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The study of interactions between host plant cultivars and biological control agents is important in integrated pest management programs. In this study, the life table parameters and predation rate of Typhlodromus bagdasarjani Wainstein & Arutunjan were determined on two-spotted spider mites reared on a susceptible (Isfahan) or a resistant (Neishabour) eggplant cultivar. All experiments were carried out under laboratory conditions, at 25 ± 1 °C, 60 ± 5 % RH and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L:D) h. A significant difference was observed between mean developmental time of immature stages of T. bagdasarjani on the two eggplant cultivars: 6.6 versus 7.5 days, on the susceptible and resistant cultivar, respectively. Net reproductive rate (R 0) of T. bagdasarjani did not differ between the cultivars. Doubling time on the susceptible and resistant cultivars was 3.48 versus 5.72 days, mean generation time (T) was 10.13 versus 16.08 days, respectively. Total fecundity was higher on susceptible than on resistant eggplants, the intrinsic rate of population increase (r) was 0.188 versus 0.119 day(-1), respectively. Daily and total prey consumption of various life stages of T. bagdasarjani on two-spotted spider mite reared on susceptible versus resistant eggplant differed; total consumption was higher on spider mites reared on the resistant cultivar. However, the lower intrinsic rate of increase and higher mortality of the predator on the resistant eggplant (Neishabour) revealed that more attention should be devoted to integrated control of spider mites using resistant cultivars and phytoseiid mites.

Mites were collected from different species of the beetle families Scarabaeidae and Carabidae (Insecta: Coleoptera). Of the host beetles, some were captured in a light trap but most were collected directly in their habitats, i.e., livestock dung pads.The mites were cleared in lactophenol and mounted in Hoyer's medium. Morphology of the mites was studied using a light microscope with phase contrast. All measurements in the descriptions are given in micrometers for the holotype and (when available) for five paratypes (in parentheses). Terminology follows that of Lindquist (1986). Details of geographical coordinates were recorded using a GPS mobile device. The scarabaeid beetle hosts were identified by V. Martynov (Donetsk National University, Donetsk, Ukraine).Holotypes of new taxa are deposited in the Acarological Collection, Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. One paratype of each species is deposited in the following collections: Zoological Institute, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany; U.S. National Museum of Natural History, Washington D.C., U.S.A.; Collection of Nikita Botanical Gardens, Yalta, Ukraine; Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, A. Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland; and Acarological Collection, Zoological Museum, College of Agriculture, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran. Most paratypes are retained with the holotype. SYSTEMATICS Family Dolichocybidae Mahunka, 1970 Genus Pavania Lombardini, 1949Type species: Pavania fusiformis Lombardini, 1949 Diagnosis of adult female Gnathosoma. Gnathosoma rounded subquadrangular, usually longer than wide; dorsally with 2 pairs of cheliceral setae (ch1 and ch2) and ventrally with 1 pair of subcapitular setae (su). Cheliceral stylets large and sickle-shaped. Pharynx hardly visible, rounded. Palpi originated ventrolaterally from gnathosoma, 2-segmented.

The age-specific functional and numerical responses of Neoseiulus cucumeris Oudemans (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) on eggs of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Prostigmata: Tetranychidae), were assessed in the laboratory using bean leaf discs. Densities of 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and 128 prey were provided to 4- (protonymph), 6- (deutonymph), 8-, 13-, 18-, 23-, 28-, 33-, and 40-d-old N. cucumeris individuals. The functional response of 28- and 40-d-old N. cucumeris fitted type II, whereas the other ages displayed a type III functional response. The longest handling time observed at the age of 4 d was 0.515 h, whereas the shortest handling time and highest value of maximum attack rate (T/Th) were associated with the age of the 28-d-old treatment (0.261 h and 91.95 prey/d, respectively). The numerical response of N. cucumeris showed a significant increase with increasing prey density, but its rate gradually decreased at higher densities. Therefore, the efficiency of conversion of ingested food was relatively higher at low two-spotted spider mite densities, whereas it was reduced at high two-spotted spider mite densities. The stronger functional response and predation capacity of N. cucumeris on two-spotted spider mite eggs indicated the high potential of this predatory mite as an effective biological control agent against two-spotted spider mite especially at its early and middle ages and also when higher prey densities are present.