Abstract
Predatory phytoseiid mites are classified into the family Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata), the most diverse group of mesostigmatic mites (Kranz & Walter, 2009). More than 2000 species of phytoseiid mites have been described (Chant & McMurtry, 2007), almost all of which are small (0.3 mm–0.4 mm; Fig. 1a) and eat other mites, insects, pollen, and fungi. Since they also prey upon pest insects and mites in agricultural fields, they are considered to be a key agent in an integrated pest management system (Gerson et al., 2003). To understand their role in agriculture, their morphology (external and internal), life history characteristics, and behavioral traits have been studied for more than 50 years (e.g., Helle & Sabelis, 1985). Several species of phytoseiid mites, mentioned below, are useful agents and are the most studied species (the recent name is given in parentheses). Because of their small size, they are not considered as an experimental animal in anatomical analyses examining their life cycle characteristics.
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