Cyta latirostris (Hermann)

Halliday, R. B., 2005, Predatory mites from crops and pastures in South Africa: potential natural enemies of redlegged earth mite Halotydeus destructor (Acari: Penthaleidae), Zootaxa 1079, pp. 11-64 : 27

Cyta latirostris (Hermann)

Scirus latirostris Hermann, 1804: 62 .

Cyta latirostris: Womersley, 1933c: 100 ; Atyeo & Tuxen, 1962: 297; Atyeo, 1963b: 177; Wallace & Mahon, 1973: 571; Den Heyer, 1981: 32; Swift & Goff, 1987: 47. Cyta phaseoli Meyer & Ryke, 1959a: 377 (synonymy by Wallace & Mahon, 1973; Den Heyer, 1981).

Specimens examined: Site 94­5, 1 female; Site 94­16, 1 male, 1 N; Site 94­31, 3 females, 2 males; Site 99­17, 1 female; Site 2000­9, 1 female, 1 male; Site FT204­13, Malmsbury, 28 July 1965, M. M. H. Wallace, pasture, 1 male; Site FT204­19, Houw Hoek Pass, near Caledon, 29 July 1965, M. M. H. Wallace, 2 N; FT204­30, Robertson, 30 July 1965, M. M. H. Wallace, pasture, 2 males.

Cyta latirostris is widespread in Europe ( Hermann, 1804; Atyeo & Tuxen, 1962), Africa ( Den Heyer, 1981) and Australia ( Womersley, 1933c; Atyeo, 1963b; Wallace & Mahon, 1973), and occurs in Hawaii ( Swift & Goff, 1987). It occurs in a wide range of habitats, including heath, moss, birds' nests, pasture, grass, soil, and in leaf litter under a wide range of plants, where it feeds on mites and Collembola ( Wallace & Mahon, 1973) . In Australia it forms part of the predator complex that contributes to the control of H. destructor (James et al., 1995) .