Seven new vagrant eriophyoid species (Acari: Eriophyoidea) from semi-arid and arid environment in East Iran

During field surveys of eriophyid mites associated with autochthonous plants species in semi-arid and arid environments in East Iran (Birjand, South Khorasan, Iran, summer 2016 and 2017), seven new eriophyid mite species (Acari: Eriophyidae) were discovered. They are Aceria astratoraesp. nov. on Astragalus pinetorum Boiss. (Leguminosae), Aceria astracanthaesp. nov. on Astracantha echidna (Bunge) Podlech (Leguminosae), Aceria furgaesp. nov. on Ephedra major Host (Ephedraceae), Aceria runicaesp. nov. on Rubia caramanica Bornm. (Rubiaceae), Aculus birsutumsp. nov. on Epilobium hirsutum L. (Onagraceae), Phyllocoptes birreaesp. nov. on Centaurea virgata Lam. (Compositae), and Neophytoptus semenovissp. nov. on Semenovia suffruticosa (Freyn & Bornm.) Manden (Apiaceae), which are illustrated and described herein. All seven new species appear to be vagrants on green parts of their host plants with no particular symptom.