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Abstract
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The superfamily Raphignathoidea Kramer comprises about 900 species and 62 genera in 11 families. They are worldwide in distribution, abundant in most of the geographical regions, and are even found in the Antarctic region (Fan & Zhang, 2005). Family Caligonellidae belongs to the superfamily Raphignathoidae and was described by Grandjean (1944) based on Caligonella humilis Koch, 1838. Mites of the family Caligonellidae are relatively small, free-living predatory mites that feed on small arthropods. They often live on tree bark, in litter, soil, mosses, storehouses and bird nests (Khanjani, et al., 2016). During 2014-2016, fauna of the family Caligonellidae in Hamedan and Kurdistan provinces were studied. In this concern, samples were collected from litter and soil under trees, bushes and plants and taken to the laboratory. Mites extracted by Berlese funnel and mounted directly in Hoyer’s medium. In total 9 species, belonging to 3 different genera were identified. Among the collected species, Neognathus terrestris had highest population and almost with wide distribution in these areas. The collected mites, according to the species, are as follows: Caligonella Berlese: C. humilis (Koch, 1838); Molothrognathus Summers & Schlinger: M. azizi Ueckermann & Khanjani, 2003, M. bahariensis Ueckermann & Khanjani, 2003, M. fulgidus Summers & Schlinger, 1955, M. mehrnejadi Liang & Zhang, 1997, M. shirazicus Khanjani, Bakhshi & Khanjani, 2016; Neognathus Willmann: N. terrestris Summers & Schlinger, 1955; N. ueckermanni Bagheri, Doğan, Haddad Irani–Nejad, Kamali, Khanjani & Saboori, 2010 and N. sinaei Samadpour, Khanjani & Asalifayaz, 2014.
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