Vasiliy Kolesnikov

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Papanin Institute for Biology of Inland Waters, Russian Academy of Sciences

Acariform mites play a crucial role as primary soil decomposers, impacting the carbon cycle. However, the timing of their diversification is uncertain, with estimated dates ranging from the Precambrian (no land plants) to the Carboniferous (diverse terrestrial ecosystems). One factor affecting these time estimates is an uncertain phylogenetic posit...

We describe Histiogaster altilis sp. nov. (Acari: Astigmata: Acaridae), a newly identified species of mite from Eocene Rovno amber (34⚶37 Ma), based on both male and female specimens. The exceptional preservation of the fossils, coupled with advanced amber preparation and imaging techniquesiincluding high-resolution microscopy, differential interfe...

Background Among minute-sized and wingless arthropods, astigmatid mites stand out for their diverse range of symbiotic associations (parasitic, neutral and mutualistic), with both invertebrate and vertebrate hosts. When inhabiting discontinuous and ephemeral environments, astigmatid mites adapt their life cycle to produce a phoretic heteromorphic n...

We present the first fossil evidence of pediculochelid mites, describing two new species: Paralycus ekaterinae sp. nov. (Eocene amber) and P. primus sp. nov. (Cretaceous amber). The exceptional preservation of the fossils, coupled with our newly developed methodological approach for examining minute arthropods in amber, has facilitated a detailed c...

The mite Thyreophagus entomophagus is a cosmopolitan species of significant economic importance in biocontrol applications, serving as a factitious prey for the mass rearing of predatory mites. This species has been reported from a variety of habitats. However, the taxonomic reliability of its name is questionable due to inconsistencies in historic...

This is the first work in a series of taxonomic investigations of Madagascan Atopomelidae, associated with Tenreci-dae. Here, a new species-Listrophoroides (Madlistrophoroides) bochkovi sp. n. (male and female)-associated with Oryzorictes hova (Afrosoricida, Tenrecidae), is described. The new species is similar to Listrophoroides (Madlistrophoroide...

The article describes a new species, Galumnella subiasi sp. nov., from Vietnam, which is distinguished from others by the following combination of characteristics: the notogaster, pteromorphs, prodorsum, and ventral shield have a network pattern; there is an interlamellar ridge on the prodorsum; lamellar and sublamellar lines are parallel; rostral...

This study provides a comprehensive morphological analysis of ten fossil specimens from the genus Collohmannia, found in Eocene Baltic amber, with nine representing different species. Collohmanniidae, a unique monogeneric family of oribatid mites are among the largest oribatids. They feed on leaf litter and present significant sexual dimorphism and...

Here, we describe Euroglyphus perico sp. nov. from a nest of a mammal, probably Peromyscus sp. (Rodentia: Cricetidae), from Durango, Mexico. As this new species combines features of the genera Euroglyphus and Gymnoglyphus, Gymnoglyphus is proposed as a junior subjective synonym of Euroglyphus. An updated diagnosis of the genus Euroglyphus and a key...

Background Among minute-sized and wingless arthropods, astigmatid mites stand out for their diverse range of symbiotic associations (parasitic, neutral and mutualistic), with both invertebrate and vertebrate hosts. When inhabiting discontinuous and ephemeral environments, astigmatid mites adapt their life cycle to produce a phoretic heteromorphic n...

A new sexual species, Thyreophagus subiasi sp. nov., inhabiting wet sands of the coastal zone of the Caspian Sea (Republic of Dagestan, Russia) is described. The new species is morphologically similar to Th. athiasae from Morocco (types redescribed here as well) but differs from it by the shape of the spermatheca and setae p and q on tarsi I-II rep...

ABSTRACT Trimetabelba Miko gen. nov. a new genus of damaeid mites within Metabelba sensu lato is proposed after redescription of the species T. propexa (Kulczynski, 1902) comb. nov. based on topotypical material from High Tatra Mountains (Carpathians). Two further new species are described: T. proxima Miko sp. nov. from multiple localities in Slova...

Two new species of oribatid mites (Oribatida) of the family Damaeidae are described, based on adults collected from litter in the wet highland locality in Bale Mountains National Park, southeastern Ethiopia. Coronabelba adiscidialis Ermilov & Kolesnikov sp. nov. differs from the other species of the genus by larger body size, long, rod-like bothrid...

A new troglobiont species, Foveacheles uralensis n. sp., is described from the Gremut-shaya, Rossiyskaya, and the Shulgan-Tash caves of the Ural Mountains. The new species is characterized by intermediate character states between the genera Foveacheles and Traegaardhia and its taxonomic position is discussed. The current state of the troglobiont an...

Oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) are a large group of soil animals, with small body sizes and complex morphological structures. At present, oribatid mite species identification is essentially based on morphological characters. In this study, we collected 124 specimens of oribatid mites belonging to 110 species of 72 genera in Russia, and extracted...

A new species of pseudoscorpions, Neobisium (Neobisium) berberorum sp.n., from Ain Danu Сave located in the Rif Mountains (Morocco) is described with a detailed diagnosis and illustrations. Diagnostic characters and ecological traits of this species are presented and discussed; the new species is compared with related species of this genus living i...

In the Caucasus, the total area taken up by glaciers is known to have reduced by 23% over the last 20 years. This natural experiment allows for additive and replacement models of autogenic succession of biocoenoses within paraglacial landscapes to be tested. A certain risk of the extinction of cryophilic species also exists. However, montane paragl...

The genus Fagacarus (Acari: Acaridae) characterized by long pectinate dorsal setae and heavily sclerotized and ornamented idiosoma is unmistakably recognizable in the subfamily Rhizoglyphinae. Mites of this genus live inside fallen tree trunks and have been only occasionally collected. However, it is increasingly likely that these mites are more wi...

Phoretic deutonymphs of Winterschmidtia tawantinsuyuca sp. n. (Acari: Winterschmidtiidae) are described from Peru. This is the fourth species of the genus recorded in the Neotropical realm. Similar to the three other Peruvian species, the new species is phoretic on bark beetles, but this is the first finding of Winterschmidtia on the beetles of the...

We describe unusual heteromorphic deutonymph of Mycetinopus striatipedis gen. and sp. n. (Acari: Acaridae) phoretic on the handsome fungus beetle Mycetina marginalis (Coleoptera, Endomychidae) in the Eastern Palearctic. These deutonymphs have a unique combination of character states that make them very distinct in the family Acaridae: an unpaired p...

We examined three astigmatic mite specimens phoretic on the beetle Glesoconomorphus ekaterinae from Eocene Rovno amber. Due to the precious nature of this amber piece, housing the name-bearing holotype of the host beetle, traditional trimming for the application of high-resolution imaging techniques at small focal distances was unfeasible. To overc...

A new species of pseudotyrannochthoniid pseudoscorpion is described from Kyrgyzstan, including a detailed diagnosis and illustrations: Centrochthonius dashdamirovi sp.n. (Arachnida, Pseudotyrannochthoniidae), represents the fifth valid species of this genus from Asia. Diagnostic, biogeographic and ecological features of this new species are present...

Simple Summary In recent years, there has been a growing interest in finding sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions to combat agricultural pests while minimizing the adverse impacts of chemical pesticides. Species of the genus Thyreophagus have emerged as a valuable asset in this pursuit. These mites are utilized as factitious prey for...

Mites of the genus Thyreophagus (Acari: Acaridae) are distributed worldwide; they inhabit concealed habitats and include several beneficial and economically important species. However, species identification is difficult because many species are poorly described or delimited and their phoretic stages are unknown or uncorrelated. Furthermore, Thyreo...

A new species of chthonioid pseudoscorpion is described from Eocene Rovno amber (Ukraine), including a detailed diagnosis and illustrations: Chthonius marusiki sp. nov. (Arachnida, Pseudoscorpiones) is the first valid species of the family Chthoniidae from Rovno amber. Diagnostic, biogeographic, paleohabitat and ecological features of this new spec...

the family Symbioribatidae is recorded in Vietnam for the first time. two new arboreal species of Symbioribates-S. bimorphus sp. nov. and S. tripartitus sp. nov.-are described, based on adults (males and females) collected from tree branches of Dipterocarpus alatus in Cat tien National Park, Vietnam; the former species is sexually dimorphic, the la...

A new arboreal species of Arthrovertex (Oribatida, Scutoverticidae)-A. kornilovi sp. nov.-is described, based on adults collected from tree branches of Dipterocarpus alatus in Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam. A generic diagnosis, identification key, distribution, and habitats of representatives of Arthrovertex are presented. http://zoobank.org/urn:...

Three new hypogean Ephippiochthonius species from karst caves of Abkhazia (Western Caucasus) are described, including detailed diagnoses and illustrations: Ephippiochthonius kovali sp. nov., E. vargovitshi sp. nov. and E. dbari sp. nov. These are the first cave-dwelling species of the genus described from the Caucasus. The taxonomic significance of...

A new species of the genus Spatiodamaeus (Oribatida, Damaeidae) is described from Russia, based on adult and juvenile instars collected from bark of Acer platanoides and soil-litter of mixed and broadleaf forests in European part of Russia and Western Siberia. The adult of Spatiodamaeus kalugaensis sp. nov. is similar to S. nortoni (Bayartogtokh, 2...

The present study is based on oribatid mite materials collected from leaf litter in two forest locations in Cuba. A list of 64 species, belonging to 47 genera and 31 families, is presented. Of these, one genus and two species are recorded for the first time from the Neotropical region; 17 species, one subgenus, six genera, and two families are reco...

The morphological ontogeny of Eubelba danubedeltaica sp. nov. is described and illustrated. The adult of E. danubedeltaica is most similar to E. sculpta (Mihelčič, 1957) which differs from E. danubedeltaica by the presence of tubercle E2p, slightly longer seta c1 and leg IV, and thicker and clearly barbed epimeral, genital, aggenital and anal setae...

The present study is based on galumnid mites (Oribatida, Galumnidae) collected from leaf litter of two mixed forests in Cuba; six species from three genera are identified. Three new species-Pergalumna (Pergalumna) cienfuegosensis sp. nov., P. (P.) foveolatostriata sp. nov. and Galumna (G.) gigantea sp. nov.-are described. Allogalumna brevisetosa (B...

A new species of pseudoscorpions, Ephippiochthonius juliae sp.n., is described from Sphagnum bogs situated in the Kolcheti Lowland, near the town of Kobuleti in the Republic of Adjara, Georgia, western Transcaucasia. Diagnostic and ecological features of this species are presented, discussed and compared with those of related species of this genus....

Amber is known as one of the best sources of fossil organisms preserved with exceptional fidelity. Historically, different methods of imaging have been applied to amber, including optical microscopy and microtomography. These methods are sufficient to resolve millimeter-scaled fossils. However, microfossils, such as microarthropods, require another...

Metabelba (Pateribelba) flagelliseta Bulanova-Zachvatkina, 1965 is redescribed based on the newly sampled material from Crimea and investigation of the specimens from the collection of Bulanova-Zachvatkina. Metabelba (Metabelba) pseudoflagelliseta Kolesnikov & Murvanidze sp. nov. is described from Caucasus, Georgia. Both species have similar morpho...

Mites of the genus Paralycus (Oribatida: Pediculochelidae) are minute, asexual, paedomorphic oribatids that have been largely overlooked by major biodiversity surveys. Here, we review this genus and describe three new species based on adult females: Paralycus persephone sp. n. and Paralycus daeira sp. n. from deep soil in Colorado, USA and Paralycu...

Two new species of the mite genus Histiogaster-H. litoralis sp. n. and H. tareevi sp. n.-are described from Eastern Russia based on males and females. Histiogaster ornata are redescribed based on males, females and heteromorphic deutonymphs. For H. litoralis, pre-copulatory guarding of tritonymphs is reported based on observations in a laboratory c...

Phoretic deutonymphs of Winterschmidtia wichmanni (Türk and Türk, 1957) (Acari: Winterschmidtiidae) are re-described based on specimens collected from Pyrrhidium sanguineum (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Austria. While phoretic deutonymphs of W. wichmanni are similar to those of W. nataliae (Zachvatkin, 1941), they differ in the size of the idiosoma...

Pseudoscorpiones is one of the oldest arachnid orders, known in the palaeontological record since the Middle Devonian (c. 390 Ma). The following reliable indications of fossil pseudoscorpions occur in Early Cretaceous amber: Lebanese amber (c. 135–125 Ma), Spanish Álava amber (c. 113–100 Ma), Archingeay amber (c. 100 Ma) and Burmese amber (c. 99 Ma...

Metabelba (Pateribelba) filippovi, a large species of Metabelba known from the Transcaucasus and Caspian areas, is redescribed on the basis of material from Arasbaran forest (East Azerbaijan, North-West Iran). A new, closely related species, M. (P.) abkhasica Kolesnikov & Miko sp. nov., is described on the basis of newly collected material from Abk...

Two closely related species of the genus Piribelba (Oribatida, Damaeidae) are redescribed based on morphology of adults and developmental instars. Redescription of P. rossica (Bulanova-Zachvatkina, 1957) is based on specimens collected in Russia, including specimens identified by Bulanova-Zachvatkina; redescription of P. piriformis (Mihelčič, 1964)...

A new species of pseudoscorpions, Neobisium (Neobisium) adjaricum sp. nov., is described and diagnosed. It was collected in the Sphagnum habitats of Ispani lowland mires in Transcaucasia (Republic of Adjara, Georgia). The habitat of N. (N.) adjaricum sp. nov. is described. The holotype of N. (N.) vilcekii Krumpál, 1983, a species most similar morph...

A new oribatid mite genus, Coronabelba n. gen., with its type species, Coronabelba unicornis n. sp., belonging to the family Damaeidae, is proposed and described from Abkhazia. The new genus differs from the close genus Metabelba Grandjean, 1936 by shape of notogaster, shape of notogastral setae and their insertions on distinct apophyses and leg ch...

Most species of the mite genus Winterschmidtia Oudemans, 1923 are associated with bark beetles. These mites are predacious on eggs of their coleopteran hosts and may be potential biocontrol agents for pest species of bark beetles. Here we describe three new species of Winterschmidtia from Peru based on phoretic deutonymphs: W. parallela sp. nov. (f...

Oribatid mite fauna of Vietnam is most studied among countries of Continental Southeast Asia but due to the brief history of detailed research, discoveries of new species are expected. Descriptions of two new species of oribatid mites (Oribatida) of the family Galumnidae-Flagellozetes (Cosmogalumna) sacculus sp. nov. and F. (C.) lineatus sp. nov.-a...

The description of a new species of oribatid mites (Oribatida) of the family Zetorchestidae-Zetorchestes krisperi sp. nov.-is proposed based on adult and tritonymph specimens collected from rainforest soil of Bi Dup-Nui Ba National Park (southern Vietnam). We also review the distinguishing characteristics for Zetorchestes species and present an ide...

Three new hypogean species of the false scorpions genus Ephippiochthonius Beier, 1930 from the caves of the Crimean Peninsula, i.e. E. tauroscythicus sp.n., E. volkeri sp.n. and E. pliginskyi sp.n. are described. Diagnostic and ecological features of these species are presented and discussed, as well as compared with the related species of this gen...

A new genus and species, Unguitarsonemus paradoxus n. gen., n. sp. and a new species, Pseudotarsonemoides peruviensis n. sp. (Acari: Trombidiformes: Tarsonemidae), are described based on phoretic females collected on bark beetles Phloeotribus pilula and Ph. biguttatus, respectively, from Peru. A key to species of the genus Pseudotarsonemoides is pr...

We provide a description of two new false scorpions species of the genus Pseudoblothrus Beier, 1931, P. arcanus sp.n. and P. golovatchi sp.n., from the caves of south-western Crimean Mountains. The species are morphologically similar, but differ in the presence of four eye spots, present in P. arcanus sp.n. and absent in P. golovatchi sp.n. The res...

A new species of oribatid mite from Kazakhstan, belonging to the genus Dyobelba Norton, 1978 (Oribatida, Damaeidae), is described based on adult and tritonymphal instar. Dyobelba verae sp. nov. can be distinguished from the other species of Dyobelba its the thick notogastral setae, the presence prodorsal tubercles Ba and ventrosejugal tubercles V,...

During summer 2019, pilot tests were conducted in the Eastern part of the Krasnodar Krai and in the North of the Voronezh Region on two volatile semiochemicals of maize (phenylacetaldehyde and 4-methoxy-2-phenethyl alcohol) to monitor the European corn borer Ostrinia nubilalis number in comparison with sex pheromones. Traps with semiochemical lure...

Two new species of pseudoscorpions, Ephippiochthonius sarmaticus sp.n. and Ephippiochthonius oryzis sp.n. are described from the Krasnodar Region, Russia. These are first valid records for this genus in Russia. Diagnostic features of these species as well as comparison with similar species within the genus are provided and discussed.

The preliminary results of invertebrate animals study in the Veryovkina Cave, collected during research speleological expeditions in the period of 2017-2018 are presented in the paper. According to the results of these biospeleological studies at this time in the Veryovkina Cave 15 species of invertebrates were noted. Based on the findings, prelimi...

The study presents results on the analysis of faunistic complex of oribatid mites inhabiting the core zone of Voronezh state nature biosphere reserve named after V.M. Peskov. The number of taxa of oribatid mites from the reserve’s core zone inhabiting greenmoss pine forests, aspen forests and alder forests including 85 species, 59 genera and 33 fam...

Based on morphological and molecular studies of material from caves in three karst regions of Crimea, the small, apparently relictual, Euro-Mediterranean and Macaronesian false scorpion genus Pseudoblothrus Beier, 1931 is shown to contain only one troglobiont species there, P. roszkovskii (Redikorzev, 1918), of which P. ljovuschkini Krumpál, 1984 a...

The supplementary description of three mite species of the genus Suctobelbella Jacot, 1937 (Oribatida, Suctobel-bidae) is presented, based on the material from Russia. Typical materials from museum collections were used to redescribe two of the species. The main morphological traits for these species are summarized.

Belba paracorynopus Bulanova-Zachvatkina, 1962 is redescribed on the basis of new material collected in Georgia and damaged paratypes of Bulanova-Zachvatkina. The species belongs to the Belba corynopus group and differs from other species of the group by the size and form of notogastral setae, formation of the prodorsum and detailed chaetotaxy of l...

The paper presents preliminary results of morphological and molecular genetic studies of the Crimean troglobiont pseudoscorpions of the genus Pseudoblothrus Beier, 1931 from caves located in three karst massifs: Tshatyr-Dagh Yayla, Dolgorukovskaya Yayla, and Karabi Yayla. The species P. roszkovskii (Redikorzev, 1918) and P. ljovuschkini Krumpál, 19...

We found the only species of false scorpions, Microbisium brevifemoratum, in the scope of the studies of two Sphagnum bog habitats in Northwestern Russia. This species was collected from all three study bogs in the habitat of Sphagnum magellanicum. In the northern part of the distribution range, M. brevifemoratum is predominantly associated with mi...

We redescribe Neobelba pseudopapillipes Bulanova-Zachvatkina, 1967, single known species of Neobelba Bulanova-Zachvatkina, 1967, based on the material collected in Russia and Slovakia. The species shares many important characters of Metabelba Grandjean, 1936, particularly of the subgenus M. (Pateribelba) Mourek, Miko et Bernini, 2011. It can be eas...

The morphology of all the juvenile stages of Zetorchestes micronychus (Oribatida, Zetorchestidae) is described. Diagnoses of juvenile stages of representatives of the family Zetorchestidae and of the genus Zetorchestes are given. The juvenile stages of Z. micronychus and Strenzkea depilata are compared.

The morphology of juvenile instars of the oribatid mites Furcoribula furcillata (Nordenskioüld, 1901) (Astegistidae) and Zygoribatula exilis (Nicolet, 1855) (Oribatulidae) is described and illustrated. All instars are from moss on trees (Quercur robur). Those of F. furcillata are the first to be described for Astegistidae, and are characterized by...