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Ants form complex colonies, harboring resources that can potentially be exploited by myrmecophiles (organisms living in association with ants). Myrmecophily has been studied in detail for Coleoptera, but for mites, remain largely unstudied. This work examined astigmatid mites associated with three Saudi ant species, Monomorium niloticum, Messor meridionalis and Tapinoma simrothi. Mites belonging to two families were found associated with the three ant species, Forcellinia egyptiaca Eraky (Acari: Acaridae) and Histiostoma sammari Eraky (Acari: Histiostomatidae) on Monomorium niloticum and Messor meridionalis, respectively. Cosmoglyphus barbisetus Eraky (Acari: Acaridae) was recorded on Tapinoma simrothi and occurred in large numbers. The abundance of mites varied among colonies, ant species and ant body parts. Mite populations varied not only among ant colonies and also over time. These findings are considered the first record of mites associated with these three ant species.

A survey was carried out to investigate astigmatid mites associated with four unrelated insect species, belonging to four families. The four insect species, Musca domestica (Linnaeus, 1785) (Diptera: Muscidae), Labidura riparia (Pallas, 1773) (Dermaptera: Labiduridae), Gryllus bimaculatus (DeGeer, 1773) (Orthoptera: Gryllidae), and Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus, 1758) (Blattaria: Blattidae), collected from different localities in Riyadh, were observed. Four astigmatid mites (Caloglyphus csibbii Eraky, Histiostoma camphori Eraky, Histiostoma pickaxei Eraky and Shoker, and Myianoetus lili Eraky) belonging to two families, Acaridae and Histiostomatidae, were recorded on G. bimaculatus, L. riparia, P. americana, and M. domestica, respectively. All recorded mites are considered new to Saudi Arabian mite fauna. One individual of Copronomoia sphaerocerae (Vitzthum) (Histiostomatidae) mite, previously recorded in Saudi Arabia, was found on M. domestica. For each mite species found, notes on density and attachment sites are given. An identification key, based on deutonymphal stages, for the five mite species reported in this study and other phoretic astigmatid mites previously recorded on insects in Saudi Arabia is provided.

Cydnoseius negevi (Swirski & Amitai, 1961), Neoseiulus paspalivorus (De Leon, 1957) and Proprioseiopsis beatus (Chaudhri, 1968) are reported for the first time from Saudi Arabia. The mite genus Cydnoseius Muma, 1967 is also new to the Saudi Arabian fauna. Cydnoseius negevi was collected from various host plants in three different regions (Riyadh, Hail, Eastern region) while N. paspalivorus and P. beatus were collected from Cynodon dactylon L. (Poaceae) in date palm orchards in Riyadh and Eastern region respectively. A key is provided to the adult females of the known species of Phytoseiidae of Saudi Arabia.

Eight species of phytoseiid mites are reported from date palm orchards in Saudi Arabia. Seven of them were first records for this country: Neoseiulus bicaudus (Wainstein), N. conterminus (Kolodochka), N. makuwa (Ehara), N. rambami (Swirski & Amitai), Proprioseiopsis asetus (Chant), P. messor(Wainstein), P. ovatus (Garman). Neoseiulus makuwa and P. asetus are recorded from the Middle East and North Africa for the first time. One new species is described from Bermuda grass, Neoseiulus saudiensis n. sp. The new species is most similar to Neoseiulus alpinus (Schweizer) and N. marginatus (Wainstein). A key for identification of the included species is provided.

Feather mites of the family Avenzoariidae (Acari: Astigmata: Analgoidea) are recorded for the first time in Saudi Arabia. A new avenzoariid species, Zachvatkinia (Zachvatkinia) repressae sp. n. (Avenzoariidae: Bonnetellinae), is described from the White-cheeked Tern, Sterna repressa Hartert, 1916 (Charadriiformes: Sternidae). The new species belongs to the sternae group and is closely related to Z. (Z.) chlidoniae Mironov, 1989a. Two more species, Z. (Z.) dromae Mironov, 1992 and Z. (Z.) sternae (Canestrini & Fanzago, 1876), were collected from the Crab Plover Dromas ardeola Paykull, 1805 (Charadriiformes: Dromadidae) and the Sooty Gull Ichthyaetus hemprichii (Bruch, 1853) (Charadriiformes: Laridae), respectively. Among the 18 described species of Zachvatkinia Dubinin, 1949, including the new species, this is the fifth species recorded from a sternid host. The remaining 13 nominal species are associated with birds of the families Diomedeidae, Dromadidae, Hydrobatidae, Laridae, Pelecanoididae, Procellariidae and Stercorariidae. A checklist of world species of Zachvatkinia with data on their distribution and type hosts is also provided.

The family Otopheidomenidae Treat, 1955 is recorded for the first time from Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula on the basis of a new species, Nabiseius arabicus sp. nov. Adult females, collected from Cynodon dactylon L. (Poaceae) in association with thrips (Insecta: Thysanoptera), are described and illustrated. A key to world species of Nabiseius is provided.

An updated checklist of cheyletid mites (Acariformes: Cheyletidae) of Egypt is provided. The list was compiled from a survey of published literature and from examining some previously described species. The list of the Egyptian Cheyletidae includes now 5 tribes, 15 genera, 27 species, one genus inquirenda (Aegyptocheyla Yousef) and five species inquirendae (Acaropsellina tyrophagus El-Badry, Cheletomimus minutus Soliman, Chiapacheylus desertorum Zaher and Soliman, C. macrocorneus Zaher and Soliman and Neoeucheyla macrocorneus Soliman). A key to the Egyptian cheyletids is also presented.

The old world date mite, Oligonychus afrasiaticus (McGregor, 1939) (Acari: Tetranychidae) is a severe spider mite pest of date palm in most of the Middle East and North Africa. Considering that nothing is known about the performance of phytoseiid predators against O. afrasiaticus. Biology, predation and life table parameters of Cydnoseius negevi (Swirski & Amitai, 1961) and Neoseiulus barkeri Hughes (Acari: Phytoseiidae), collected from date palm orchards, were studied under laboratory conditions (25, 35ºC and 35 ± 10% RH) as a first step to understand their effectiveness against all mobile life stages of O. afrasiaticus. For both predators, oviposition period was significantly shorter at 35 than at 25ºC. The following parameters were obtained for C. negevi and N. barkeri at 25 and 35°C, respectively: female longevity, 31.8, 20.1, 35.7, 27.4 days; fecundity, 21.6, 38.0, 18.8, 34.8 eggs/female; oviposition period, 23.9, 13.7, 25.9, 18.1 days. Total predation of C. negevi and N. barkeri female was 246.0, 270.0, 227.6, 205.3 prey at 25 and 35°C, respectively. Rectal plugs were observed attached to the opisthosoma of some adult¬ females of N. barkeri, which often cause the mite to stick to the surface. Life table parameters were estimated as net reproductive rate (Rо) 10.44, 17.35, 10.19, 13.84, intrinsic rate of increase (rm) 0.14, 0.19, 0.13, 0.16 days-1, finite rate of increase (λ) 1.15, 1.21, 1.12, 1.17 days-1, generation time (T) 17.03, 15.17, 17.83, 16.61 days, doubling time (DT) 04.95, 03.64, 05.33, 04.33 days for C. negevi and N. barkeri at 25 and 35ºC, respectively. The values of intrinsic rate of increase and net reproductive rate were higher in C. negevi than N. barkeri at both temperature regimes. Therefore, it could be concluded that C. negevi performance was better than N. barkeri against O. afrasiaticus and can be considered as a valuable addition to the existing methods for spider mites control.

Mite fauna of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is poorly studied. Based on published works, only 26 species (representing three orders, 18 families and 24 genera) were previously reported from coleopteran insects, plants, leaf litter and soil. This paper reports 11 new records of mites from the emirate of Dubai. A checklist of the taxa reported from the UAE to date is presented.