Phytoseiidae (Chant and McMurtry, 2007)

EbrahimK, Walaa & BarbarK, Ziad, 2023, Mite fauna on Dittrichia species (Asteraceae) in Syrian costal region: new records and primary observations on the behavior of Typhloseiella isotricha (Athias-Henriot) (Meostigmata: Phytoseiidae), Acarologia 63 (2), pp. 529-538 : 533

Domination of Phytoseiidae on Dittrichia species

The most abundant family observed on Dittrichia species was Phytoseiidae with four species representing about 86% of total collected mite specimens. Typhloseiella isotricha (Athias-Henriot) was the dominant species with about 73% and 85% of total collected mite specimens and total collected phytoseiids, respectively (Figure 1). This species was collected from D. viscosa in 16 locations and from D. graveolens in one location ( Table 2). It was found in association with the phytophagous mite, B. obovatus , B. rotai and Tetranychus sp. It has been already reported on D. viscosa in Latakia governorate, Syria ( Barbar, 2016) and was exclusively found on D. viscosa worldwide (Demite et al. 2022).

Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) rhenanus (Oudemans) was relatively abundant. All specimens of this species were collected from D. viscosa in nine locations in Tartous governorate ( Table 2). These specimens represent 11% and 15% of total collected mite specimens and total collected phytoseiids, respectively (Figure 1). This is the first record of this predator on D. viscosa in the world (Demite et al. 2022). It was found in association with the phytophagous mite B. obovatus in the present study and it has been already reported on various herbaceous, shrub and arboreal plants in Syria ( Barbar and Negm, 2022). Other phytoseiid species were sporadic and its presence on Dittrichia seems to be accidental.