Molecular identification and phylogenetic analysis of spider mites (Prostigmata: Tetranychidae) of Turkey.

The family Tetranychidae includes many agriculturally important species known as spider mites. Their morphological identification is quite difficult due to the tiny size of their taxonomic characters and the requirement for high-level expertise. This may lead to pest misidentification and thus failure in pest management. DNA-based species identification seems to offer an alternative solution to overcome these issues. In the present study, two common molecular markers-Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and Internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2)-were used to identify 10 spider mite species from Turkey. Furthermore, genetic distances for several of them were assessed. Panonychus ulmi and Bryobia kissophila had the lowest (1.1%) and highest (4.5%) intra-specific genetic distances, respectively. In addition, integrative taxonomy allowed to identify Eotetranychus quercicola in Turkey as a new record. The sequences herein obtained will allow rapid species identification using molecular techniques and will contribute to resolve the phylogenetic history of spider mites.

Molecular characterization of phytoseiid mites in Turkey based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, with a new record for the country.

The family Phytoseiidae contains many predatory mite species and some are used in biological control programs worldwide. The identification of phytoseiid mites is based on tiny morphological structures and sometimes species diagnosis is not easy especially for non-taxonomists. DNA-based approaches may offer a fast and accurate diagnosis to overcome these difficulties, nevertheless more DNA sequences are needed to determine intra- and inter-specific variations and to provide accurate decision rules based on genetic distances between the taxa considered. In this study, we provide the molecular characterization of seven phytoseiid species based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Several populations of these species collected in Turkey were considered. A phylogenetic tree was also constructed. Finally, we record the presence of Neoseiulus reductus (Wainstein) in Turkey.

Resistance incidence and presence of resistance mutations in populations of Tetranychus urticae from vegetable crops in Turkey.

Tetranychus urticae Koch is one of the most common and harmful pests in vegetable production areas. Similar to other countries, control of T. urticae is mainly based on acaricides in Turkey. However, T. urticae rapidly develops resistance and failures in chemical control have occurred frequently. The toxicity of various acaricides was investigated in ten T. urticae populations collected from vegetable crops in Turkey. In addition, populations were screened for the presence of currently known target-site resistance mutations. It was shown that resistance to bifenthrin was the most widespread, but also half of the populations were resistant to abamectin and hexythiazox. Resistance mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) and chitin synthase 1 were found in various populations. Moreover, for the first time, F1538I and L1024V VGSC mutations were reported for Turkish populations. Mutations that confer resistance to abamectin, bifenazate and METI-I acaricides such as pyridaben were not detected. These results will contribute to the design of an effective resistance management program in Turkey.

The Tenuipalpidae of Turkey, with a key to species (Acari: Trombidiformes).

A new Turkish species of Tenuipalpidae, Aegyptobia juniperi sp. nov., is described and seven previously recorded species are redescribed: Aegyptobia beglarovi Livshitz & Mitrofanov 1967, Brevipalpus rotai Castagnoli & Pegazzano, 1979, Cenopalpus bagdasariani (Livshitz & Mitrofanov, 1970), Cenopalpus bakeri Düzgünes, 1967, Phytoptipalpus salicicola (Al-Gboory, 1987), Tenuipalpus granati Sayed, 1946 and Tenuipalpus punicae Pritchard & Baker, 1958. A key to the 28 species of Tenuipalpidae from Turkey is provided. Cenopalpus bagdasariani, B. rotai and A. beglarovi are new records for Turkey.

Panonychus from Georgia: survey, taxonomical status and redescription of P. hadzhibejliae (Reck, 1947) (Acari, Tetranychidae).

A survey of Panonychus species was undertaken across Georgia from 2005 to 2014 on various host plants, revealing three species: Panonychus citri (McGregor, 1916), Panonychus hadzhibejliae (Reck, 1947) and Panonychus ulmi (Koch, 1836). New hosts for P. ulmi and P. citri are recorded, Buxus sempervirens, Hedera colchica and Prunus laurocerasus for P. ulmi and Ficus carica for P. citri, whereas P. hadzhibejliae was only found on F. carica. The newly collected material also allowed us to investigate the taxonomical status of P. hadzhibejliae. The comparison of P. hadzhibejliae with the two closely related species sampled in the survey, P. ulmi and P. citri, and with data of P. caricae found in the literature, shows that P. hadzhibejliae is a valid species. It can be separated from the three other Panonychus species without ambiguity especially using the female dorsal setae length in combination with the ratio between the length of the female dorsal opisthosomal f2 and h1 setae and the ratio between the palptarsal terminal eupathidium su and the related solenidion ω. A redescription of P. hadzhibejliae is provided including the male and some morphological characters, measurements and drawings of the female that were omitted in the original description. A key to the world species of Panonychus is also proposed.

Eriophyoid mite fauna (Acari: Trombidiformes: Eriophyoidea) of Turkey: new species, new distribution reports and an updated catalogue.

More than one hundred species of Eriophyoidea have been recorded hitherto from Turkey. Within the last decade, a large plant survey was carried out in order to investigate the eriophyoid fauna present in Turkey, with particular emphasis on species affecting weeds and ornamental plants. In addition, the Turkish literature has been examined for previous records of eriophyoid mites. New species, Paraphytoptus intybi n. sp. on common cichory, Cichorium intybus (Compositae) and Phytoptus albae n. sp. on white poplar, Populus alba (Salicaceae), are described and illustrated herein. In addition, a further 31 species were found to be new records for the eriophyoid fauna of Turkey with Aceria calaceris, Phyllocoptes didelphis and Vasates immigrans being new reports for the Palaearctic region. All known eriophyoid species records from Turkey appearing in papers published up until March 2013 are listed in this catalogue along with remarks and information on their current distribution in Turkey and taxonomic status.

Two new records of Oribatula (Zygoribatula) species (Acari: Oribatida) from Turkey, with redescriptions.

The oribatid mite fauna of Turkey is still relatively poorly known. The present paper adds two species of oribatid mites to the known Turkish fauna viz., Oribatula (Zygoribatula) debilitranslamellata (Kulijev, 1962) and O. (Z.) exilis (Nicolet, 1855). Both species are characterised by large, prominent lamellar cusps, with the lamellar setae inserted apically on the cusps, and by the presence of distinct translamellae. They can be distinguished, however, by the smaller lamellae, absence of cuspidal teeth, narrowly fusiform sensilli and, 13 pairs of thin, smooth, apically almost flagellate notogastral setae, in O. (Z.) debilitranslamellata, and by the wider lamellae, presence of cuspidal teeth, widely fusiform sensilli, and 14 pairs of thin, smooth notogastral setae, with seta c (1) slightly thicker and minutely barbed in O. (Z.) exilis. The following species have been previously reported from Turkey: O. (Z.) cognata (Oudemans, 1902), O. (Z.) undulata (Berlese, 1917), O. (Z.) terricola Van der Hammen, 1952, and O. (Z.) lanceolata Grobler, Bayram & Cobanoglu, 2004.