Description of Neoseiulus hexaporus sp. nov. and a redescription of Neoseiulus mumai (Acari: Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) from Florida citrus groves

Abstract

Predatory mites are effective natural enemies of small arthropods, including pest mites and insects, which provide biological control of several crop pests worldwide. The family Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) is a diverse group of predators found in cultivated crops and other habitats containing natural vegetation. Although some phytoseiid species are commercialized and widely used in biological control programs, the determination of natural populations and identification of the species is a vital first step in understanding their interactions with the crop, environment, and pests. The citrus crop is a diverse agroecosystem colonized by a variety of pests including mites and warrants an understanding of the complex of predators. We collected predatory mites from multiple citrus groves in Florida, to find and identify species for biological control in citrus crops. The examination of the specimens involved the use of Olympus CX-41 microscope, and drawings were prepared with the help of the attached camera Lucida. Any needed corrections were made using tracing paper, rapidograph pen, and Adobe Photoshop version CS6. Neoseiulus hexaporus sp. nov. is described and illustrated as a new species based on its distinct morphology compared with previously described species in paspalivorus group. We also provide a complementary redescription of Neoseiulus mumai (Denmark), including an important diagnostic character of leg chaetotaxy which had led to the description of a new species, Neoseiulus kikuyu Ma, Fan & Zhang. We also provide new illustrations of N. mumai to facilitate its diagnosis.