<p class="Body"><strong><em>Thyreophagus plocepasseri</em></strong><strong> sp. n., a new parthenogenetic species of acarid mites (Acariformes: Acaridae) from Kenya</strong></p>

Abstract

To date, some species in the genus Thyreophagus, such as Th. entomophagus and Th. cracentiseta, have been shown to be useful factitious prey for mass-rearing of predacious phytoseiid mites, one of the most common groups of mites used for biological control. Here, we describe a new species, Thyreophagus plocepasseri sp. n. from Kenya that can serve as a factitious prey as well. In addition, the new species is asexual, a trait that can be advantageous for its mass-rearing in industrial settings. In the description, we use high-resolution light microscope imaging and extensive comparison with a similar species, Thyreophagus athiasae, for which the type was studied. We review the literature on asexual acarid mites and point to a lack of data on the presence of sex-manipulating bacteria (Wolbachia, Cardinium) in these asexual mite lineages. Based on the literature, these bacteria are known to induce parthenogenesis in several haplodiploid mites, but they have not been linked so far to parthenogenesis inducement in diplodiploid acarid mites.