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Abstract
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The superfamily Raphignathoidea Kramer (Acari: Trombidiformes: Prostigmata) comprises about 900 species and 62 genera in 11 families. Members of this superfamily contain some important biological control agents of spider mites, eriophyid mites, and scale insects in agriculture and forestry areas. They were found in various ecosystems: foliage, branches, trunks, moss and lichen, litter, soil, animal nests, stored products, and even in house dust. They are worldwide in distribution, abundant in most of the geographical regions, and are even found in the Antarctic region, of which the families Barbutiidae, Caligonellidae, Camerobiidae, Cryptognathidae, Eupalopsellidae, Raphignathidae and Stigmaeidae have been recorded from Iran. Family Stigmaeidae is the largest family within Raphignathoidea. During 2013–2016, fauna of the superfamily Raphignathoidea associated with oak trees in Alashtar vicinities, Lorestan provice were studied. In this order, litter and soil samples under oak trees were collected and taken into the laboratory for processing. Mites were extracted by Berlese/Tulgren funnel and mounted directly on slides in Hoyer’s medium. In this study, in total 9 species, belonging to 7 genera from 4 families were identified. Among them, family Stigmaeidae with 4 species were found frequently and Stigmaeus pilatus and Neophyllobius dogani were found in high population on oak trees. Also, one species is new to the world mite fauna which marked with an asterisk (*). The collected mites according to their families, genera and species are as follows: Calligonellidae: Molothrognathus Shirazicus Khanjani, Bakhshi & Khanjani, 2016, Neognathus terrestris Summers & Schlinger, 1955; Camerobiidae: Neophyllobius dogani Khanjani & Ahmad Hoseini, 2013; Raphignathidae: Raphignathus hecmataniensis Khanjani & Ueckermann, 2002, R. protaspus Khanjani & Ueckermann, 2002; Stigmaeidae: Eustigmaeus segnis Koch, 1836, Ledermuelleriopsis sp. nov.*, Stigmaeus boshroyehensis Khanjani and Doğan,
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