Do 'cheese factory-specific' mites (Acari: Astigmata) exist in the cheese-ripening cabinet?

To determine whether the mites used in the ripening process of traditional cheeses are genetically unique to cheese factories, we investigated mites from three types of traditional cheeses, that use mites in the ripening process: 'Würchwitzer Milbenkäse' from Germany and 'Mimolette' and 'Artisou' from France. In addition, traditional ripened cheeses were purchased from cheese specialty stores in France (Mimolette) and Japan ('Laguiole' from France) as well as stores in temporary markets in France ('Salers' and 'Cantal vieux') and the mites obtained from those cheeses were analyzed in this study. Partial sequences of the 28S rRNA gene (28S) were determined and used to reconstruct a phylogenetic tree.

A new species of Japanese oribatid mite, Zachvatkinibates erimo sp. nov., showing sexual dimorphism (Acariformes: Oribatida: Punctoribatidae).

A new species of oribatid mite, Zachvatkinibates erimo sp. nov., is described from a sandy beach in Hokkaido, North Japan.

Phylogeographic Study of Whip Scorpions (Chelicerata: Arachnida: Thelyphonida) in Japan and Taiwan.

Whip scorpions (Thelyphonida), comprising an order in the class Arachnida, are distributed from tropical to temperate zones. Two species occur exclusively in Japan and Taiwan, but the border of their distributional ranges is ambiguous in the Central Ryukyus (Japan). We collected new specimens from the Central Ryukyus and revealed that the border of distribution of the two species lies between the Central and Southern Ryukyus, i.

Description of Chistyakovella insolita gen. nov., sp. nov., and redescription of the type species of Diplobodes, D. kanekoi Aoki, 1958 (Acari: Oribatida: Carabodidae).

A new oribatid mite genus, Chistyakovella gen. nov. (Carabodidae), with type species C.

[Questionnaire survey of the actual working conditions of care-managers].

In order to clarify the present status of care-managers, a questionnaire was sent to 1,714 care-managers working in Kanagawa Prefecture in June 2002. The aspects investigated included their background, amount of care-management and degree of achievement, conditions of employment, opinion poll and training system. The response rate was 45.

[Questionnaire survey of the actual working conditions of care-managers].

In order to clarify the present status of care-managers, a questionnaire was sent to 1,714 care-managers working in Kanagawa Prefecture in June 2002. The aspects Investigated included their background, amount of care-management and degree of achievement, conditions of employment, opinion poll and training system. The response rate was 45.

Geranial: the alarm pheromone in the nymphal stage of the oribatid mite, Nothrus palustris.

The presence of an alarm pheromone was demonstrated in the deutonymphal stage of the oribatid mite, Nothruspalustris (C. L. Koch).