Trends in the discovery of new species and adult setal patterns in the family phytoseiidae (acari: gamasina), 1839 – 1989

Abstract

ABSTRACT Trends in the discovery of new species and new adult setal patterns in the Phytoseiidae and trends in publications on these mites are analyzed. The rate at which new species are discovered has declined since 1960–1969, but seems to have reached a relatively steady state in the last 2 decades. The rates at which new setal patterns are discovered also have declined in the last 2 decades. The known 56 dorsal, 10 female and 13 male caudoventral, and 85 female and 71 male idiosomal setal patterns seem to provide good samples of diversity in chaetotaxy. However, within some setal patterns adequate samples of species may not yet be available as a basis for phylogenetic analyses. There has been a marked shift in the geographic focus of the discovery of new species and setal patterns from Western Europe and the Nearctic to other parts of the world.