A new species of argasid tick (Acari: Argasidae) is described from immature and adult specimens collected from several localities in Brazil. A complete morphological account is provided for all postembryonic life stages, i.e., larva, nymph, female, and male. Ornithodoros cavernicolous n. sp. is the 113(th) in the genus. Morphologically, the new species shares common features, e.g., presence of well-developed cheeks and legs with micromammillate cuticle, with other bat-associated argasid ticks included in the subgenus Alectorobius. In particular, the new species is morphologically related to Ornithodoros azteci Matheson, with which it forms a species group. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences supports the placement of the new species within a large clade that includes other New World bat-associated argasids. However, the new species seems to represent an independent lineage within the genus Ornithodoros.

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The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence and abundance of mites in the soil beneath cultivated coffee trees (Coffea arabica L.). In particular, we compared mite communities in three different soil environments: 1) native forest; 2) soils from underneath the coffee trees "under full sun" (i.e. areas that received no additional shade or organic treatment); 3) soils that incorporated organic matter from four leguminous windbreak plant species-acacia, Acacia mangium Wild.; pigeon pea, Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.; gliricidia, Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Walp.; and leucaena, Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit. Sampling was conducted at the ends of the dry and rainy seasons, in São Sebastião do Paraíso, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Undisturbed soil samples were acquired using a cylinder and a Berlese-Tullgren funnel was used to extract the mites in the laboratory. A total of 1,014 mite specimens, assigned into 143 different species, were collected. The forest soil had the greatest richness and total abundance of edaphic mites, while the coffee plantation soils, enriched with acacia, had the lowest richness and abundance. The mite communities of treated soils were less than 18% similar to that of the forest soil. These results suggest that the substitution of native forests with cultivated systems can cause significant changes in the abundance, richness and structuring of edaphic mite communities, particularly of oribatid mites. Maintenance of mite communities should be one of the goals of agricultural practices, since these organisms are important for maintenance of biological cycles, especially for the decomposition of organic matter.

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Two new larval species of Birjandtrombella minae sp. nov. and Birjandtrombella pataxo sp. nov., (Acari: Trombidiformes: Prostigmata: Neotrombidiidae) are described and illustrated from neotropical caves in Brazil (South America). The generic diagnosis of Birjandtrombella is modified and a key to larvae is presented.

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For the first time deutonymphs and adults (females and males) of species belonging to Whartonia, a genus with post-larval stages commonly found in caves and larvae as ectoparasites of bats, are described. Two species from new localities in states of Pará (Eastern Amazon) and Minas Gerais (southeastern Brazil) are reported. Post-larval cave dwelling mites could be unambiguously associated with W. (W). pachywhartoni and W. (W.) nudosetosa larvae using mitochondrial COI and nuclear ribosomal 28S sequence data, despite apparent oversplitting by species delimitation methods. They are distinguished from closely related Albeckia senase, a species with described deutonymphs, by having eyes and by the shape of idiosomal setae. They are very similar to each other, being distinguished mainly by the distribution of special setae on legs, and shape of idiosomal setae. Detailed redescriptions of the two larvae are presented based on individuals found on bats belonging to nine species, with six new host species association: Anoura caudifer, Diphylla ecaudata, Mimon bennettii, Platyrrhinus lineatus, Sturnira lilium (Phyllostomidae) and Peropteryx trinitatis (Emballonuridae).