Eupalopsellidae and Stigmaeidae (Acari: Prostigmata) within citrus orchards in Florida: species distribution, relative and seasonal abundance within trees, associated vines, and ground cover plants

Abstract

Seven citrus orchards on reduced- to no-pesticide spray programs were sampled for predacious mites in the families Eupalopsellidae and Stigmaeidae (Acari: Prostigmata) in central and south central Florida. Inner and outer canopy leaves, fruit, twigs, and trunk scrapings were sampled monthly between August 1994 and January 1996. Open flowers were sampled in March from five of the sites. Two species of eupalopsellid mites (Exothorhis caudata Summers and Saniosulus harteni (van-Dis and Ueckermann)) were identified from 252 specimens collected within citrus tree canopies within the seven citrus orchards of which 249 were E. caudata. Only two E. caudata were collected from ground cover plants within five of the seven orchards. Eight species of Stigmaeidae were identified from 5,637 specimens: Agistemus floridanus Gonzalez, A. terminalis Gonzalez, Eustigmaeus arcuata (Chandhri), E. sp. near arcuata, E. segnis (Koch), Mediostigmaeus citri (Rakha and McCoy), Stigmaeus seminudus Wood, and Zetzellia languida Gonzalez were collected from within citrus tree canopies from seven orchard sites. Agistemus floridanus was the only species in either family that was abundant with 5,483 collected from within citrus tree canopies compared with only 39 from vine or ground cover plants. A total of 431 samples from one or more of 82 vines and ground cover plants were sampled monthly between September 1994 and January 1996 in five of these orchards and one or more eupalopsellids or stigmaeids were collected from 19 of these plants. Richardia brasiliensis (Meg.) Gomez had nine A. floridanus from 5 of 25 samples collected from this plant. Solanum sp. had five A. floridanus from three samples taken. Both eupalopsellid and stigmaeid species numbers represented <1 % of the total numbers of phytoseiid species taken from the same plants. The two remaining orchards were on full herbicide programs and ground cover plants were absent. Agistemus floridanus was more abundant in the citrus orchards with on-going or recent herbicide programs compared with orchards having well-developed ground cover plants. Agistemus floridanus was most abundant on inner leaves between January and April and again during September through November. Additional collection records of E. caudata, S. harteni, A. terminalis, M. citri, Z. languida, and Zetzellia sp. near silvicola within Florida citrus orchards between 1989 and 2004 are included. Four species of Eupalopsellidae and ten species of Stigmaeidae occur within Florida citrus orchards.

Non-phytoseiid Mesostigmata within citrus orchards in Florida: species distribution, relative and seasonal abundance within trees, associated vines and ground cover plants and additional collection records of mites in citrus orchards

“…In contrast, 33 species of Phytoseiidae totaling 8,779 mites were collected from vines or ground cover plants in this study (Childers and Denmark 2011). There were 39 A. floridanus collected from vines or ground cover plants (Childers and Ueckermann 2014).…”

“…In comparison, 5,689 Agistemus floridanus Gonzalez (Stigmaeidae) and 35,405 phytoseiids consisting of 33 species were collected from the same within tree samples (Childers and Denmark 2011;Childers and Ueckermann 2014).…”

“…The family Phytoseiidae was reported in Part I of a series of papers on the predacious and phytophagous mite complex within Florida citrus orchards (Childers and Denmark 2011) and the Eupalopsellidae and Stigmaeidae were reported in Part II (Childers and Ueckermann 2014).…”

Diptilomiopus floridanus (Acari: Eriophyoidea: Diptilomiopidae): Its Distribution and Relative Abundance with Other Eriophyoid Species on Dooryard, Varietal Block, and Commercial Citrus in Florida

“…Most trees showed visual degrees of infection caused by the bacterial disease, citrus greening. In moderate to large citrus trees, 8 to 12 clusters of leaves and associated twigs were clipped from the tree with pruning shears and dropped individually into a 5 L bucket containing approximately 250 mL of 80% ethanol following the protocol of Childers and Ueckermann (2014). In smaller trees, i.e., 2 or 3 year-old trees or trees less than 2 meters in height, 4 to 6 leaf and associated twig samples were taken.…”

A new species of the genusEryngiopusSummers (Acari: Stigmaeidae) from citrus in Florida, USA

“…Flowers, fruits, leaves and/or twigs were collected separately in about 250 ml of 80% ethanol, vigorously agitated in the solution and then discarded (Childers and Ueckermann 2014). The wash was then examined for mites.…”