0000000000229662
AUTHOR
E. Ragusa
Predatory performance of two Mediterranean phytoseiid species, Typhlodromus laurentii and Typhlodromus rhenanoides fed on eggs of Panonychus citri and Tetranychus urticae
Laboratory trials were carried out to determine the predatory capacity of two endemic to the Mediterranean area phytoseiid mites Typhlodromus (Typhlodromus) laurentii Ragusa et Swirski and Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) rhenanoides Athias-Henriot (Parasitiformes Phytoseiidae) upon the eggs of the two most important tetranychids damaging Citrus orchards in Sicily: Tetranychus urticae Koch and Panonychus citri (McGregor) (Acariformes Tetranychidae). The research aimed at investigating the predatory behaviour of the phytoseiids upon the prey stage considered the most vulnerable. The predation rate of the two phytoseiid species was different on the two prey eggs, both in every observation day and fo…
Effect of pollens and preys on various biological parameters of the generalist mite Cydnodromus californicus
The generalist phytoseiid mite Cydnodromus californicus (McGregor) (Mesostigmata Phytoseiidae) is considered a very important biocontrol agent of the spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch both in greenhouses and field. Its capacity to feed alternative foods allows the increase of the population in field, even when the primary prey is not available. To investigate the effect of various alternative food substances present in the Mediterranean agroecosystems on the biological parameters of C. californicus, laboratory trials were carried out using 17 pollens and 3 preys. As it was expected, T. urticae was the best food for both the postembryonic development and the oviposition rate (100% of atta…
Phytoseiid mites from the Basilicata region (Southern Italy): species diversity and redescription of Typhloseiulus arzakanicus (Arutunjan) with a key of the species of Typhloseiulus Chant and McMurtry 1994 (Parasitiformes: Phytoseiidae)
A survey of phytoseiid mites was carried out in the Basilicata region (Southern Italy) between 1976 and 2014 on wild and cultivated plants. A total of 38 species belonging to eleven genera and two subgenera were found on 59 plant species. The most common species was Euseius finlandicus (Oudemans) (39%) followed by Typhlodromus (Typhlodromus) exhilaratus Ragusa (32.2%), Kampimodromus aberrans (Oudemans) (27.1%), Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) cryptus (Athias-Henriot) (23.7%). Typhloseiulus arzakanicus (Arutunjan), found for first time in Italy, is redescribed here, while the male of this species is described for the first time. A dichotomic key of the species belonging to the genus Typhloseiulus …