Taxonomic Position

Cohort Gamasina

    Subcorhort Dermanyssiae

  Superfamily Phytoseioidea

Family Phytoseiidae Berlese

 Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot

(synonyms: P. riegli Dosse, Amblyseius tardi Lombardini)

 

Diagnostic characters of adult female:

• Dorsal shield ca. 0.315-0.330 mm long

• Dorsal shield setae j5 and S5 both present, j5 barbed and reaching insertion of j6; j6 barbed and as long or longer 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 7-8 teeth

• Calyx of spermatheca vase-shaped with neck

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

• Anal opening on ianal shield with 3 setae; setae JV2 in the soft cuticle

• Ventral setae JV4 absent

• Genu IV with barbed macroseta (ca. 0.085 mm long); macroseta on basitarsus IV simple (ca. 0.125 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. fragariae has simple setae j6 shorter than Z1 and setae JV4 present laterad the ventrianal shield.  P. macropilis usually has a ventrianal shield with 4-5 setae (rarely an anal shield with 3 setae) and a barbed macroseta on basitarsus IV.

 

Ecology & Distribution. Phytoseiulus persimilis is perhaps the most successful and widely distributed biological control agent of the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae and of other spider mites that form dense webbing.

        

References

Athias-Henriot C.  1957.  Phytoseiidae et Aceosejidae (Acarina: Gamasina) d'Algérie.  I. Genres Blattisocius Keegan, Iphoseius Berlese, Amblyseius Berlese, Phytoseius Ribaga, Phytoseiulus Evans.  Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Afr. Nord. 48: 319-352.

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. 

Walter DE, Azam G., Waite G & Hargreaves J.  1998.  Risk assessment of an exotic biocontrol agent: Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) does not establish in rainforest in south-east Queensland.  Australian Journal of Ecology 23: 587-592.