A new classification of lifestyles of phytoseiid mites is proposed based on the findings and suggestions from many studies conducted in the fifteen years since the publication of the lifestyle system ...by McMurtry & Croft (1997). In this newly proposed classification, Type I (Specialized mite predators) is divided into three subtypes to highlight mite prey specificity: subtype I-aâSpecialized predators of Tetranychus species (Tetranychidae); subtype I-bâSpecialized predators of web-nest producing mites (Tetranychidae); subtype I-câSpecialized predators of tydeoids (Tydeoidea). Type II (Selective predators of tetranychid mites) remains essentially the same. Type III (Generalist predators) is a huge and diverse group of general feeders; predators in this category are now grouped into five subtypes based on the microhabitat occupied and morphology: subtype III-aâGeneralist predators living on pubescent leaves; subtype III-bâGeneralist predators living on glabrous leaves; III-câGeneralist predators living in confined spaces on dicotyledonous plants; III-dâGeneralist predators living in confined spaces on monocotyledonous plants; III-eâGeneralist predators from soil/litter habitats. Type IV (Pollen feeding generalist predators) also remains essentially the same. Two possible additional lifestyles include phytoseiids living on aquatic plants and phytoseiids able to pierce leaf cells. Behavioral and biological information is updated and implications for biological control strategies are discussed.
Until recently, mites in the families Ascidae, Blattisociidae and Melicharidae together constituted what was considered to be a single family, the Ascidae (sensu lato). We include all three families ...in this catalogue because of their many morphological similarities, as well as for historic and ecological reasons. Together with most Phytoseiidae and some Ameroseiidae, these are the only mesostigmatid mites commonly found on plants. In this publication we initially provide a historic overview of these groups, summarising the changes in the taxonomic concepts of the genera and other subfamilial taxa. This is followed by a thorough characterisation of each family and genus. A dichotomous key for the separation of families and genera is included. We then list the species considered to belong to these families, with details of the literature concerning the taxonomy of each species, and information about their type specimens and type localities wherever possible. The numbers of taxa considered as valid in this publication are: 372 species in 17 genera of Ascidae, 367 species in 14 genera of Blattisociidae, and 206 species in 11 genera of Melicharidae. We attempt to place each species in the most appropriate genus. In doing so, we propose 30 new combinations, including a species here transferred from Ascidae sensu stricto to Rhodacaridae. We propose five new names to replace junior homonyms, one new generic synonymy, and one new specific synonymy. Some species are insufficiently known and could not be reliably placed in any genus; these are listed as species incertae sedis. We also provide a list of species and genera that have been placed in these families at some time, but which have been transferred to other groups.
Two new species of the genus Tarsonemus Canestrini and Fanzago, 1876 (Acari: Heterostigmatina: Tarsonemidae), namely T. narkelae Karmakar and Mondal sp. nov. (on Cocos nucifera L.) and T. ...mondouriensis Karmakar and Ganguly sp. nov. (on Oryza sativa L.), are described based on specimens collected from the lower Gangetic plains of West Bengal, India. T
arsonemus narkelae Karmakar and Mondal sp. nov. was associated with sooty mould grown over honeydew and wax bloom secreted by rugose spiralling whitefly, Aleurodicus rugioparculatus Martin, 2004 on coconut leaves; T. mondouriensis Karmakar and Ganguly sp. nov. was associated with ripened rice grains and often with fungus-infested discoloured grains.
http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:86CFEFE6-597D-4736-B211-A451838D3E0A
This paper announces a database on the taxonomy and distribution of mites of the family Phytoseiidae Berlese, which is available online at http://www.lea.esalq.usp.br/phytoseiidae/. Synthesis of ...species diversity per genus, subfamily and country are given. Information about use of the database is provided.
In an effort to understand the fauna of Gamasina (Mesostigmata) edaphic mites from Brazil, Arrenoseius robertogonzalezi Trincado and Martin, 2018, known only from the original description from Chile, ...was found. Complementary morphological information is provided for this species . Likewise, a new species, Chelaseius pluridentatus n. sp. was found and is here described; it is distinguished from other Chelaseius Muma and Denmark species mainly by having more teeth on the fixed cheliceral digit, seven instead of 2–5. A key to the world species of Chelaseius is also provided.
The Rice Sheath Mite, Steneotarsonemus spinki Smiley (Acari: Tarsonemidae) is a pest of Kharif Rice (wet rice) of West Bengal, causing losses every year. It initially infests leaf sheaths, moving ...later onto the grains. It is not known how the mite survives in the off season, which is important for devising management strategies. The present investigation was conducted to find out the sources of infestation of S. spinki. It was concentrated on four types of substrates: rice associated weeds, soil, rice grains of different ages (before and after harvesting) and rice stubbles. Mites detected in any of those possible sources were slide mounted in modified Berlese medium and examined under phase and differential interference contrast microscope for identification. Tarsonemid mites were found on some grassy weeds, but not Steneotarsonemus spinki Smiley. No tarsonemid mite was found in soil samples from infested fields. Steneotarsonemus spinki was found on rice grains of different ages and in stubbles. Hence, both rice grains and rice stubbles could be important sources of infestation of S. spinki to new plants at each season.
A checklist of the oribatid mite species reported in Brazil is presented, including all published records up to 2015. A total of 576 described species in 206 genera and 83 families is presented. ...Information includes the names by which each species was reported in the Brazilian literature, its general known distribution and by Brazilian States, references, and remarks, when needed. As with most countries, there was a slow early accumulation of knowledge but in recent decades the pace of description has been relatively high. A graphical overview of the number of described oribatid mite species from Brazil in different decades is given. The proportion contributed by each of the major oribatid groups is generally similar to that of the overall world fauna, with a composition that reflects the South American fauna and all of the Neotropics in general. There is a relatively low percentage of primitive mites (Palaeosomata, Enarthronota) other than Lohmanniidae and Mesoplophoridae, which are quite diverse. The Brachypylina comprises about 68% of the oribatid mite fauna. In the checklist, 41% of the species are known only from Brazil, 37% from the Neotropical region, 13.5% have a wider distribution in the global tropical and subtropical regions, and 8.5% are considered cosmopolitan or semicosmopolitan species. The number of descriptions of new species since 2000 from Brazil (73 spp.) and South America (230) is high, but the oribatid mite fauna of these countries remains poorly known. Only continued studies can determine if the high number of species known only from Brazil is an indication of high endemism.
This paper describes a new genus and three new species of mites found in litter and soil samples from Brazil and Egypt. Endopodoseius Abo-Shnaf & Moraes n. gen., Endopodoseius erikae Abo-Shnaf & ...Marticorena n. sp., Endopodoseius zaheri Abo-Shnaf & Moraes n. sp. and Endopodoseius edmilsoni Abo-Shnaf & Castilho n. sp. are considered to belong to the Superfamily Ascoidea and the Family Ameroseiidae. The concept of the family is expanded to include species with one or more of the following character states-the podonotal and opisthonotal shields partially or totally separate; poroid iv1 absent; dorsal idiosomal setae J1, J5 and R1 present; genital seta st5 inserted outside the epigynal shield; opisthogaster with 7-10 pairs of setae; and femur II with 11 setae.
Soil mites of the Ascidae sensu Lindquist & Evans (1965) are poorly known in Colombia. This group, presently represented by the families Ascidae sensu stricto, Blattisociidae and Melicharidae, ...contains species known to prey on small arthropods and nematodes, thus having the potential to be used for the control of soil pests. The aim of this study was to identify species of this group from a fragment of Andean forest and a nearby grassland at the municipality of La Calera, Cundinamarca Department, Colombia, at about 2800 m of elevation. Nine species were found, including five new species, namely Gamasellodes andinus sp. nov., Gamasellodes intermedius sp. nov., Protogamasellus caleraensis sp. nov., Cheiroseius mesae sp. nov. and Proctolaelaps colombianus sp. nov. Morphological characterisation of all the species and relevant soil characteristics of the sites where the mites were collected are presented.
Abstract The aim of the present study was to conduct a survey of mites of the family Phytoseiidae associated with plants of the natural vegetation and cultivated forests in sites of three biomes ...(Amazon Forest, Cerrado and Pantanal) in the Mato Grosso State. Twenty-one species of 11 genera, of the three phytoseiid subfamilies were registered. Amblyseius Berlese was the most diverse genus, with five species. Iphiseiodes zuluagai Denmark & Muma was the most common species, collected from 12 plant species in five collection sites. Eleven phytoseiid species were reported for the first time in the Mato Grosso State.