A study of the family Phytoseiidae (Acarina: Mesostigmata) using the methods of numerical taxonomy

Abstract

The taxonomic history of the family Phytoseiidae is briefly reviewed. The taxonomic structure of the family is analysed using the methods of numerical taxonomy, with 221 morphological characters in 93 species covering the major taxonomic groups that have been proposed within the family. Both weighted and unweighted character analyses are used. It is shown that definite gaps separate groups of species within this family. At the level of major hierarchical separations both the unweighted and weighted character analyses are similar. A classification based on these major hierarchical separations is proposed. It is demonstrated that neither the classical system, based mainly on dorsal chaetotaxy, nor the numerical system alone provides a completely acceptable classification of the family, but that numerical taxonomic analyses are useful as a tool in helping to determine the hierarchical organization of the group.

A review of the subfamilies Phytoseiinae and Typhlodrominae (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

“…Arutunjan (1977) recognized the Typhlodromini as one of 7 tribes in the subfamily Phytoseiinae, and included 4 genera: Typhlodromus, Anthoseius, Paraseiulus and Typhloctonus Muma, all consistent with our present concept. Chant et al (1978) provisionally recognized the tribe Typhlodromini, with Typhlodromus and Gigagnathus. followed this concept.…”

Phylogenetic relationships in the genusPhytoseiulusEvans (Acari: Phytoseiidae). I. Geographic distribution

“…Members of the family Phytoseiidae Berlese, a large ~amily of free-living, terrestrial mites in the suborder Gamasida, have been collected in diverse parts of the world, from alpine and arctic tundras to tropic rain forests (Chant et al, 1978;Chant, 1985a). They generally occur on foliage of a wide variety of plants, from annual grasses and vegetable crops to perennial shrubs and trees, but some are found in flowers, on bark and in humus (Chant et al, 1978;Krantz, 1978;Chant, 1985a).…”

“…They generally occur on foliage of a wide variety of plants, from annual grasses and vegetable crops to perennial shrubs and trees, but some are found in flowers, on bark and in humus (Chant et al, 1978;Krantz, 1978;Chant, 1985a).…”

“…The systematics of the Phytoseiidae has had a tumultuous and confused history due to a notable lack of agreement among major authors on the higher classification of the family (Chant et al, 1978). However, some groups within the family have been recognized as 1 Present address: Kansai Environmental Engineering Center, 2-3-39 Nakazakinishi, Kita-ku, Osaka, 530 Japan.…”

Some Phytoseiid mites (Acari) of Papua New Guinea, with Descriptions of six new species

“…There are 13 other species which were originally described in the genus Iphiseius. Chant et al (1978) considered Iphiseius as a part of Amblyseius.…”