In this study, the complete ontogenetic development of morphological traits in Phenopelopidae was investigated on the base of juvenile and adult specimens of Eupelops hirtus (Berlese, 1916) and Peloptulus phaenotus (CL Koch, 1844) and literature. The juveniles of Eupelops Ewing, 1917, Peloptulus Berlese, 1908 and Propelops Jacot, 1937 show plicate integument and a dorsoventrally flattened hysterosoma, with short setae c 1 , c 3 and of d-series on the gastronotum, which seem to be typical of Phenopelopidae. However, the juveniles of Eupelops and Peloptulus have some or all marginal setae on the gastronotum longer and thicker than other setae, at least one setal pair on the posterior part of gastronotum (h 1 in larva and h 3 in nymphs), whereas those of Propelops have these setae long or short. The juveniles and adults of Eupelops and Peloptulus differ distinctly from those of Propelops in the type of subcapitulum and chelicerae; the two former genera have the subcapitulum secondarily anarthric and the chelicerae pelopsiform, whereas the latter genus has the subcapitulum diarthric and the chelicerae normal. The adults of Eupelops and Propelops have 10 pairs of notogastral setae, including c 2 and 2-3 or three pairs of p-series, respectively, whereas that of Peloptulus has eight pairs, including c 2 and p 1 (p 2 and p 3 are lost). The two former genera have also setae of ad-series, whereas the latter genus lacks them. In Eupelops seta in is long and phylliform, whereas in other genera it is setiform; long in Propelops and short or long in Peloptulus. In all genera the anterior part of notogaster protrudes over the prodorsum as a tectum, but in Eupelops this tectum is considerably larger than in other genera.

We investigate the role of black-headed gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus), an omnivorous species that is among the most likely wild bird candidates for transmission of zoonotic agents, as a potential reservoir of Campylobacter spp. Colonies with different anthropogenic pressures were studied to examine differences in exposure to sources of Campylobacter between rural and urban birds. We recorded Campylobacter spp. in 4.87% of adult black-headed gulls and 2.22% of their chicks after analysing 1036 cloacal swabs collected over two breeding seasons in three colonies in northern Poland. Campylobacter jejuni was found most frequently (85.72%), and Campylobacter lari and Campylobacter coli were much scarcer. Prevalence of Campylobacter did not differ significantly between black-headed gulls breeding in urban (4.27%) and rural (3.80%) habitats. Almost all isolates from chicks and adults were susceptible to azithromycin (97.62%) and erythromycin (95.24%), but fewer to tetracycline (50.00%) and ciprofloxacin (47.62%). Campylobacter prevalence was unrelated to the date of sampling. Our study indicates that black-headed gulls are carriers of resistant to antibiotics Campylobacter and they can contaminate natural waterbodies with their faeces, which poses a threat to human and farm animal health.

Broadleaf forests are critical habitats for biodiversity and this biodiversity is in turn essential for their proper functioning. Mites (Acari) are a numerous and functionally essential component of these forests. We report the diversity of two important groups, Oribatida and Mesostigmata, in a broadleaf forest in Eastern Norway which is considered to be a biodiversity hotspot. Eighteen samples, each 500 cm3, were collected from diverse microhabitats (moss on ground, lichens on tree twigs lying on ground, moss on tree trunks at ground level, moss on tree trunks 1.5 m above ground, moss on decaying stump, moss on decaying log, and decaying wood from trees) from which 10,843 specimens and 95 species from 32 families of Oribatida, and 655 specimens of 34 species from 14 families of Mesostigmata were found. Only 30% of the species were previously recorded in broadleaf forests in Western Norway. Oribatid communities on decaying stump and in lichens were distinct from the other communities, while mesostigmatid communities on tree trunks (both at ground level and 1.5 m above ground) and in lichens differed most from other communities. Over 30% of the species were found in only a single microhabitat. Twenty-three species and the genus Zerconopsis are reported from Norway for the first time. Six records are also new to Fennoscandia, including (Oribatida) Coronoquadroppia monstruosa, Eueremaeus valkanovi, Ramusella furcata, and (Mesostigmata) Dendrolaelaps rectus, D. multidentatus, and D. tenuipilus. In addition, several rare species were detected, e.g., Achipteria magna, Oribotritia berlesei, and Subiasella quadrimaculata, and two were found in their northernmost locality (O. berlesei, E. valkanovi). These results confirm the unique character and high conservation value of the studied forest in Norway, Fennoscandia and at a European scale.

Forest water bodies, e.g., pools, constitute ‘environmental islands’ within forests, with specific flora and fauna thus contributing considerably to the landscape biodiversity. The mite communities of Oribatida and Mesostigmata in two distinctive microhabitats, water-soaked Sphagnum mosses at the edge of a pool and other mosses growing on the medium-wet forest floor nearby, were compared in a limestone forest in Southern Norway. In total, 16,189 specimens of Oribatida representing 98 species, and 499 specimens of Mesostigmata, from 23 species, were found. The abundance and species number of Oribatida were significantly lower at the pool, while the abundance and species richness of Mesostigmata did not differ. Both the communities of Oribatida and of Mesostigmata differed among the microhabitats studied and analysis showed significant differences between the community structures in the two microhabitats. The most abundant oribatid species in Sphagnum mosses was Parachipteria fanzagoi (Jacot, 1929), which made up over 30% of all Oribatida, followed by Atropacarus striculus (C.L. Koch, 1835) and Tyrphonothrus maior (Berlese, 1910) (14% and 12% of Oribatida, respectively). Among Mesostigmata Paragamasus parrunciger (Bhattacharyya, 1963) dominated (44% of Mesostigmata), followed by P. lapponicus (Trägårdh, 1910) (14% of Mesostigmata). Most of these species, except P. lapponicus, were either absent or very uncommon in the other microhabitat studied. The specific acarofauna of the forest pool shows the importance of such microhabitats in increasing forest diversity. In addition, a quarter of the mite species found had not been reported from Norwegian broadleaf forests before, including five new species records for Norway and four new to Fennoscandia, all found in the medium-wet microhabitat. Most of these species are rarely collected and have their northernmost occurrence in the studied forest.