Bridging the knowledge gap: advances in the distribution of Tenuipalpidae mites in Central and Eastern Europe

The Tenuipalpidae family includes globally distributed plant-feeding mites of economic concern due to their potential as phytopathogen vectors and their role in damaging ornamental and agricultural plants. This study presents a faunistic survey of flat mites across Slovakia and Ukraine, in addition to complementary data from the Netherlands, Hungary, and Bulgaria via U.S. interception records. Field collections in Slovakia and Ukraine yielded 13 tenuipalpid species across three genera, with several new national and continental records, including four Pentamerismus species recorded for the first time in Europe. New host plant associations, particularly involving coniferous and ornamental taxa, were frequently documented. These findings expand the known distribution of flat mites in Central and Eastern Europe and underscore the importance of targeted faunistic surveys for understanding species diversity, host range, and potential pathways of introduction. The integration of systematic field sampling, literature reviews, and interception data supports early detection and regulatory measures critical for plant protection and biosecurity programs.