A new species of cunaxid mite belonging to the subfamily Cunaxinae, Cunaxa minidiscondyla sp. nov., is described from the Philippines. This species is distinctive by the presence of a small disc-shaped apophysis dorsodistally on the palp telofemur, two spine-like setae on the palp genu, a long spine-like seta on the palp tibiotarsus, an ill-defined propodosomal shield, the absence of a median hysterosomal shield, long hysterosomal setae, and basifemoral and telofemoral chaetotaxy of 4-4-3-1 and 5-5-4-4, respectively. The previously unknown female of Lupaeus longisetus (Cunaxoidinae) and unknown male of Dactyloscirus trifidus (Cunaxinae) are described. A supplementary description is provided for Scutopalus clavatus (Cunaxoidinae) which is recorded for the first time in the Philippines on coconut leaves infested with the scale insect, Aspidiotus rigidus. New locality and habitat data are given for some species of the aforementioned subfamilies, as well as the subfamilies Bonzinae and Orangescirulinae.

Four new species of predatory mites belonging to the subfamily Coleoscirinae (family Cunaxidae) are described from the Philippines, namely, Neobonzia ermilovi n. sp., Neoscirula klompeni n. sp., N. lagunaensis n. sp. and N. lambatina n. sp. Keys based on females are provided for four species of Neobonzia, and 11 species of Neoscirula that are currently known from the Philippines. New locality and habitat data are given for four previously known species of the genera Coleoscirus and Neoscirula.

Global biodiversity decline is continuing largely unabated. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species (hereafter, Red List) provides us with the gold standard for assessments, but taxonomic coverage, especially for invertebrates and fungi, remains very low. Many players contribute to the Red List knowledge base, especially IUCN Red List partners, IUCN-led assessment projects, and the Specialist Groups and Red List Authorities (RLA) of the IUCN Species Survival Commission. However, it is vital that we develop the next generation of contributors and bring in new, diverse voices to build capacity and to sustain the huge assessment effort required to fill data gaps. Here, we discuss a recently established partner network to build additional capacity for species assessments, by linking academia directly into the assessment processes run by Specialist Groups and RLAs. We aim to increase Red List “literacy” amongst potential future conservationists and help students to increase publication output, form professional networks, and develop writing and research skills. Professors can build Red List learning into their teaching and offer Red Listing opportunities to students as assignments or research projects that directly contribute to the Red List. We discuss the opportunities presented by the approach, especially for underrepresented species groups, and the challenges that remain.

This paper presents a list of 78 species/subspecies of 50 genera and 27 families of soil-inhabiting oribatid mites (Oribatida) collected on Sibuyan Island, Philippines; of these, two species and one genus are recorded in the Oriental region for the first time, and 14 species/subspecies and two genera are recorded in the Philippine fauna for the first time. Trachyoribates insularis sp. n. (Haplozetidae) is described on the basis of adults.

Two new species of predatory cunaxid mites belonging to the genus Dactyloscirus are described: Dactyloscirus sumatranus Corpuz-Raros and Naredo sp. n. and D. ladangjagung Corpuz-Raros and Lit sp. n. Both inhabit soil in corn fields in Sumatra Island, Indonesia. Dactyloscirus. sumatranus closely resembles D. dolichosetosus Den Heyer, 1979, but differs in having the basal half of chelicera strongly inflated, about four times thicker than in the distal half (vs. slender and gradually tapered), hysterosomal setae f1 and h1 at least twice as long as the anterior pairs c1-e1 (vs. only slightly longer), and famulus of tarsus I only ¾ the length of the closely associated asl (vs. longer). Dactyloscirus ladangjagung resembles D. hoffmannae Swift, 1996, but differs by the number of setae on some leg segments, namely, basifemora (5-5-3-2 vs. 5-5-3-1 sts) and tibiae (5-5-5-4 vs. 4-5-4-2 sts), and in having setae g4 the longest of genital setae (vs. setae g3). An updated key to 30 known Dactyloscirus species is provided.