New records of phytoseiid mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on solanaceous plants in the Syrian coastal region

Phytoseiid mites have been considered the most promising predators for the control of pest mites and small insects. Their use in solanaceous crops for the biological control of major mite pests represents an important challenge and requires continued research. This study aimed at investigating the phytoseiid species and their associated phytophagous mites on eggplant (Solanum melongena), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) in the Syrian coastal region between 2018 and 2020, at 40 sites. A total of 12 species of the three subfamilies (Amblyseiinae Muma, Phytoseiinae Berlese, and Typhlodrominae Scheuten) were collected, with Amblysiinae being the most represented. Among them, Amblyseius andersoni (Chant) is a new record for the Syrian fauna. Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot was the most abundant (223 specimens; 47.3%) and frequent (found in 22 out of 40 sites) species collected on all plant species surveyed and the only common phytoseiid species in greenhouses. The second most abundant species was Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) (83 specimens: 17.6%), while the second most frequent was Phytoseius finitimus Ribaga (8 sites). Species found in this study should be considered in future research on phytoseiid mites as biological control agents of pests of tomato and eggplant cultivated in greenhouses and open fields in this region.