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Phytoseiulus

Taxonomic Position

Cohort Gamasina

Subcohort Dermanyssiae

    Superfamily Phytoseioidea

Phytoseiidae Berlese

Subfamily Amblyseiinae Muma 

Phytoseiulus Evans

(=Mesoseiulus Gonzalez & Schuster)

 

Diagnostic characters of adult females:

 

Similar taxa.  Ascids usually have dorsal shields with 22 or more pairs of setae.  Blattisociidae may have  have phytoseioid-like corniculi (e.g. Blattisocius), but usually have much fuller dorsal shield setation (Lasioseius phytoseioides group excepted).  Most other species of Amblyseiinae have ventrianal shields.

 

Ecology & Distribution. Species of Phytoseiulus are widely established around the world because of their use as biological control agents.  They are specialist predators of spider mites that produce dense webbing, especially species of Tetranychus.

        

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.

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.