Mites of the Raphignathoidea (Acari: Prostigmata) from Zanjan vicinities and description of male of Stigmaeus shabestariensis

Raphignathoid mites are important biological control agents of spider and eriophyid mites, and scale insects in agriculture and forestry. Therefore, a study on the fauna of superfamily Raphignathoidea in Zanjan city was carried out during 2012–2013. In this survey, 23 species belonging to 8 genera from 4 different families were collected and identified. Among them male of Stigmaeus shabestariensis Haddad Irani-Nejad, Lotfollahi & Akbari, 2010 was recorded for the first time from Zanjan, Iran and was new report to Acari fauna of the world, and also S. shabestariensis Haddad Irani-Nejad Haddad Irani-Nejad, Lotfollahi & Akbari, 2010 was the abundant mite species in Zanjan vicinities in our collected specimens.