A new genus and three new species of mites, with a revised concept of the family Ameroseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata: Ascoidea).

This paper describes a new genus and three new species of mites found in litter and soil samples from Brazil and Egypt. Endopodoseius Abo-Shnaf & Moraes n. gen., Endopodoseius erikae Abo-Shnaf & Marticorena n. sp., Endopodoseius zaheri Abo-Shnaf & Moraes n. sp. and Endopodoseius edmilsoni Abo-Shnaf & Castilho n. sp. are considered to belong to the Superfamily Ascoidea and the Family Ameroseiidae. The concept of the family is expanded to include species with one or more of the following character states-the podonotal and opisthonotal shields partially or totally separate; poroid iv1 absent; dorsal idiosomal setae J1, J5 and R1 present; genital seta st5 inserted outside the epigynal shield; opisthogaster with 7-10 pairs of setae; and femur II with 11 setae.

The contribution of the BIOTA/FAPESP Program to the advancement of the knowledge on terrestrial invertebrates / A contribuição do Programa BIOTA/FAPESP para o avanço no conhecimento sobre os invertebrados terrestres

Abstract The variability of the organisms living in a given area constitute what is referred to as biodiversity, one of nature's fundamental properties, responsible for the balance and stability of ecosystems. The loss of biodiversity has been of great concern to scientists, especially because of the role played by human activities in this regard, able to lead to irreversible circumstances. The São Paulo Research Foundation (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, FAPESP) plays a major role in supporting research efforts in the most diverse branches of science. In the late 1990´s, FAPESP launched a major program to promote research on biodiversity, named BIOTA/FAPESP. So far, this program has financed the conduction of 26 projects, involving research activities in most of Brazil, while focusing mainly the State of São Paulo. These projects have generated about 1140 publications in peer-reviewed journals of high standard, providing relevant information, including the original description of 1187 species and 76 genera, the complementary description of 350 species, as well as a number of inventory works, biological studies, etc. The program has also been instrumental in the establishment or adequacy of research facilities and training of new taxonomists. Most extensively studied groups of terrestrial invertebrates include Insecta of the orders Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera and Diptera, and Arachnida of the subclasses Araneae and Acari. Distinct projects have also contributed to the detection of organisms potentially useful as biological control agents and in the determination of maps of major interest for the establishment of public policies. In the future, priority groups for study should include the Annelida and the Nematoda, for the potential both have as beneficial organisms, or for the potential some Nematoda have as organisms harmful to plants and animals.

Resumo A variabilidade dos organismos em uma determinada área constitui o que se denomina biodiversidade, uma das propriedades fundamentais da natureza, responsável pelo equilíbrio e estabilidade dos ecossistemas. A perda da biodiversidade tem sido uma grande preocupação para os cientistas, principalmente pelo papel desempenhado pelas atividades humanas, com potencial para desencadear circunstâncias irreversíveis. A Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) desempenha um papel importante no apoio às pesquisas nos mais diversos ramos da ciência. No final da década de 1990, a FAPESP lançou um grande programa de fomento à pesquisa em biodiversidade, denominado BIOTA/FAPESP. Até o momento, este programa financiou a realização de 26 projetos, envolvendo atividades na maior parte do Brasil, embora tenham como foco principal o estado de São Paulo. Esses projetos geraram cerca de 1.140 publicações em periódicos de alto impacto, fornecendo informações relevantes que incluem a descrição original de 1.187 espécies e 76 gêneros e a descrição complementar de 350 espécies, além de diversos trabalhos de inventário, estudos biológicos etc. O programa também tem sido fundamental para o estabelecimento ou adequação de instalações de pesquisa científica e o treinamento de novos taxonomistas. Os grupos de invertebrados terrestres mais estudados incluem os Insecta das ordens Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera e Diptera, e os Arachnida das subclasses Araneae e Acari. Projetos distintos também têm contribuído para a detecção de organismos potencialmente úteis como agentes de controle biológico e na determinação de mapas de áreas preferenciais para o estabelecimento de políticas públicas. No futuro, os grupos prioritários de estudo devem incluir os Annelida e os Nematoda, pelo potencial que ambos têm como organismos benéficos, ou pelo potencial que alguns Nematoda têm como organismos prejudiciais a plantas e animais.

Gamasiphis species (Acari: Mesostigmata: Ologamasidae) from Ecuador, with description of a new species and new records.

Gamasiphis Berlese is the most diverse genus of Ologamasidae, with 74 described species, seven of which were described from Ecuador. The main objective of this paper is to report the Gamasiphis species found in surveys recently conducted in Ecuador, including a new species here described, Gamasiphis vikkiae Melo-Molina Santos n. sp. Complementary descriptions of two previously described species, also collected in this study, are presented.

A new species of Lasioseius (Acari: Blattisociidae) from Brazil with morphological and DNA barcode data.

Lasioseius foliatisetus n. sp. is described based on the morphology and molecular markers of adult females collected in litter/soil samples of the Caatinga and Pantanal, extensive Brazilian biomes. This new species can be distinguished from other Lasioseius species mainly by having fixed cheliceral digit with three teeth in addition to apical tooth, most dorsal shield setae leaf-shaped, and ventrianal shield with seven pairs of setae (including Jv5) in addition to the circumanal setae. The determined nucleotide sequences of the CytB gene and of ITSS of Lasioseius foliatisetus n. sp. are the first data of these types deposited in a published database (GenBank) for a species of this genus. The phylogenetic tree generated in the analysis of ITSS sequences showed a clade constituted only by species of the superfamily Phytoseoidea, including L. foliatisetus n. sp.. The phylogenetic tree generated in the ML analysis based on CytB showed a separation of the blattisociid species (including L. foliatisetus n. sp.) in one clade and the phytoseiid species in another clade. The analysis of the 28S 13 domain by itself did not allow the separation of the new species here described from species of other blattisociid genera.

Small-Scale Production of Amblyseius tamatavensis with Thyreophagus cracentiseta (Acari: Phytoseiidae, Acaridae).

Amblyseius tamatavensis, a predatory mite, has been mentioned as potentially useful for the control of Bemisia tabaci. The objective of this work was to compare the production rates of A. tamatavensis in closed units containing T. cracentiseta as food, at different combinations of numbers of predator inoculated, periods of production and volumes of rearing units. Final predator densities increased with increasing production periods up to 30-45 days, reducing afterward. Likewise, maximum final densities increased with increasing predator inoculation levels, up to 200 predators per rearing unit. The results led us to select the proportion of 150 predators per unit for a production period of 30 days to evaluate the effect of the size of the experimental unit. Then, in the second part of the study, a direct relationship was observed between volume and final predator density (y = 8610.25x + 2166.04; R2 = 0.99; p < 0.0001). It was also calculated that ri value was quite stable (0113-0.119), with a calculated value of 0.115 at all volumes of rearing units. It can be concluded that progressively larger numbers of predators can be obtained with progressively larger rearing units.

A newly available database of an important family of phytophagous mites: Tenuipalpidae Database.

This paper announces a database on the taxonomy, distribution and host plants of mites of the family Tenuipalpidae Berlese (Acari: Tetranychoidea), available online at https://www.tenuipalpidae.ibilce.unesp.br/. In the Tenuipalpidae Database the recorded world distribution and range of host plants are provided for each tenuipalpid species, including synonyms, with a list of all relevant publications.

Catalogue of the mite family Podocinidae Berlese (Acari: Mesostigmata).

The mite family Podocinidae consists of 38 species in three genera, namely Africoseius Krantz (two species), Podocinella Evans Hyatt (five species) and Podocinum Berlese (31 species). They are free living, but their biology is poorly known. The objective of this work was to summarise the history of the classification of the podocinids, to provide a brief diagnosis of the family, a key to the genera, and to assemble the scattered taxonomic information about the species and the genera in which they are placed.

A new species of Gamasellodes Athias-Henriot (Mesostigmata: Ascidae) from Brazil and a key to the world species of the genus.

Gamasellodes lavafesii Castro, Azevedo Castilho sp. nov. is described based on the morphology of adult females collected from litter and soil in a transition region between Cerrado and Amazon Rainforest of Mato Grosso state and in the Caatinga biome of Alagoas state, respectively in midwestern and northeastern Brazil. A key for the separation of females of the 26 recognisable world species of Gamasellodes is provided.

A key to the species of Protogamasellus (Acari: Ascidae), with a new species from the Brazilian Pantanal.

A study of soil mites in the Brazilian Pantanal, southwestern Brazil, has shown the frequent occurrence of the genus Protogamasellus, especially in cultivated land. Three species were found in this study, Protogamasellus mica (Athias-Henriot), Protogamasellus sigillophorus Mineiro, Lindquist Moraes, and a new species, Protogamasellus pantanal n. sp., which is here described. A taxonomic key for the identification of species of the genus was prepared, based on the examination of the type specimens of the new species here described, of specimens of other species found in Brazil in this and previous studies, and on the information found in the literature for other species.

Tracking Red Palm Mite Damage in the Western Hemisphere Invasion with Landsat Remote Sensing Data.

Red palm mites (Raoiella indica Hirst, Acari: Tenuipalpidae) were first observed in the western hemisphere on the islands and countries surrounding the Caribbean Sea, infesting the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera L.). Detection of invasive pests usually relies upon changes in vegetation properties as result of the pest activity. These changes may be visible in time series of satellite data records, such as Landsat satellites, which have been available with a 16-day repeat cycle at a spatial resolution of 30 m since 1982. Typical red palm mite infestations result in the yellowing of the lower leaves of the palm crown; remote sensing model simulations have indicated that this feature may be better detected using the green normalized difference vegetation index (GNDVI). Using the Google Earth Engine programming environment, a time series of Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper, Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager data was generated for plantations in northern and northeast Brazil, El Salvador, and Trinidad-Tobago. Considering the available studied plantations, there were little or no differences of GNDVI before and after the dates when red palm mites were first revealed at each location. A discussion of possible alternative approaches are discussed related to the limitations of the current satellite platforms.

Ascidae, Blattisociidae and Melicharidae (Acari: Mesostigmata): zoogeographic analyses based on newly available databases.

Until recently, species of the families Ascidae Voigts Oudemans, Blattisociidae Garman and Melicharidae Hirschmann were considered to belong to a single family, Ascidae, based on their similarity in external morphology. Databases on the distribution and biology of species in those families have been collected are now freely available. This information allows the first zoogeographic analysis of these groups. Almost 2200 records obtained from about 820 publications were entered into the databases, which are periodically updated. The countries with the highest known diversity of mites of these groups are: Ascidae-Russia (56), United States of America (42), China (37) and Poland (36); Blattisociidae-China (47), United States of America (41), Ecuador (38), India (33) and Poland (32); Melicharidae-United States of America (46), Brazil (23), Ecuador (20) and Poland and Germany (15). No species of these families have been reported from about 44% of the countries, most probably because of inadequate sampling effort. Comparing the species composition of the different regions, Jaccard similarity indexes were low, being higher between the Palaearctic and Saharo-Arabian regions for the ascids (0.15), between the same regions for the blattisociids (0.19) and between the Neotropical and Panamanian regions for the melicharids (0.18). These data are compatible with the results of parsimony analyses of endemicity (PAE), in which those pairs of regions constituted distinct clades. The analyses suggest that Ascidae probably originated in the Palaearctic region, whereas Blattisociidae and Melicharidae probably originated somewhere in the Neotropical or Panamanian regions.

Suitability of edaphic arthropods as prey for Proctolaelaps bickleyi and Cosmolaelaps brevistilis (Acari: Mesostigmata: Melicharidae, Laelapidae) under laboratory conditions.

Soils are often complex habitats inhabited by a wide range of organisms, some harmful to plants and others beneficial, for example by attacking harmful organisms. Beneficial organisms include predatory mites, some of which have been commercialized for biological control of pest insects and mites. The objective of this work was to evaluate under laboratory condition the suitability of representative soil insect and mite pests, especially Aceria tulipae (Keifer), as prey to the soil-inhabiting predatory mites Proctolaelaps bickleyi (Bram) and Cosmolaelaps brevistilis (Karg). Predation, oviposition and survivorship of recently molted adult females of the predators were assessed in the dark in rearing chambers at 25 ± 1 °C and 75 ± 3% RH. Predation rate by P. bickleyi on A. tulipae was significantly higher than that by C. brevistilis (196.3 vs. 71.0 specimens/day). About 482 A. tulipae were preyed by each P. bickleyi at each day, when 500 A. tulipae were made available daily to the predator. Oviposition rate on that prey was also higher for P. bickleyi (4.2 eggs/day). For C. brevistilis, the highest level of oviposition was on Caliothrips phaseoli (Hood) (1.2 eggs/day). Survivorship was always higher for C. brevistilis (≥ 70%), given its ability to remain alive relatively long even in the absence of prey. High rates of survivorship of P. bickleyi were observed on A. tulipae, Bradysia matogrossensis (Lane) and Protorhabditis sp. Promising results were obtained for P. bickleyi on A. tulipae and even on other prey, justifying the conduction of complementary studies under field condition.

Two new species of Afrodacarellus (Acari: Mesostigmata: Rhodacaridae) from Brazil and a key to the world species of the genus.

Within a project to determine the edaphic predatory mites from the Brazilian Alagoas state, two new species of Afrodacarellus Hurlbutt (Rhodacaridae) were found, namely Afrodacarellus alagoensis Santos & Castilho n. sp. and Afrodacarellus xucurukariri Santos & Castilho n. sp.. These are here described based on the morphology of adult females. A key for the separation of females of the 31 recognisable world species of Afrodacarellus is provided, including the newly described species.

Amazoniaseius imparisetosus n. sp., n. g.: an unusual new phytoseiid mite (Acari: Phytoseiidae) from the Amazon forest.

A new genus and species of the subfamily Typhlodrominae are described from the Brazilian Amazon. The main differences between this and all other phytoseiid species are the presence of two unpaired setae on dorsal shield of deutonymphs and adults, and the absence of all ZV setae. It also differs from other typhlodromine species by its relatively long J5 setae, the presence of seta J4 and the broadly rounded posterior margin of the genital shield. Thus, the unique idiosomal setal pattern of this species is here designated as 13A+x:8F+X/JV-3,4:ZV-1-3. Because of the unique characteristics, we here describe this new taxon, Amazoniaseius imparisetosus n. sp., n. g., based on protonymphs, deutonymphs and adult females. This species is accommodated in tribe Paraseiulini Wainstein within Typhlodrominae, due to the presence of the setae z6 and S4. The tribe is redefined and an updated dichotomous key for the separation of the genera of Paraseiulini is provided.

Catalogue of the family Ologamasidae Ryke (Acari: Mesostigmata).

Mites of the family Ologamasidae are very conspicuous and abundant in soil and litter, especially in the Southern Hemisphere. Little is known of their biology and behaviour, but they appear to be generalist predators. The family is placed in the Rhodacaroidea, but its status and composition have been very unstable. The existing classification and identification keys are obsolete and difficult to use. We present a historical review of the literature on the classification of the Ologamasidae, with revised diagnoses for the family and its included genera, and a new key to genera. We also present a complete catalogue of the species, with details of their nomenclature and bibliography, and a summary of the locality and habitat data for the types for each species.        The family includes a total of 467 species arranged in 44 genera. The largest genera are Gamasiphis Berlese (74 species), Gamasellus Berlese (70 species) and Geogamasus Lee (33 species). These three genera together include more than 35% of the valid species in the family. Seven of the genera are monotypic. We list a further 29 species that appear to belong to the family Ologamasidae, but which cannot be confidently assigned to a genus on the basis of the available information. We also list 74 species that have been placed in the Ologamasidae at some time, but which are now placed in other families, especially the Veigaiidae, Digamasellidae, Parasitidae, and Eviphididae.        New combinations are proposed for 15 species. The genus Pachymasiphis is described as new, because this name was not made available correctly when it was first proposed.

Potential of astigmatid mites (Acari: Astigmatina) as prey for rearing edaphic predatory mites of the families Laelapidae and Rhodacaridae (Acari: Mesostigmata).

Laelapidae and Rhodacaridae are important families of edaphic predatory mites and species of these families have been considered for use in biological control programs of soil pests. Mites of Cohort Astigmatina (Acari: Sarcoptiformes) have been largely used as factitious prey in the mass rearing of various edaphic or plant-inhabiting predatory mites. Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Womersley) (Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) (widely commercialized for the control of fungus gnats and thrips) and Protogamasellopsis zaheri Abo-Shnaf, Castilho and Moraes (Mesostigmata: Rhodacaridae) (not available commercially but promising for the control of thrips and nematodes) are known to be reared on Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) (Astigmatina: Acaridae), but the possibility to find a perhaps more efficient prey has not been evaluated. The objective of this paper was to evaluate different astigmatid species as prey for these predators. S. scimitus and P. zaheri oviposited on all evaluated astigmatids and the acarid mites T. putrescentiae and Aleuroglyphus ovatus (Tropeau) were the most suitable prey; to confirm the effect of prey on oviposition rates, pregnant females of the predators were kept under starvation conditions and oviposition was negligible or null. Survivorship was always higher than 78 % and was not influenced by prey species or starvation.

Two new species of Ologamasus (Acari: Mesostigmata: Ologamasidae) from Brazil with a key to the world species of the genus.

Ologamasus lucasi n. sp. and Ologamasus delaliberai n. sp. are described from adults collected from litter and soil in the State of Alagoas, northeastern of Brazil. A key for the separation of females of the 20 recognisable world species of Ologamasus is provided.

Definition of the concordis species group of the genus Euseius (Acari: Phytoseiidae), with a morphological reassessment of the species included.

Phytoseiidae (Acari) is the best known family of predatory mites. Within this family, Euseius Wainstein is one of the largest genera. The species of this genus have generalist feeding behavior, including in their diet mites and pollen. Some studies have demonstrated the potential of certain Euseius species to control pest mites. Euseius concordis (Chant) has been mentioned in the literature as potentially useful for the control of the tomato russet mite, Aculops lycopersici (Tryon) (Eriophyidae). Several other American species are morphologically similar to E. concordis; the morphological variation of these species is poorly understood. The objective of this study was a taxonomic re-evaluation of E. concordis and of the world species most similar to it. Measurements of species collected in this study and a taxonomic key to separate the species of this group are provided. Morphological evaluations confirmed that Euseius flechtmanni Denmark & Muma is a junior synonym of E. concordis, and determined that Euseius caseariae De Leon is also a junior synonym of E. concordis, that Euseius ho (De Leon) and Euseius brazilli (El-Banhawy) are junior synonyms of Euseius mesembrinus (Dean) and that Euseius vivax (Chant & Baker) is not a junior synonym of Euseius fructicolus (Gonzalez & Schuster), as previously thought.

A new species of Blattisocius (Acari: Mesostigmata: Blattisociidae), with a new characterisation of the genus.

A new species of Blattisocius Keegan, Blattisocius thaicocofloris n. sp., is described from Thailand from adult females and males, raising to 18 the number of species known in this genus. This is the first species of this genus described from flowers (of Cocos nucifera L.; Arecaceae), although two species, Blattisocius apis Basha & Yousef and Blattisocius apisassociae Chinniah & Mohanasundaram, were reported in association with honeybees, which could suggest an association with flowers. The new species requires updates to the diagnostic characteristics of the genus and recently published keys for generic identification of blattisociid subfamilies, blattisociine genera and Blattisocius species.

The Lasioseius phytoseioides species group (Acari: Blattisociidae): new characterisation, description of a new species, complementary notes on seven described species and a taxonomic key for the group.

The Lasioseius phytoseioides species group was first characterised over 50 years ago. Two species of this group, Lasioseius chaudhrii (Wu & Wang) and Lasioseius parberlesei Bhattacharyya, have been considered potentially effective as biological control agents of pest mites of the family Tarsonemidae on rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Asia. A new characterisation of the species group is presented, taking into account a new species here described, Lasioseius piracicabensis Moraes & Pérez-Madruga n. sp., as well as other species mostly described since the first characterisation of the group. The main characteristics of the included species are the reduced number of dorsal idiosomal setae, including the absence of j1 and z1; antiaxial surface of fixed cheliceral digit with a subterminal pointed process; and males with broad lateral expansion of the peritrematic shield in the region between coxae II-III, bearing a pore and a lyrifissure. Complementary notes are presented for Lasioseius annandalei Bhattacharyya & Bhattacharyya, Lasioseius chaudhrii (Wu & Wang), Lasioseius parberlesei Bhattacharyya, L. phytoseioides Chant, Lasioseius punjabensis Bhattacharyya & Sanyal, Lasioseius terrestris Menon & Ghai and Lasioseius youcefi Athias-Henriot. New synonymies are proposed and possible misidentifications in the literature are discussed. A dichotomous key is presented to help the identification of the species of the group, and the distribution of the species is summarised.