The superfamily Phytoseioidea (Acari: Mesostigmata) from Saudi Arabia: a new species, new records and a key to the reported species

Abstract

Twenty three phytoseioid species belonging to three families Blattisociidae Garman, Otopheidomenidae Treat, and Phytoseiidae Berlese (Acari: Phytoseioidea), collected from Baha, Bisha, Jazan, Madinah, Makkah, Riyadh and Tabuk provinces of Saudi Arabia (SA), are reported in this paper. Among these, a new species Phytoseius tabukensis Alatawi, Basahih and Kamran, n. sp. is described and illustrated for both females and males, collected from the leaf galls of toothbrush trees, Savadorapersica (Salvadoraceae), in association with eriophyid mites (Acari: Eriophyidae). Three genera Amblyseius Berlese, Iphiseius Berlese and Kuzinellus Wainstein, 11 species of the family Phytoseiidae, and three species belonging to family Blattisociidae, are reported for the first time from SA. New distribution and host records of eight phytoseioid species previously reported are given. A key to Saudi Arabian females of Phytoseioidea is presented. Also a key to the horridus species group of the genus Phytoseius Ribaga (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is provided.