Taxonomic Position

Cohort Gamasina

    Subcohort Dermanyssiae

  Superfamily Phytoseioidea

Family Phytoseiidae Berlese

Subfamily Amblyseiinae

Euseius Wainstein, 1962  (= Amblyseius, incl. A. victoriensis species group)

 

Diagnostic characters:

• Amblyseiinae (both setae z3 and s6 suppressed )

• Bodies oval, mostly short simple setae, Z5 usually the longest and well separated from Z4, setae S2 and S4 present

• Ventrianal shield +/- vase-shaped and with seta JV1 on its anterior margin and usually aligned with setae JV2, ZV2

• Chelicerae with short, thick, tong-like digits.

 

Similar taxa.  Phytoseiinae and Typhlodrominae have lost either or both of setae z3 and s6 (6 anterolateral setae).  Species of Amblyseius usually have some long, whip-like posterior setae and a macroseta on genu III.

 

Ecology & Distribution. Species of Euseius are common on crops with smooth leaves (e.g. citrus), are aggressive general predators of mites and thrips, and do well on pollen.

 

 

References

Schicha e.  1987.  Phytoseiidae of Australia and Neighbouring Areas.  (Indira Publishing House, Oak Park, Michigan, USA.)

Schuster RO & Pritchard EA.  1963.  Phytoseiid mites of California.  Hilgardia 43: 191-285.

Tseng YH.  1976.  Systematics of the mite family Phytoseiidae from Taiwan, with a revised key to the genera of the world (II).  Journal of the Agricultural Association of China 94: 86-128.

Walter, D.E.  1999.  A review of Australian Asperoseius Chant, Euseius Wainstein, Okiseius Ehara and Phytoscutus Muma (Acari: Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) with a key to the genera of Australian Amblyseiinae and descriptions of three new species.  Australian Journal of Entomology 38: 85-95.