Phytophagous mites (Tetranychoidea: Tetranychidae, Tenuipalpidae) from natural vegetations in Lara, Venezuela

Abstract

Phytophagous mites from natural vegetation have been scarcely studied in Venezuela. Surveys were carried out from March 2007 to November 2008 to determine diversity of phytophagous mites inhabiting in different plant taxa in Iribarren, Jiménez, Palavecino, Morán and Crespo municipalities from Lara state, Venezuela. In each sampling site, a 500 m-transect was established and the most frequent plant species were sampled. In field, 15 leaves were examined for mite presence by using hand lens. In laboratory, plant material was examined under magnification and mite morpho-species belonging to tetranychid and tenuipalpid were picked up. A total of two tenuipalpid species and eight tetranychid species were identified. Tenuipalpid mites identified were Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes) on Cassia siamea (Caesalpinaceae), Capparis linearis (Capparidaceae), Spathodea campanulata (Bignoniaceae), Randia sp.