Abstract
The identity of specimens of phytoseiid mites collected inside greenhouses infested by thrips in La Reunion Island was assessed. As the sampled species belongs to the genus Amblyseius, presently containing 415 species which are notoriously difficult to discriminate, morphological and molecular traits were evaluated. Both morphological and DNA comparisons showed that the collected specimens belong to the species Amblyseius swirskii, a successful biological control agent introduced in the market more than ten years ago in Europe and Northern America. This finding was unexpected, as this species was never reported in this part of the world; an accidental introduction is thus suspected.
Highlights
Biological control is the most environmentally safe and most economical mode of pest management for growers (Cock et al 2010)
Morphological comparisons seem to show that specimens found in La Réunion belong to the species A. swirskii
The mean genetic distance (1.7 %) between specimens collected in La Réunion Island and specimens of A. swirskii from Koppert was low
Summary
Biological control is the most environmentally safe and most economical mode of pest management for growers (Cock et al 2010). ISSN 2107-7207 (electronic) predators of small insects and mites (McMurtry et al 2013) They are considered important biocontrol agents with many species sold and used all around the world (Wright 2004). The predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot, 1962 (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is one of the most efficient; it is currently released in more than 50 countries of the world. It originates from the East Mediterranean coast and has been described in 1962 from almond (Prunus amygdalus [Miller] D.A. Webb) in Bet Dagan, Israel by Athias-Henriot (1962). This species was reported along the coast of Israel, Middle Eastern countries, Southern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa and the America (Demite et al 2016)
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