence of a comprehensive phylogeny. The ontogeny of most Parasitengona is distinct by the presence of striking metamorphosis, with parasitic larvae being heteromorphic compared to the predatory free-living deutonymphs and adults. The enigmatic superfamily Allotanaupodoidea is an exception, with larvae and active post-larval stages being morphologically similar, suggesting that the absence of metamorphosis may be either an ancestral state or a secondary reversal. Furthermore, there is disagreement in the literature on whether Parasitengona had freshwater or terrestrial origin. Here, we inferred phylogenetic relationships of Parasitengona (89 species, 36 families) and 307 outgroups using five genes (7,838 nt aligned). This phylogeny suggests a terrestrial origin of Parasitengona and a secondary loss of metamorphosis in Allotanaoupodoidea. We recovered the superfamily Trombidioidea (Trombidioidea sensu lato) as a large, well-supported, higher-level clade including 10 sampled families. We propose a new classification for the terrestrial Parasitengona with three new major divisions (epifamilies) of the superfamily Trombidioidea: Trombelloidae (families Audyanidae, Trombellidae, Neotrombidiidae, Johnstonianidae, Chyzeriidae); Trombidioidae (Microtrombidiidae, Neothrombiidae, Achaemenothrombiidae, Trombidiidae, Podothrombiidae); and Trombiculoidae (=Trombiculidae sensu lato). Adding them to previously recognized superfamilies Allotanaupodoidea, Amphotrombioidea, Calyptostomatoidea, Erythraeoidea, Tanaupodoidae and Yurebilloidae., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Environmental factors, such as photoperiod can play an important role in the development and performance of predatory mites. The influence of five photoperiod regimes (0: 24, 8: 16, 12: 12, 16: 8, and 24: 0 h; Light: Dark) on the population parameters of the predatory mites, Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot and Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) was studied under the laboratory conditions at 25 °C and 25 ± 1 °C, 65 ± 5% RH. Regarding A. swirskii, the longest and shortest total pre-adult and total preoviposition periods (TPOP) were in the photoperiod of 12 L:12D and 16 L:8D, respectively. The oviposition days, adult longevity, total life span, fecundity, gross reproductive rate (GRR), and net reproductive rate (R 0 ) of the predator had no significant difference in all photoperiods tested. The intrinsic rate of increase (r) and the finite rate of increase (λ) in 16 L:8D photoperiod had no significant difference with the other photoperiods tested except 12 L:12D. Regarding N. cucumeris, the shortest total pre-adult and TPOP were in full darkness. The oviposition days and fecundity were significantly higher in 16 L:8D than the others. The value of R 0 in 16 L:8D was significantly higher than 8 L:16D. The highest values of the parameters r and λ were observed in full darkness, which had no significant difference with 16 L:8D and 24 L:0D. According to the results, the photoperiod regime had a more significant influence in terms of development and reproduction on N. cucumeris than A. swirskii, and 16:8 (L: D) h photoperiod was recognized as the proper regime for their rearing., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (TSSM), is an important cosmopolitan pest of agricultural crops that is often managed in greenhouses by augmentation of predatory mites in combination with acaricides. Here we examined the transgenerational effects of low lethal concentrations of a widely-used acaricide, Oberon Speed® (a combination of spiromesifen and abamectin), on the life history traits and population growth of T. urticae and two of its predators, Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot and Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae). The concentrations employed corresponded to the LC 10 , LC 20 and LC 30 values estimated for TSSM protonymphs 48 h post-exposure in a topical bioassay, which yielded an LC 50 value of 207.2 ppm. Parental exposure of TSSM to all three low concentrations increased the total developmental time of progeny; both the LC 20 and LC 30 treatments reduced adult longevity and number of oviposition days, but only the LC 30 treatment increased the preoviposition period. Similarly, both the LC 20 and LC 30 treatments significantly reduced life table parameters (r, R 0 , λ, and GRR), and increased generation time (T) and population doubling time (DT). Although maternal exposure to the acaricide had various impacts on progeny life history, A. swirskii was less affected than P. persimilis, suggesting the former species would be more compatible for integration with Oberon Speed® for control of T. urticae in greenhouse vegetable production., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Four new species of the genus Scheloribates (Oribatida, Scheloribatidae)-S. (Scheloribates) flexibilis Ermilov sp. nov., S. (S.) monosetosus Ermilov sp. nov., S. (S.) triangulus Ermilov sp. nov., S. (Topobates) tredecim Ermilov sp. nov.-are described, based on adults collected from litter in the afroalpine and bamboo locations in Ethiopia. Scheloribates (S.) flexibilis differs from the related species S. (S.) longisetosus by the length of aggenital, anal and adanal setae and the morphology of setal bothridial head and anterodorsal part of the leg tibia II. Scheloribates (S.) monosetosus differs from the related species S. (S.) concentricus by the length of anal and adanal setae and translamellar line, and the morphology of the setal bothridial head. Scheloribates (S.) triangulus differs from the related species S. (S.) monosetosus by the morphology of ventrodistal part of the leg femora II-IV, number of setae on the leg genu II, the length of the prolamella, and the development of the notogastral seta p1. Scheloribates (T.) tredecim differs from the related species S. (T.) scheloribatoides by the absence of the prolamella, distinctly longer aggenital, anal and adanal setae, and narrower body.

The morphological ontogeny of Conoppia palmicincta (Michael, 1880) is described and illustrated. The adult of this species is poorly known, but the tritonymph is relatively well known as one of the most beautiful oribatid mites. The juveniles of this species are light brown, roundish and flattened. Most prodorsal setae of the juveniles are setiform (short ro, le and ex; long bs), except for phylliform and reticulate in. The larva has 11 pairs of gastronotal setae, including h2, the nymphs have 12 pairs (h3 and p-series are added, and d-series is lost). Most gastronotal setae of juveniles are wide, phylliform, reticulate and occupy the marginal parts of gastronotum, except for five setiform setae in the larva (very long c3 and h1, medium sized h2 and short da and dm), and four setiform setae in the nymphs (very long c3 and h2, long p2 and shorter p3). The nymphs are eupheredermous, i.e. they lose their dorsal seta of d-series and carry the exuvial scalps of previous instars on the gastronotum. Most leg setae of juveniles are setiform, except for three wide, phylliform setae on leg I of larva (l on genu and l' on tibia), from which l'' on genu is reticulate, while l' on genu and tibia has longitudinal lines. Relatively long are seta l'' on tibia I of larva, and l'' on tibia I and II of the nymphs. Seta d accompanies solenidion σ on genua I-III and φ on tibiae II-IV.

The morphological ontogeny of Oribatula pannonica Willmann, 1949 is described and illustrated. Most prodorsal setae of juveniles are of medium size, and bothridial seta is clavate. The larva has 11 pairs of gastronotal setae, including h2, most are of medium size and barbed, nymphs have 13 pairs (p3 absent), of which most are short and smooth. Basal excentrosclerites are present at nine pairs of gastronotal setae (c1, c2, d-, l-series, h1) in the larva, and at 12 pairs (c1, c2, d-, l-, h-series, p1) in the nymphs. The morphology of adult O. pannonica is compared with congeners with 13 pairs or an unknown number of notogastral setae.

The morphological ontogeny of Melanozetes meridianus Sellnick, 1928 is redescribed and illustrated. The juveniles of this species are light brown with brown prodorsum, gastronotum, sclerites and legs, and the nymphs have a well-developed lamella. In all juveniles, a humeral organ and humeral macrosclerite are present, seta c1 is inserted on humeral macrosclerite, and setae c2 and c3 are inserted on unsclerotized integument. The gastronotal shield of the larva has seven pairs of setae (d-, l-series and h1), while that of the nymphs has 10 pairs (d-, l-, h-series and p1), and setae p2 and p3 are inserted on a large posteroventral macrosclerite. In all instars the legs are stocky, all femora are flattened, and femora I and II have a large ventral carina.

Basilobelba werneri (Oribatida, Basilobelbidae) was collected from an alpine cloud forest in Guatemala. This is the first representative of the family Basilobelbidae in the Guatemalan fauna. A supplementary description of adult B. werneri is presented along with summarized diagnostic morphological traits. The juvenile instars of B. werneri are described for the first time. The larva is characterized by the presence of 11 pairs of gastronotic setae, of which c1 (short), da and dm (medium-sized) slightly thickened, barbed, la, lm, lp, h1, and h2 long, thick, narrowed distally, heavily barbed, and c2, c3 and h3 short, setiform, roughened. The proto-, deuto- and tritonymph are characterized by the presence of 12 pairs of short, setiform gastronotic setae.

The flat mite Tenuipalpus uvae De Leon, 1962 (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) is restricted to the Americas. The only available descriptions of this mite are based on the holotype and 12 paratype females and nymphs from Mexico. This paper focuses on redescribing the species based on the paratypes and new material from Florida (USA) and Brazil. Additionally, a new specific diagnosis, including characterization of the male, larval stages and eggs, and an ontogenetic/morphometric analysis of all the specimens are provided. Three diagnostic features found in all stages of T. uvae are the seta v2 which is distinctly shorter than the strongly serrated and rodlike sc1-2, while the leg tibiae I-II have three setae each, characteristics unique to T. uvae. Intra and inter-specific morphometric population differences and similarities among females were also described. An important variation observed was a dorsal surface reticulated, with a different morphology of microplates. Interestingly, the female mites that exhibited this feature on the tegument were only observed in the Florida population, suggesting variations observed could be due to aging, environmental conditions or host associations, so further study is needed.

The supplementary descriptions of two species of Oribatodes (Oribatida, Cepheusidae), O. mirabilis Banks, 1895 and O. reticulatus (Sitnikova, 1979), are presented, based on adults collected from the U.S.A. and Panama, respectively. The deutonymphal and tritonymphal instars of O. mirabilis and the deutonymphal instar of O. reticulatus are described; this is the first data on juveniles of the genus. The revised generic diagnosis and an identification key to the known representatives of Oribatodes are provided. The taxonomic status of the related genus Reticulocepheus Vasiliu & Călugăr, 1977 is discussed, resulting in the following new taxonomic proposals: Oribatodes Banks, 1895 (=Reticulocepheus Vasiliu & Călugăr, 1977 syn. nov.); O. areolatus (Sitnikova, 1979) comb. nov.; O. decoui (Vasiliu & Călugăr, 1977) comb. nov.; O. grandis (Sitnikova, 1979) comb. nov.; O. mirabiloides (Jacot, 1938) comb. nov.; and O. reticulatus (Sitnikova, 1979) comb. nov. Comparative characteristics of juveniles of the different genera of Cepheusidae are given based on our own data and available literature sources.

A new species of the genus Eupterotegaeus (Oribatida, Cepheusidae) is described from the U.S.A., based on adult and juvenile instars. The revised generic diagnosis and an identification key to the known representatives of Eupterotegaeus are presented.

The genus Ultratenuipalpus (Acariformes: Tenuipalpidae) is represented by 26 species worldwide. We describe and illustrate Ultratenuipalpus dicranopteris sp. nov. He, Jin & Yi, from Dicranopteris sp. (Gleicheniaceae) from Dicranopteris sp. (Gleicheniaceae). We also redescribe the female and supplement original description with that of the male, deutonymph and protonymph stage of Ultratenuipalpus hainanensis (Wang).

This paper provides a comprehensive description of the morphological characteristics of the developmental stages (larva, protonymph, deutonymph, and adult) of Amblyseius herbicolus (Chant, 1959) and Amblyseius lentiginosus Denmark & Schicha, 1974. Both species used were sourced from laboratory-reared colonies fed with the dried fruit mite Carpoglyphus lactis (L.) (Acari: Carpoglyphidae).

Juvenile instars of Sellnickia caudata (Michael, 1908) are described, based on specimens collected from tree branches and leaves of Dipterocarpus alatus in Vietnam.

The oribatid mite species Scapheremaeus tonatiuh (Oribatida, Cymbaeremaeidae) is recorded for the first time in the U.S.A. (initially described from Mexico). Its juvenile instars are described, based on materials collected from arboreal habitats in Florida, U.S.A. (Neotropical region). The larval instar is characterized by the presence of gastronotic setae с3, la, lm, lp long, lanceolate having setiform apex, and h1 very long, subflagellate; the nymphal instars are characterized by the presence of exuvial scalps, 12 pairs of gastronotic setae (da, dm, dp absent) of which setae с3, la, lm, lp, h1, h2 are long, phylliform but h3 is very long, subflagellate. The main morphological traits of the adult are summarized.

The immature development and reproduction of the predatory mites Amblyseius largoensis (Muma), Proprioseiopsis lenis (Corpuz and Rimando), and Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) were investigated using both thrips eggs and first instars of the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande, as prey in a controlled laboratory environment at 25 °C and 60% relative humidity. When provided with thrips eggs as food, A. largoensis exhibited a notably shorter immature development period for both males (7.05 days) and females (6.51 days) as compared with A. swirskii (8.05 and 7.19 days, respectively) and P. lenis (8.10 days and 7.05 days, respectively). Amblyseius largoensis also displayed a higher oviposition rate (2.19 eggs/female/day) than A. swirskii and P. lenis (1.79 and 1.78 eggs/female/day, respectively). Moreover, it exhibited the highest fecundity (25.34 eggs/female), followed by P. lenis (24.23 eggs/female) and A. swirskii (22.86 eggs/female). These variations led to A. largoensis having the highest intrinsic rate of increase (r m ) at 0.209, followed by A. swirskii at 0.188, and P. lenis at 0.165. However, when the predatory mites were provided with first instars of F. occidentalis, A. swirskii demonstrated a faster immature development period for both males (7.67 days) and females (7.59 days) as compared with P. lenis (9.00 days and 7.86 days, respectively) and A. largoensis (8.47 days and 8.61 days, respectively). While the oviposition rates of P. lenis (1.92 eggs/female/day) and A. swirskii (1.90 eggs/female/day) were similar when feeding on this prey, A. largoensis produced fewer eggs (1.83 eggs/female/day). Further, A. swirskii exhibited the highest fecundity (31.93 eggs/female), followed by A. largoensis (25.71 eggs/female) and P. lenis (23 eggs/female). Consequently, the intrinsic rate of increase (r m ) on thrips first instars was highest in A. swirskii (0.190), followed by A. largoensis (0.186), and P. lenis (0.176). In summary, our findings indicate that in terms of life history parameters A. largoensis performs optimally when feeding on thrips eggs, whereas A. swirskii performs best when preying on the mobile first instars of the thrips. These insights into the dietary preferences and reproductive capabilities of the studied predatory mite species have important implications for their potential use as biological control agents against F. occidentalis in agricultural settings., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Bermudagrass mite (Aceria cynodoniensis Sayed) infestation stunts bermudagrass (Cynodon spp. [Poales: Poaceae]) growth, leading to thinned turf and lower aesthetic and recreational value. Bermudagrass mites cause characteristic symptoms called witch's brooms, including shortened internodes and leaves and the proliferation of tillers. Grass clippings produced by mowing or scalping bermudagrass harbor mites, which abandon the desiccating grass clippings and spread to surrounding turfgrass. Dropped grass clippings can lead to infestation of new turfgrass. Nursery experiments were conducted with potted bermudagrass to determine the effect of removing witch's brooms or grass clippings after scalping on witch's broom densities on the recovering bermudagrass. Additionally, laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the potential for mites to abandon detached witch's brooms and to evaluate mite survival after leaving their hosts. The number of initial witch's brooms and individually removing witch's brooms did not affect subsequent witch's broom densities, suggesting that infested but asymptomatic terminals later developed into witch's brooms. Removing grass clippings after scalping reduced witch's broom densities by over 65% in two trials. Most mites (96%) abandoned witch's brooms within 48 h after detaching witch's brooms, and adult mites survived an average of 5.6 h after removal from the host plant. Removing clippings after scalping may improve bermudagrass mite management and limit damage on the recovering turfgrass. Additionally, clippings resulting from regular mowing or scalping should be disposed of properly because this study demonstrates that mites abandon desiccating host plants and survive sufficiently long to infest surrounding turfgrass., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

The oribatid mite genera Platynothrus and Heminothrus currently comprise 20 and 10 species, respectively, and collectively have a cosmopolitan distribution. They have been classified into three to five subgenera, depending on the classification. For Platynothrus, a couple of new species have been described in the last two years, while for Heminothrus, the last formal description of a new species was 26 years ago. In this study, we describe two new species of these crotoniid mites, discovered in the soil and litter of a tropical montane cloud forest in Mexico. One of these new species belongs to the genus Platynothrus, which can be distinguished from other species of this genus by the short clavate sensillus, curved smooth interlamellar seta, and the length of the notogastral setae. The second new species belongs to the genus Heminothrus, being characterized by a short rhomboidal sensillus and a very long interlamellar seta. Intraspecific genetic distances of the COX-1 mitochondrial marker were 2.15%, and 0.81% for the new Platynothrus and Heminothrus species, respectively.

Tropilaelaps mercedesae, an ectoparasitic mite of honeybees, is currently a severe health risk to Apis mellifera colonies in Asia and a potential threat to the global apiculture industry. However, our understanding of the physiological and developmental regulation of this pest remains significantly insufficient. Using ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry, we provide the first comprehensive proteomic profile of T. mercedesae spanning its entire post-embryonic ontogeny, including protonymphs, deutonymphs, mature adults, and reproductive mites. Consequently, a total of 4,422 T. mercedesae proteins were identified, of which 2,189 proteins were significantly differentially expressed (FDR < 0.05) throughout development and maturation. Our proteomic data provide an important resource for understanding the biology of T. mercedesae, and will contribute to further research and effective control of this devastating honeybee pest., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Spider mites Tetranychus urticae, Tetranychus macfarlanei and Oligonychus biharensis are considered to be highly polyphagous in nature and causes severe damage to a wide range of plants around the world. Amblyseius paraaerialis is an efficient phytoseiid predator of spider mites with a potential to survive on both natural and alternative diets. Evaluation of predatory potential and prey stage preference provides valuable information on the efficacy of the predatory species in controlling mite population. Feeding experiments were conducted on mulberry leaf discs under the laboratory conditions of 30 ± 2 °C and 70 ± 5% relative humidity (RH). After 24 h of feeding experiment, the adult female predator exhibited a significant preference in feeding towards the eggs of T. macfarlanei (42.6%) and the larval stages of T. urticae (46%) and O. biharensis (25.3%). The mass rearing possibilities of A. paraaerialis was tested by tracking and comparing the developmental duration of individual life stages on varied food sources like, honey, castor (Ricinus communis) pollen, honey-pollen mixture and mixed life stages of T. urticae. The predator was failed to complete its development on honey and pollen when supplied separately. However it was successfully developed on honey-pollen mixture and mixed life stages of T. urticae. The developmental studies unravelled a shortest developmental duration and an extended adult longevity and lifespan of A. paraaerialis when reared on the alternative diet, thus opened up the mass rearing possibility of the predatory species under laboratory conditions., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Odontoscirus nipponicus Shiba, 1985 is recorded from China and is redescribed; male, tritonymph, deutonymph, protonymph, and larva are described and illustrated for the first time. Morphological observations on the ontogeny of this species are also provided.

This paper describes the immature and mature characteristics of Amblyseius eharai Amitai & Swirski in detail to determine its morphological ontogeny based on laboratory-reared specimens. The main changes during ontogeny are as follows: the pronotal shield extends to j6 level and opisthosoma is unsclerotized in the larva; the dorsum has two shields in the protonymph, pronotal shield slightly expended comparing to that of the larva, and the opisthonotal shield smooth and weakly sclerotized. The podonotal and opisthonotal shields in the deutonymph are partially fused, and the dorsal shield is complete, covering almost the entire opisthonotum in adults in both sexes. There are nine pairs of dorsal setae in the larva, 14 pairs in the protonymph, and 19 pairs in both deutonymph and adult. In deutonymphs, gender could be distinguished by the number of setae in the area around the anal valves. In protonymphs, all dorsal, hypostomal setae, and the macrosetae of leg IV appear and are consistent with the subsequent stages. The development of morphological traits in the ontogeny of A. eharai may provide some basic knowledge to distinguish it from closely related species.

The Caucasus is a large region in Eurasia consisting of four countries: Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia. Although it is one of the biodiversity hotspots in the world, the bat ectoparasite fauna has been poorly studied. To promotionally fill in the gaps regarding bat ectoparasites, we conducted five field surveys on bats and their ectoparasites at nine localities within the region between April 2016 and March 2021. Eight species and subspecies of spinturnicid mites were recorded over the surveys: Eyndhovenia euryalis oudemansi, Spinturnix acuminata acuminata, S. emarginata, S. myoti, S. nobleti, S. plecotina, S. psi, and S. punctata. Among them, three species, Spinturnix emarginata, S. nobleti and S. punctate, are newly recorded from the Caucasus region, and one each of subspecies and species, Eyndhovenia euryalis oudemansi and S. plecotina, are newly recorded from Georgia. In addition, Myotis tschuliensis was recorded as a new host species of S. myoti., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

There are few plant maladies as devastating as rose rosette, a disease caused by an eriophyoid -transmitted virus. Rosette annihilates roses across North America, and to date, there is a single verified vector of the virus, Phyllocoptes fructiphilus Keifer. In direct contrast to the importance of rose for the ornamental industry there is limited knowledge on the eriophyoids that inhabit roses in North America and even less information on their vectoring capacities. This study dissects the genetic diversity of the eriophyoid fauna in rosette-affected hotspots and provides evidence of the existence of an undescribed species named Phyllocoptes arcani sp. nov., that could potentially be a second vector of the rosette virus., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Eyndhovenia is one of the twelve genera of Spinturnicidae which are highly specialised parasites of bats. Previously known hosts of this genus comprised 17 species of Old World bats: Eptesicus serotinus, Hipposideros larvatus, Miniopterus schreibersi, Myotis blythi, M. emarginatus, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, P. gaisleri, Rhinolophus axillaris, R. blasii, R. clivosus, R. cornutus, R. euryale, R. ferrumequinum, R. hipposideros, R. megachyllus, R. mehelyi, R. rouxi. Within Asia, Eyndhovenia was only recorded from two countries, China and Thailand. Between 2018 and 2020, we conducted a series of bats surveys and recorded of this genus from intermediate horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus affinis, in Vietnam. The present study exhibits the new record in both parasitological and geographical aspects., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Some meat dry products, including dry cured ham and dry beef cecina, are cured in cellars at moderately cold temperature allowing the growth of a lawn of fungi on their surface. During the curing process, frequently these products became contaminated with fungivore mites of the Acaridae family that feed on fungal mycelium and spores., Aims: The aim of this article is to study the possible biological control of mites by fungi that form part of the normal microbiota of these meat products., Methods and Results: Some yellow/orange pigmented fungi growing on the ham surface decreased the proliferation of mites; therefore, we isolated from ham and cecina xerophilic yellow/orange coloured fungal strains that were identified as members of the genus Eurotium (recently reclassified as Aspergillus section Aspergillus). Using molecular genetic tools, we have identified 158 strains as Eurotium rubrum (Aspergillus ruber), Eurotium repens (Aspergillus pseudoglaucus) and Eurotium chevalieri (Aspergillus chevalieri). Two strains, E. rubrum C47 and E. rubrum C49, showed strong miticidal activity. The toxic compound(s) are associated with the formation of cleistothecia. In synchronized mite development experiments, we observed that all stages of the mite lifecycle were inhibited by the E. rubrum C47 strain. In addition, we searched for miticidal activity in 13 culture collection Eurotium strains isolated from different habitats, and found that only one, Eurotium cristatum NRRL 4222 (Aspergillus cristatus) has a strong miticidal activity., Conclusions: These fungal strains have proliferated on the surface of ham and cecina for decades, and possibly have acquired miticidal activity as a resistance mechanism against fungivores., Significance and Impact of the Study: Biological control of infecting mites by favouring growth of E. rubrun C47, in place of the normal mixed population of Aspergillus and Penicillium, is an attractive approach to control mite infestations., (© 2020 The Society for Applied Microbiology.)

Trombidiformes and Mesostigmata mites, as well as Ixodida ticks, infest ectothermic tetrapods worldwide, potentially acting as vectors of bacteria, viruses and protozoa. The relationship among ectoparasites, transmitted pathogenic agents (e.g., Borrelia spp., Coxiella spp., Hepatozoon spp., and Rickettsia spp.) and ectothermic hosts has been scarcely investigated. This research focuses on a large collection of Brazilian herpetofauna screened for the presence of arthropod ectoparasites and vector-borne microbial agents. Reptiles (n = 121) and amphibians (n = 49) from various locations were infested by ectoparasites. Following genomic extraction, microbial agents were detected in 81 % of the Acari (i.e. n = 113 mites and n = 26 ticks). None of the mites, ticks and tissues from amphibians yielded positive results for any of the screened agents. Blood was collected from reptiles and processed through blood cytology and molecular analyses (n = 48). Of those, six snakes (12.5 %) showed intraerythrocytic alterations compatible with Hepatozoon spp. gamonts and Iridovirus inclusions. Hepatozoon spp. similar to Hepatozoon ayorgbor and Hepatozoon musa were molecularly identified from seven hosts, two mite and two tick species. Rickettsia spp. (e.g., Rickettsia amblyommatis, Rickettsia bellii-like, Rickettsia sp.) were detected molecularly from four mite species and Amblyomma rotundatum ticks. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed the molecular identification of the above-mentioned microbial agents of mites and ticks related to snakes and lizards. Overall, our findings highlighted that the Brazilian herpetofauna and its ectoparasites harbour potentially pathogenic agents, particularly from the northern and south-eastern regions. The detection of several species of spotted fever group Rickettsia pointed out the potential role of ectothermic hosts and related arthropod ectoparasites in the epidemiological cycle of these bacteria in Brazil., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

The northern fowl mite (NFM), Ornithonyssus sylviarum, is an obligate hematophagous ectoparasite of domestic and wild birds, and it is an economic pest of laying hen in North America, China, India, Australia, Myanmar, and Brazil. Such an economically important pest remains neglected in many parts of the world, including Asian countries. Therefore, concerted action is required in both basic and applied research directed at the biology and control of this destructive pest. In the present study, we have developed a novel, high-welfare in vivo feeding capsule that would permit pre-screening of new interventions, repellency and deterrence effects of plant-derived products and other semiochemical compounds before proceeding to large-scale field experiments/bioassays, while the minimum number of animals is required to obtain results. Mites were fed on the birds through either a mesh or without a mesh. The average feeding rates of mites was significantly higher when fed directly on chickens, whereas 106 μm nylon mesh was the top-performing mesh when compared with 125 μm aperture nylon mesh. For optimal feeding, the feeding capsules contain NFM and are attached to the skin of the chicken's thigh for 6 h. This is a simple, reproducible, and easy approach and can be adapted to facilitate many aspects of bioassays., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Enolase, a multifunctional glycolytic enzyme, is known to act as a plasminogen receptor in many species, involved in the pivotal processes such as motility, adhesion, invasion, growth, and differentiation of the parasites. Knowledge on the function of enolase from Dermanyssus gallinae is very limited. Here we report on the molecular cloning, enzymatic activity, tissue distribution and plasminogen binding activity of enolase from D. gallinae (DgENO). The full-length of cDNA was 1305 bp, specifying a peptide of 434 amino acids. Bioinformatics analysis showed that DgENO was highly conserved compared with a range of organisms, indicating the potentially similar functions in D. gallinae. A recombinant DgENO (rDgENO) protein was produced and characterized, it catalyzed the dehydration of 2-phospho-D-glycerate to phosphoenolpyruvate, the optimal pH was 7.5. Polyclonal antibodies were generated in mice and western blotting indicated that antiserum specifically recognized the native enolase in the somatic extracts from D. gallinae. Immunohistochemical staining of mite sections revealed that the distribution of DgENO was ubiquitous with high level in salivary gland, mite digestive tissues and fat bodies in D. gallinae. Expression level of DgENO was observed mostly in engorged adult mites. Moreover, ELISA binding assay showed that rDgENO could bind plasminogen, and lysine analog ε-aminocaproic acid significantly inhibited this binding activity, indicating that D. gallinae enolase is a receptor of plasminogen. The present study provided foundation for understanding of the biological functions of DgENO and its application in development of vaccines against D. gallinae., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The intestinal system of unfed fresh-water mite larvae Limnesia maculata (O.F. Müller, 1776) (Acariformes, Limnesiidae) has been studied with transmission electron microscopy. The intestinal system is composed of the foregut, including the pharynx and the esophagus, the sac-like blind midgut and the excretory organ. The pharynx begins with the mouth covered by the labrum. The pharynx runs along the bottom of the gnathosoma and shows ventral dilators. No valves are expressed between the pharynx and the esophagus. The esophagus possesses strongly plicate walls and, before entering the midgut, passes through the brain. The sac-like midgut does not reveal a well-pronounced lumen, developed epithelium and separate lobes. It consists of the two cell types of endoderm origin mixed in the midgut volume. The first type - the vacuolated cells - does not possess Golgi bodies and lysosomal apparatus and shows electron-lucent vacuoles with a granular inclusion inside. These cells apparently do not take part in digestion of the embryonic yolk. The second type - the non-vacuolated cells - shows both, a well developed Golgi complex and large heterolysosomes, and obviously digests the embryonic yolk. Consequently, they may be attributed as specialized vitellophages. Nevertheless, both cell types may take part in formation of the definitive midgut epithelium. The sac-like thin-walled excretory organ is strongly dilated and contains the embryonic wastes in the form of electron-dense globules and birefringent particles. No muscle envelope surrounds the excretory organ. The embryonic wastes together with wastes accumulated during feeding may be evacuated from the organ only after completion of feeding. The excretory canal on this developmental stage is not connected with the excretory organ. It opens to the outside with a simple slit-like excretory pore. Before feeding, larvae have to pass the process of the post-molt development before their midgut would be ready to receive nutrients., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ecological conditions are known to change the expression of mutualisms though the causal agents driving such changes remain poorly understood. Here we show that temperature stress modulates the harm threatened by a common enemy, and thereby induces a phoretic mite to become a protective mutualist. Our experiments focus on the interactions between the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides , an associated mite species Poecilochirus carabi and their common enemy, blowflies, when all three species reproduce on the same small vertebrate carrion. We show that mites compete with beetle larvae for food in the absence of blowflies, and reduce beetle reproductive success. However, when blowflies breed on the carrion too, mites enhance beetle reproductive success by eating blowfly eggs. High densities of mites are especially effective at promoting beetle reproductive success at higher and lower natural ranges in temperature, when blowfly larvae are more potent rivals for the limited resources on the carcass., Competing Interests: SS, RK No competing interests declared, (© 2020, Sun and Kilner.)

The bacterial metabolites in supernatants of Xenorhabdus species have acaricidal activity, but this mode of entry into mites has not yet been elucidated. Herein, we report on the possible mode of entry of Xenorhabdus szentirmaii and Xenorhabdus nematophila supernatants into Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) adult females. We also assessed the toxicity of the supernatants against the developmental stages of the predatory mites, Phytoseiulus persimilis and Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae). Experiments were conducted at 25 ± 1 °C, 70 ± 5% relative humidity, and 16:8h light:dark conditions. Our data showed that the bioactive acaricidal compound is most effective (86.5 to 89% mortality) when the entire integument of T. urticae comes in contact with it compared to contact of the ventral side only (26.5-34%). Against P. persimilis and N. californicus at 6 days post-application (dpa), the eggs were not affected by the X. szentirmaii or X. nematophila supernatant, whereas mortality of the mobile stages (larva, protonymph, deutonymph, adult) was 18.5% to 39.2%. Overall, the predatory mites were less affected by the bacterial metabolites than T. urticae. We hypothesize that the differences in morphology such as longer legs and thicker cuticle, as well as the diet of the predatory mites, reduce the contact of the body parts to the supernatant-treated surfaces. We need to isolate, identify, and characterize the X. szentirmaii and X. nematophila metabolite(s) and demonstrate efficacy to pestiferous mites and safety to plants, non-target organisms and the environment before it can be used as an acaricide., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae, is currently the most common ectoparasite affecting egg-laying hens. Since continuous culture of D. gallinae on birds is a biologically and economically costly endeavour, storage techniques for mites are urgently needed. Effects of temperature on adult and nymph survival were first studied to optimize storage conditions. Then, fecundity of D. gallinae was studied after mites were stored at optimal storage conditions. Results showed the survival rates of protonymphs (42.11%), deutonymphs (8.19%) and females (19.78%) at 5°C after 84 days were higher than those at 0, 25 and 30°C. Thereafter the fecundity and the capability of re-establishing colonies of D. gallinae were evaluated after they were stored for 40 and 80 days at 5°C. After storage, the mean number of eggs showed no statistical difference between treated (5°C for 40 or 80 days) and control groups (25°C for 7 days), while the hatching rates of eggs were in all cases above 97%. The dynamic changes of mite populations and egg numbers showed similar trends to the control group after the stored adult or nymph mites were fed on chicks. Dermanyssus gallinae can be successfully stored at 5°C for 80 days with no interference with the fecundity of mites, and the stored mites could re-establish colonies successfully. Adults and nymphs were two main stages with capability for low temperature storage. These results suggest that low temperature storage is a viable option for colony maintenance of D. gallinae under laboratory conditions.

Sixty-four individuals of a macronyssid mite, Parasteatonyssus nyctinomi (Zumpt, Patterson 1951), were identified from Egyptian free-tailed bats Tadarida aegyptiaca (É. Geoffroy 1818) (Chiroptera: Molossidae) captured in the Kunene region of Namibia (southern Africa). This is the first report on P. nyctinomi in the country.

Background: The poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae , is a serious problem in the laying hen industry worldwide. Currently, the foremost control method for D. gallinae is the implementation of integrated pest management, the effective application of which necessitates a precise monitoring method., Objectives: The aim of the study was to propose an accurate monitoring method with a reliable protocol for caged-layer poultry farms, and to suggest an objective classification for assessing D. gallinae infestation on caged-layer poultry farms according to the number of mites collected using the developed monitoring method., Methods: We compared the numbers of mites collected from corrugated cardboard traps, regarding with length of sampling periods, sampling sites on cage, and sampling positions in farm buildings. The study also compared the mean numbers of mites collected by the developed method with the infestation levels using by the conventional monitoring methods in 37 caged-layer farm buildings., Results: The statistical validation provided the suitable monitoring method that the traps were installed for 2 days on feed boxes at 27 sampling points which included three vertical levels across nine equally divided zones of farms. Using this monitoring method, the D. gallinae infestation level can be assessed objectively on caged-layer poultry farms. Moreover, the method is more sensitive than the conventional method in detecting very small populations of mites., Conclusions: This method can be used to identify the initial stages of D. gallinae infestation in the caged-layer poultry farms, and therefore, will contribute to establishment of effective control strategies for this mite., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (© 2020 The Korean Society of Veterinary Science.)

Heat waves are considered to pose a greater risk to arthropods with their limited thermoregulation abilities than the increase of mean temperatures. Theoretically, within- and trans-generational modifications may allow populations to keep pace with rapidly occurring heat waves. Here, we evaluated this assumption using individuals of predatory mite Amblydromalus limonicus from the F1 and F2 generation, which were exposed to summer or simulated heat wave conditions during juvenile development. Independent of generation, survival and male body size were insensitive to heat waves. Heat stress elongated juvenile development of F1 males and females, and lowered the F1 female size at maturity indicating non-adaptive within-generational effects. Trans-generational modifications speeded up the development of F2 males and females and resulted in larger body size of F2 females deriving from the heat wave-experienced F1 generation. Faster F2 development should be adaptive, because it reduces the exposure time to heat waves and promotes an early beginning of mating activities. Being large at extreme high temperatures maybe a benefit for the F2 females, because large individuals are less vulnerable to dehydration and overheating. Thus, the potential fitness loss from reduced F1 growth should be compensated by increased fitness in the F2 indicating adaptive trans-generational modifications.

The discovery of a new species, Periglischrus empheresotrichus, was determined through a review of museum collections, as well as a field survey of ectoparasites of island bats. This new species parasitizes on two bat species of the genus Monophyllus Leach, the Greater Antillean Long-tongued bat Monophyllus redmani Leach and the Lesser Antillean Long-tongued bat Monophyllus plethodon Miller. The female, male, deuthonymphs, and protonymph are described and illustrated. P. empheresotrichus n. sp. has an insular distribution, we evaluated the morphological variation of the adult populations, and concluded that intra-specific variation is correlated both with host species and locality (island) in the West Indies., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Demodex spp. in college students, mostly adolescent individuals., Methods: A questionnaire including questions about the risk factors of Demodex spp. was administered to college students. Samples were taken with Standard Superficial Skin Biopsy method and examined under light microscope., Results: Presence of Demodex spp. was detected in 160 (42.7%) students out of 375 totally; 126 out of 291 nursing students (43.3%) and 34 out of 84 midwifery students (40.5%). It was detected in 47.3% of males and 40.2% of females. There was a statistically significant difference in terms of the prevalence of Demodex spp. between those who used foundation cream/make-up products and those who did not, and between those who removed hair and those who did not (p<0.05). There was no relationship between other variables and Demodex spp. prevalence., Conclusion: It is concluded that Demodex spp. is very common among college students in Kars. Dermatologists should also consider the existence of Demodex spp. in the etiology and pathogenesis of dermatoses which develops in the facial region of individuals in this group of age.

Background: Predatory mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) are the most important beneficial arthropods used in augmentative biological pest control of protected crops around the world. However, the genomes of mites are far less well understood than those of insects and the evolutionary relationships among mite and other chelicerate orders are contested, with the enigmatic origin of mites at one of the centres in discussion of the evolution of Arachnida., Results: We here report the 173 Mb nuclear genome (from 51.75 Gb pairs of Illumina reads) of the predatory mite, Neoseiulus cucumeris, a biocontrol agent against pests such as mites and thrips worldwide. We identified nearly 20.6 Mb (~ 11.93% of this genome) of repetitive sequences and annotated 18,735 protein-coding genes (a typical gene 2888 bp in size); the total length of protein-coding genes was about 50.55 Mb (29.2% of this assembly). About 37% (6981) of the genes are unique to N. cucumeris based on comparison with other arachnid genomes. Our phylogenomic analysis supported the monophyly of Acari, therefore rejecting the biphyletic origin of mites advocated by other studies based on limited gene fragments or few taxa in recent years. Our transcriptomic analyses of different life stages of N. cucumeris provide new insights into genes involved in its development. Putative genes involved in vitellogenesis, regulation of oviposition, sex determination, development of legs, signal perception, detoxification and stress-resistance, and innate immune systems are identified., Conclusions: Our genomics and developmental transcriptomics analyses of N. cucumeris provide invaluable resources for further research on the development, reproduction, and fitness of this economically important mite in particular and Arachnida in general.

Demodex mites are saprophytic parasites of the mammalian skin, mostly found in or near pilosebaceous units of hairy regions. While they can be found in healthy humans and animals without causing any clinical manifestations, they were suggested to create pathogenic symptoms when they appear in high densities under favourable conditions (ie, demodicosis). Nevertheless, their role as the primary causative agent of the pathogenic conditions in humans is debated today. Canine demodicosis, which is highly prevalent in certain dog breeds, provides a valuable tool for studying the pathogenesis of human demodicosis. Canine and human demodicosis are caused by different Demodex species, and the clinical manifestations in former could be life-threatening. Nevertheless, current literature suggests similar immune responses and immune evasion mechanisms in human and canine demodicosis; cellular immunity appeared to have a central role in protection against demodicosis, and Demodex mites were shown to influence both innate and adaptive immune response to escape immune attack. The aim of this review is to summarize the relevant literature on demodicosis obtained from studies conducted on both organisms, and draw the attention to the effect of mite-associated factors (eg, microbiota) on the different clinical manifestations displayed during human and canine demodicosis., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The oribatid soil mite Oppia nitens C.L. Koch, 1836, is a model microarthropod in soil ecotoxicity testing. This species has a significant role in supporting soil functions and as a suitable indicator of soil contamination. Despite its significance to the environment and to ecotoxicology, however, very little is known of its biology, ecology, and suborganismal responses to contaminants in the soil. In the present review, we present detailed and critical insights into the biology and ecology of O. nitens in relation to traits that are crucial to its adaptive responses to contaminants in soil. We used a species sensitivity distribution model to rank the species sensitivity to heavy metals (cadmium and zinc) and neonicotinoids (imidacloprid and thiacloprid) compared with other standardized soil invertebrates. Although the International Organization for Standardization and Environment and Climate Change Canada are currently standardizing a protocol for the use of O. nitens in soil toxicity testing, we believe that O. nitens is limited as a model soil invertebrate until the molecular pathways associated with its response to contaminants are better understood. These pathways can only be elucidated with information from the mites' genome or transcriptome, which is currently lacking. Despite this limitation, we propose a possible molecular pathway to metal tolerance and a putative adverse outcome pathway to heavy metal toxicity in O. nitens. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:2593-2613. © 2019 SETAC., (© 2019 SETAC.)

Background: 2-Heptanone is a volatile liquid known to be effective in protecting honey bees from parasitic mite infestations in hives. The present study aimed to show that chemical derivatives of 2-heptanone would release the ketone for a significantly longer time than it takes for the pure ketone to evaporate and preferably for as long as two brood cycles of a honey bee (42 days)., Results: A liquid ketal of 2-heptanone with glycerol (Glyc-Ket) and solid ketals of the ketone with polyvinyl alcohol (PVAl-Ket), containing different amounts of the ketone, were synthesized. The fully resolved 1 H and 13 C nuclear magenetic resonance (NMR) spectra of the ketals are discussed. In the case of the polymer, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) of a ketal was also compared with the unketalized polyvinyl alcohol. The length of time for which 2-heptanone was released by the ketals was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of the headspace. In the case of Glyc-Ket, the concentration of the 2-heptanone in the liquid phase was also monitored by 1 H NMR spectroscopy. The deketalization was pH dependent, ranging between 2.0 and 2.5 for Glyc-Ket and between 2.0 and 3.5 for PVAl-Ket., Conclusion: Under bee hive conditions, the release of 55 mmol 2-heptanone from Glyc-Ket lasted for 42 days, whereas the release of the ketone from the PVAl-Ket with a similar amount of the ketone lasted for 23 days, versus a maximum of 17 days for an equivalent amount of the pure ketone. These ketals therefore have the potential to be effective mite repellants for the protection of honey bees. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Background: Dogs with year-round atopic dermatitis are often sensitized to Dermatophagoides house dust mites (HDM). Storage mites (SM) are known to grow on cereal-rich foods. Tyrophagus SM can exacerbate clinical signs of allergy in laboratory dogs sensitized to HDM. Consequently, atopic dogs with high-levels of HDM-specific IgE are likely to have a flare of signs after eating a food contaminated with SM; the development of such flares would lead to a false positive diagnosis of food allergy. Herein, we reviewed the published evidence about the growth of SM on commercial dry pet foods., Results: We searched two databases on January 25, 2019 for articles providing original information on the growth of SM on commercial dog foods. We found ten articles, five reporting results of laboratory experiments and five from field studies. Storage mites, especially Tyrophagus putrescentiae, can multiply on protein- and fat-rich dog foods. The population growth is higher when the initial mite density is high and when kibbles are crushed. When storage conditions lead to the overgrowth of molds on the kibbles, the mite proliferation is higher. Storage mites do not bore holes in food packages but invade bags via defective seals. In the field, SM contamination usually is undetectable in newly-opened commercial dog foods, and, if present, their number is low. When newly-purchased bags are stored in temperate conditions indoors, little overgrowth-if any-of SM occurs. However, when kept in environmental conditions with higher temperature and humidity, Tyrophagus mites will enter and proliferate in sealed food packages., Conclusions: Commercial dry pet foods should be kept indoors and sealed to decrease the risk of contamination with SM. When performing dietary restriction (elimination) and provocation trials for the diagnosis of food allergies in dogs, it seems preferable to choose newly-purchased bags-of both original and testing diets-to reduce the probability of their contamination with SM, especially Tyrophagus putrescentiae. In case of doubt about the presence of SM in any of these foods, one should perform food challenges with single home-cooked ingredients. Storage mite contamination might lead to an erroneous diagnosis of food allergy in HDM-sensitized dogs.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the Demodex prevalence in patients with dermatological complaints who were admitted to our hospital, and to evaluate the socio-demographic characteristics and risk factors of the patients., Methods: A total of 133 patients who were sent for Demodex screening were included and questionnaire for risk factors was administered. Samples were taken by standard superficial skin biopsy method and the different developmental stages were investigated under microscope., Results: Demodex species were found in 93 (69.9%) of the patients. Demodex folliculorum was found in 58 (62.4%) of the patients, Demodex brevis in 13 (14%), Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis in 4 (4.3%) and Demodex species in 18 (19.4%) of the patients. At least one of the Demodex species was found in 77.1% of patients with acne rosacea. No statistically significant relation was found between Demodex positivity and age, gender, number of weekly baths, use of makeup, and common towel use. Though statistically not significant, an increase of Demodex infestation with increasing age was observed., Conclusion: Demodex mite infestations are widespread worldwide without showing important racial and gender differences. In the present study, prevalence of Demodex infestation in patients with acne rosacea was high and this should be taken into consideration, when such patients are treated for their symptoms.

The brown citrus rust mite, Tegolophus brunneus Flechtmann (Acari: Eriophyidae), causes citrus rust, as does Phyllocoptruta oleivora (Ashmead) (Acari: Eriophyidae). As the citrus rust damage has intensified in recent years and T. brunneus has been reported in high population levels in several regions of Brazil, this mite has caused concern to growers and technicians. Because T. brunneus has been little studied and its bioecological characteristics are unknown, this study investigated the biological and demographic parameters of T. brunneus on citrus fruits under laboratory conditions. Our results showed that the egg incubation period and viability were 3.0 and 94.5%, respectively. The larval and nymphal stage durations were 1.1 and 2.8 days, respectively. The development time of the immature stage was 6.9 days, with 92.3% survival. When females and males were maintained together, the sex ratio of offspring was 0.7; virgin females produced only males. The pre-oviposition (from adult emergence to the first egg) and total pre-oviposition (egg-to-egg) periods were 1.6 and 8.5 days, respectively. Fecundity was 8.5 eggs, and female and male longevities were 13.2 and 11.4 days, respectively. The estimate of demographic parameters indicated that the R o and T of T. brunneus were 6.45 offspring and 13.0 days, and r and λ were 0.142 and 1.153 day -1 , respectively. These results suggest that T. brunneus has high growth potential on citrus trees. Therefore, management strategies may be required to reduce the population levels and damage caused by T. brunneus in citrus groves.