Sixty-one cane toads, R. marina, were captured by hand at four locations in Dade County, Florida, on May 9 (n=32) and September 3 (n=29) 2014. Toads were examined for ectoparasites and any ticks seen were removed and placed in 95% ethanol. Of the 61 toads, 8 (13.1%) collected in two separate locations were found with attached Amblyomma sp. A total of 31 ticks (12 nymphs, 19 larvae) were removed from the toads, ranging from 1–13 specimens collected per toad. In the case of 3 nymphal specimens found in our study, precise identification could not be made by conventional light microscopy due to obscured or unclear characters; therefore, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed on these specimens to aid in identification. SEM analysis revealed an internal spur, albeit tiny, on coxa II of the specimens in question, but no spur was seen on coxa III. Published key characters for A. rotundatum state that, “a small internal spur is present on each of coxa II and III.” Despite this published description, we concluded that the presence of a small spur on coxa II in this case was diagnostic for A. rotundatum.

A total of six Amblyomma tapirellum ticks were found for the first time in rainforest from the lowland to the southern Pacific of Costa Rica. Tick identification was carried out by morphology and afterward confirmed by molecular analysis, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA barcoding. Further studies are required to determine the distribution of A. tapirellum and this species' potential as a vector of bacterial agents to humans and wild hosts.

Neoseiulus bicaudus (Wainstein), a species of Neoseiulus Hughes (Acari: Phytoseiidae), was collected at Ili in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China in July 2013. As Neoseiulus species are valuable predator mites, N. bicaudus could be used for biocontrol of some small pests like spider mites, whitefly, and thrips. Tetranychus turkestani (Ugarov et Nikolskii) is the main spider mite affecting agriculture and forestry in Xinjiang. The development rate and reproductive biology of N. bicaudus feeding on T. turkestani were studied at six constant temperatures: 18 °C, 22 °C, 26 °C, 29 °C, 32 °C, and 35 °C. The duration of the egg, larva, protonymph, total immature, and pre-oviposition stages all decreased as temperatures increased from 18 °C to 32 °C and then increased slightly as temperatures increased from 32 °C to 35 °C. The mean generation time (6.95 days) and the shortest time for the population to double (1.70 days) were observed at 35 °C. The intrinsic rate of natural increase (r_m) and the finite rate of increase (λ) both were larger as temperature increased, reaching their maxima at 35 °C. The net reproductive rate (R₀ = 34.60) also reached a maximum at 26 °C. The maximum daily fecundity (2.55 eggs/day/female) and the maximum daily female fecundity (1.69female eggs/day/female) were both observed at 26 °C. The results showed that N. bicaudus could complete its development at the six temperatures used in this study. Both the developmental duration as well as the time needed for the population to double decreased as temperature increased. As temperature increased, the duration of the oviposition period first increased and then decreased. The optimal development and reproduction temperature of N. bicaudus preying on T. turkestani is approximately 26 °C.

The phytoseiid mites, Amblyseius swirskii (Athias-Henriot) and Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) are important biological control agents introduced from outside of China. On the other hand, Amblyseius eharai Amitai & Swirski that is native to China and Japan is considered to be an effective natural enemy in China citrus orchards and bamboo forests. In order to develop effective mass production of these three species, the life history parameters, net reproductive rates (R₀ /female), and intrinsic rates of increase (r_m /day) of the three species, A. swirskii (Athias-Henriot) and N. cucumeris (Oudemans), were observed under experimental conditions (25 ± 1°C, 90 ± 5% RH and L:D = 14:10 h) with Carpoglyphus lactis (Linnaeus) produced by dry yeast. All species could normally develop and reproduce with C. lactis. The mean developmental period of A. swirskii females was the longest and was different from the other two species. The mean oviposition period and the fecundity of the three predatory species did not differ. The mean longevities of A. swirskii and A. eharai were shorter than that of N. cucumeris. The total fecundity among the three predatory species was not significantly different. Although no differences in R₀ were found among the three predators, the r_m of A. swirskii was lower than that of A. eharai because of its long mean generation time (T). Additionally, the r_m of N. cucumeris was the lowest among the three predators because it had the longest T. As such we established C. lactis as a suitable extra-guild prey species for A. eharai, A. swirskii and N. cucumeris in a comparison with previous reports that tested various food types, such as pollen, insects and mites. This study is the first to report that C. lactis was prey for A. eharai and N. cucumeris. Populations of C. lactis increased easily with dry yeast, and thus, this prey was very suitable for the present experiments.

The mold mite, Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank), is an alternative prey for the predatory mites used in biological control. In order to maximize the food supply and maintain the population of predators, it is very important to understand the effects of bran moisture content (BMC) and initial population density (IPD) on mass production of T. putrescentiae. In the current study, the population increase of T. putrescentiae under six BMCs and five IPDs were evaluated at optimal temperature and humidity with suitable photoperiod conditions. The results showed that the population growth rates of T. putrescentiae were significantly higher with higher BMC. The population increased by 8, 32, 72, 304 times within five weeks under different BMC which was 8.3%, 10%, 15%, 20%, respectively. Unfortunately, when BMC reached to 25%, there was a great amount of mildew growing other than the mites. In the case of IPD, about 10000 adult mites per 100 g bran resulted in the largest final population of T. putrescentiae. However, either lower or higher IPD led to a smaller final population. It was also concluded that population growth rate decreased while the initial density was increasing, ranging from 1, 055, 601, 397, 266, 109 times under initial density of ∼5,000, 10,000, 15,000, 20,000, 25,000 adult mites per 100 g bran, respectively. Besides, we also described a method in detail for the effective isolation and counting of mites from bran. We found that population growth grew to maximum (over 50,000 mites / bran per gram) under BMC of 20%, IPD of ∼50 adults / bran per gram, temperature of 28±1 °C, 80±5% R.H. and photoperiod of all darkness, which could be the best condition for mass production of T. putrescentiae. Our results provide basic biological information for the mass rearing of the mold mite, which will maintain stable and controllable food source for the predatory mites.

In this paper, four new species of the Eriophyidae are described and illustrated, namely Tetra banqiaoensis sp. nov. from Populus sp. (Salicaceae), Tetra virga sp. nov. from Rhododendron irroratum Franch. (Ericaceae), Tetra ampelopsis sp. nov. from Ampelopsis sp. (Vitaceae), Tetraspinus lucida sp. nov. from Ligustrum lucidum Ait. (Oleaceae). All are vagrants causing no apparent damage to their host plants.

Six new generic names are assigned to eriophyoid mites formerly collected by A. Chandrapatya and described by Chandrapatya & Boczek during 1991–2000. They are Makruta citri (Boczek, 1996) new combination, on Citrus hystrix DC. (Rutaceae); Vareeboona mangiferae (Chandrapatya, 1997) new combination, on Mangifera indica L. (Anacardiaceae); Khanthongella suregadi (Boczek & Chandrapatya, 2000) new combination, on Suregada multiflora (A.Juss.) Baill. (Euphorbiaceae); Mimenacarus glutinosae (Boczek, 1996) new combination, on Litsea glutinosa (Lour.) C.B. Robinson (Lauraceae); Bangkokarus diospyrosis (Chandrapatya, 1991) new combination, on Diospyros rhodocalyx Kurz (Ebenaceae); and Phayomoca talutus new combination on Shorea roxburghii G. Don (Dipterocarpaceae). Afemurseta acuminatae (Boczek & Chandrapatya, 2000) new combination on Musa acuminata Colla (Kluai Pa), (Musaceae) is also reported.

Two new species of the family Galumnidae (Acari, Oribatida) are described from the Philippines. Mirogalumna leytensis sp. nov. differs from the type species, M. xena Mahunka, 1993, by the body size, morphology of rostrum, bothridial setae and notogastral porose areas, absence of anterior notogastral margin and number of leg claws. Pergalumna panayensis sp. nov. is most similar morphologically to P. corolevuensis Hammer, 1971; however it differs from the latter by the body length and surface, localization of notogastral alveoli la, length of adanal setae ad3, and the presence of median pore. The genus Pergalumna is recorded for the first time in the Philippines, Mirogalumna and Pergalumna hastata Aoki, 1987 are registered for the first time in the Oriental region.

The new species, Fortuynia dimorpha sp. nov. from the Philippine intertidal habitats shows a distinct sexual dimorphism. The posterior part of the gastronotic region is completely porose and some notogastral setae are conspicuously elongated in males. The specific function of this sexual dimorphism is yet unknown, but the found modifications are supposed to be involved in pheromonal communication allowing rapid sperm transfer during low tide. Fortuynia dimorpha sp. nov. is the third species of this genus displaying sexually dimorphic characters worldwide, but it represents the first case of sexual dimorphism found in the Indo-Pacific area, where most Fortuynia species are harboured. Based on a comparison of all known cases of sexual dimorphism in marine associated ameronothroid mites it is assumed that the sexually dimorphic characters of Ameronothridae possibly allow a special mode of spermatophore deposition in order to protect these unstable structures from disadvantageous environmental conditions, whereas the modifications in dimorphic Fortuynia species may be involved in some kind of associative mating.