Pseudolaelapinae: a new subfamily for Iranian mite fauna and its taxonomic position

During 2010-2011 in a study on the fauna of edaphic mites of Golestan province, northern Iran, specimens of mesostigmatic mites were collected from different habitats such as soil, rotten wood, moss andlitter. Some of which were identified as Pseudolaelaps doderoi (Berlese). This species belongs to subfamilyPseudolaelapinae. At present, taxonomic position of this subfamily is debatable. Pseudolaelaps (Berlese) isthe only genus of Pseudolaelapinae, and according to its morphological features, different authors put it indifferent families like, Dermanyssidae, Pseudolaelapidae, Laelapidae and Pachylaelapidae. So far, fourspecies of Pseudolaelapinae are recorded world wide. In the recent classification, Pseudolaelaps, was placedin Eviphidoidea and temporarily considered as the only genus of Pseudolaelapinae in familyPachylaelapidae. This subfamily, genus and species are reported for the first from Iran.