Linzer biol. Beitr. 49/2 1309-1321 11.12.2017 Fauna of Ascoidea (except Ameroseiidae) in Guilan province, Iran with two new species record for Iran mites fauna Fatemeh KARAMI, Jalil HAJIZADEH & Hadi OSTOVAN A b s t r a c t : A faunistic study of superfamily Ascoidea (Acari: Mesostigmata) except family Ameroseiidae in Guilan province, Northern Iran was carried out during 2015-2016. During this study 13 species of seven genera belong to two families Ascidae and Melicharidae were collected and identified. Four species namely Asca aphidioides (LINNAEUS), Zerconopsis michaeli EVANS & HYATT, Antennoseius (Antennoseius) bacatus ATHIAS-HENRIOT from family Ascidae and Proctolaelaps scolyti EVANS from family Melicharidae are new records for the mites fauna of Guilan Province. Proctolaelaps fiseri SAMŠIŇÁK (Melicharidae) and Zerconopsis remiger (KRAMER) (Ascidae) are new for Iran mites fauna. Expanded descriptions including illustrations of the adult female of Proctolaelaps fiseri and Zerconopsis remiger, respectively are provided based on the Iranian material. K e y w o r d s : Fauna, Ascoidea, Mesostigmata, New records, Iran. Introduction The superfamily Ascoidea is richly represented in tropical, temperate, and arctic alpine regions, where many of its members are free-living predators of nematodes and micro- arthropods in soil or humus and suspended arboreal litter habitats. Others are adapted to more specialized niches, where they feed on fungi, pollen, or nectar (KRANTZ & WALTER 2009). Superfamily Ascoidea includes three families, Ameroseiidae, Ascidae and Melicharidae. The Ameroseiidae comprises 148 species of mites placed in 10 genera (BEAULIEU et al. 2011) which are known to feed on pollen, nectar and fungi (BAKER & DELFINADO BAKER 1985; SEEMAN & WALTER 1995; HALLIDAY 1997). Many of the mites traditionally reported as Ascidae have been observed to feed on fungi while others have mainly been reported to feed on nectar or pollen, or to prey on other mites, insects or nematodes (MORAES et al. 2015). Some are found in association with insects or birds that may serve as their transporters; cases of true parasitism or other feeding habits have rarely been reported. Data on the long list of biological and ecological studies of mites of this group were summarized by MORAES et al. (2015). Species known for their predatory habits have been considered potentially useful as biological control agents of pest organisms (GERSON et al. 2003; MORAES et al. 2015). Family Ascidae includes two subfamilies, the Arctoseiinae and the Ascinae (LINDQUIST et al. 2009). The Melicharidae is probable sister group of the Ameroseiidae based on a uniquely shared modification of the cheliceral pilus dentilis. This diverse group has adapted to a broad spectrum of ter- restrial and aboveground habitats similar to those of ameroseiids (LINDQUIST & EVANS 1965; GHILYAROV & BREGETOVA 1977; KARG 1993; HALLIDAY, WALTER &