Taxonomic Position

Cohort Gamasina

    Subcorhort Dermanyssiae

  Superfamily Phytoseioidea

Family Phytoseiidae Berlese

 Phytoseiulus fragariae Denmark & Schicha

 

Diagnostic characters of adult female:

• Dorsal shield ca. 0.320-0.330 mm long

• Dorsal shield setae j5 and S5 both present, j5 short and not reaching insertion of j6; j6 simple and shorter than Z1; R1 and r3 simple, similar in length.

• Peritrematal shield fused to dorsal shield anteriorly

• Fixed digit of chelicera elongate and with row of 7-9 teeth

• Calyx of spermatheca funnel-shaped

• Sternal shield with 3 pairs of setae; st4 on small platelets

• Anal opening on ventrianal shield with 5 setae

• Setae JV2 on subpentagonal to subcordate ventrianal shield and JV4 in soft cuticle

• Genu IV with simple macroseta (ca. 0.060 mm long); macroseta on basitarsus IV simple (ca. 0.086 mm long)

 

Similar species.  P. longipes has a sternal shield with only 2 pairs of setae (st1-2) and lacks dorsal shield setae j5 and S5.  P. macropilis usually has an irregular ventrianal shield with 4-5 setae (rarely an anal shield with 3 setae), a long and barbed seta j6, and a barbed macroseta on basitarsus IV.  P. persimilis has an anal shield with only 3 setae, a long and barbed seta j6, and a barbed macroseta on basitarsus IV.  Both P. macropilis and persimilis have vase-shaped spermathecae with distinct necks and basal swellings.

 

Ecology & Distribution. Phytoseiulus fragariae is known only from Brazil in South America.

        

References

Denmark HA & Schicha E.  1983.  Revision of the genus Phytoseiulus Evans (Acarina: Phytoseiidae).  International Journal of Acarology 9: 27-35.

Evans GO.  1958.  A new mite of the genus Phytoseiulus Evans (Acarina: Phytoseiidae) from Southern Rhodesia.  Journal of the Entomological Society of South Africa 21: 306-308.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.

Takahashi F & Chant DA.  1993.  Phylogenetic relationships in the genus Phytoseiulus Evans (Acari: Phytoseiidae).  II. Taxonomic Review.  International Journal of Acarology 19: 23-37.

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.