A new classification of lifestyles of phytoseiid mites is proposed based on the findings and suggestions from many studies conducted in the fifteen years since the publication of the lifestyle system by McMurtry & Croft (1997). In this newly proposed classification, Type I (Specialized mite predators) is divided into three subtypes to highlight mite prey specificity: subtype I-a-Specialized predators of Tetranychus species (Tetranychidae); subtype I-b-Specialized predators of web-nest producing mites (Tetranychidae); subtype I-c-Specialized predators of tydeoids (Tydeoidea). Type II (Selective predators of tetranychid mites) remains essentially the same. Type III (Generalist predators) is a huge and diverse group of general feeders; predators in this category are now grouped into five subtypes based on the microhabitat occupied and morphology: subtype III-aGeneralist predators living on pubescent leaves; subtype III-b-Generalist predators living on glabrous leaves; III-c-Generalist predators living in confined spaces on dicotyledonous plants; III-d-Generalist predators living in confined spaces on monocotyledonous plants; III-e-Generalist predators from soil/litter habitats. Type IV (Pollen feeding generalist predators) also remains essentially the same. Two possible additional lifestyles include phytoseiids living on aquatic plants and phytoseiids able to pierce leaf cells. Behavioral and biological information is updated and implications for biological control strategies are discussed.

This paper announces a database on the taxonomy and distribution of mites of the family Phytoseiidae Berlese, which is available online at http://www.lea.esalq.usp.br/phytoseiidae/. Synthesis of species diversity per genus, subfamily and country are given. Information about use of the database is provided.

Mites of the family Phytoseiidae are the most common predators of phytophagous mites on most plant species. Some species are widely studied and used for the biological control of mite pests. Many new species continue to be discovered as collections are intensified in certain regions or habitats, e.g. in Africa, Asia, Central and South America. The last catalog of Moraes et al. (1986) included about 1500 described species. This updated catalog includes almost 2250 species. As in the last catalog, it includes references to descriptions and redescriptions of species, synonymies and recorded world distributions.

The family Tenuipalpidae is worldwide in distribution and includes several economically important pest species. Species of the genus Brevipalpus have been identified as vectors of rhabdoviruses that cause diseases such as citrus leprosis, coffee ring spot virus, passion fruit green spot virus and others that reduce the production and the life span of the plants. An updated list of the Tenuipalpidae (Acari: Prostigmata), a key to the genera of the world and data on zoogeographical distribution of the species are presented. The catalogue provides information on 891 known species (including 3 species incertae sedis) belonging to 34 genera. The valid name of each species, the author, date and page of the corresponding original description, type locality and host, species designation(s), references to species redescription(s) and other complementary information are presented. The genera Rarosiella Rimando 1996 and Neoraoiella Mohanasundaram 1996 are synonymized with Raoiella Hirst 1924. The genus Meyeraepalpus Smiley, Frost & Gerson 1996 is synonymized with the genus Aegyptobia Sayed 1950. Three new genera, Magdalenapalpus, Chaudhripalpus and Urigersonus are erected. Indices of the plant host species and families associated with each species, the number and regional distribution of species in each genus, and a list of relevant publications of species from each zoogeographical region are included.

Coconut is an important crop in tropical and subtropical regions. Among the mites that infest coconut palms, Aceria guerreronis Keifer is economically the most important. We conducted surveys throughout the coconut growing areas of Brazil. Samples were taken from attached coconuts, leaflets, fallen coconuts and inflorescences of coconut palms in 112 localities aiming to determine the occurrence and the distribution of phytophagous mites, particularly A. guerreronis, and associated natural enemies. Aceria guerreronis was the most abundant phytophagous mite followed by Steneotarsonemus concavuscutum Lofego & Gondim Jr. and Steneotarsonemus furcatus De Leon (Tarsonemidae). Infestation by A. guerreronis was recorded in 87% of the visited localities. About 81% of all predatory mites belonged to the family Phytoseiidae, mainly represented by Neoseiulus paspalivorus De Leon, Neoseiulus baraki Athias-Henriot and Amblyseius largoensis Muma; 12% were Ascidae, mainly Proctolaelaps bickleyi Bram, Proctolaelaps sp nov and Lasioseius subterraneus Chant. Neoseiulus paspalivorus and N. baraki were the most abundant predators on attached coconuts. Ascidae were predominant on fallen coconuts, while A. largoensis was predominant on leaflets; no mites were found on branches of inflorescences. Leaflets harboured higher mite diversity than the attached coconuts. Mite diversity was the highest in the state Pará and on palms surrounded by seasonal forests and Amazonian rain-forests. Neoseiulus paspalivorus, N. baraki and P. bickleyi were identified as the most promising predators of A. guerreronis. Analyses of the influence of climatic factors revealed that dry ambient conditions favour the establishment of A. guerreronis. Neoseiulus paspalivorus and N. baraki have differing climatic requirements; the former being more abundant in warm and dry areas, the latter prevailing in moderately tempered and humid areas. We discuss the significance of our findings for natural and biological control of A. guerreronis.

ABSTRACT. Mitcs (Arachnida, Acari) on rubbcr tree (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg.) in the State or Mato Grosso, Brazil. Mites stal1ed 10 be considered economically impOllant on rubber tree sin ce the earl y 1990's, when lhey were con idered responsible fo r damages caused lO this crop and by lhe consequenl yield reducti on. The aim of this work was lo determine lhe miles pre ent on this crop in the State of Mat o Grosso and 10 elaborale a key for lhe separati on ofthe speci es found . Thi s study was conducted in fte lds of Pl antaçõe Edouard Michelin Lida. , in Iriquira, and Tri ângulo Agro-Indu slrial S/A. in Pontes e Lacerd a. Sa mplin gs were conducled mOlllh ly in six differenl clones: PB 260, PR 255, IAN 7 13, IAN 873. Nearly 77,2% of lhe mires collecled belonged to lhe families Eri ophyidae, Tarsonemidae, Tenuipa lpidae and Telranychidae, co mposed predominantl y by phylophagous species. Phyloseiidae was lhe mosr diverse fa mil y. with 15 species. fo llowed by lhe families Tetranychidae and Eriop hydae, wilh ft ve species , and Tydeidae, with four species. KEY WORDS. Acari , mites , di versil y of mite, Hevea brasilieJ/sis, rubber tree, Mato Grosso A seringu e ira , Hevea brasiliensis Mue ll. Arg. (Euphorb iace a e), é comume nte atacada por diversas espécies d e insetos e ácaros n as á re as o nd e é c ulti vad a , se nd o que algumas são co n s iderad as pragas d e s uma importâ nc ia (SILVA 1972; EMBR ATER 1983). Os ácaros passaram a ser co ns ide rad os eco n o mi ca m e nte impo rta ntes a p a rtir da década de 1990, q u a ndo fo ra m resp o nsabili zad os p o r da no s c a usad os a es ta cultura.Os ácaros fitófagos, co mum e nte e n co ntra dos, p e rten ce m à s fa míli as Eri ophyidae, Tarson em idae, Tenuipa lpidae e T e tran ychid ae, e nqu a nto que, e ntre os predadores, os áca ros m a is comuns p e rte ncem às famíli as Cunaxidae, Phytoseiidae e Stigmaeidae

No abstract

Over the past 30 years the coconut mite Aceria guerreronis Keifer has emerged as one of the most important pests of coconut and has recently spread to most coconut production areas worldwide. The mite has not been recorded in the Indo-Pacific region, the area of origin of coconut, suggesting that it has infested coconut only recently. To investigate the geographical origin, ancestral host associations, and colonization history of the mite, DNA sequence data from two mitochondrial and one nuclear region were obtained from samples of 29 populations from the Americas, Africa and the Indo-ocean region. Mitochondrial DNA 16S ribosomal sequences were most diverse in Brazil, which contained six of a total of seven haplotypes. A single haplotype was shared by non-American mites. Patterns of nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) variation were similar, again with the highest nucleotide diversity found in Brazil. These results suggest an American origin of the mite and lend evidence to a previous hypothesis that the original host of the mite is a non-coconut palm. In contrast to the diversity in the Americas, all samples from Africa and Asia were identical or very similar, consistent with the hypothesis that the mite invaded these regions recently from a common source. Although the invasion routes of this mite are still only partially reconstructed, the study rules out coconut as the ancestral host of A. guerreronis, thus prompting a reassessment of efforts using quarantine and biological control to check the spread of the pest.