Phytoseiid Mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) of Coconut Growing Areas in Sri Lanka, with Descriptions of Three New Species

Abstract

Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) is a major crop in tropical Asia. The coconut mite, Aceria guerreronis Keifer, was recently introduced to Sri Lanka and southern India where it is causing considerable damage to that crop. The objective of this study was to identify the phytoseiid mites in the main coconut growing areas where the pest has been reported in Sri Lanka and to determine plants on which phytoseiid predators of A. guerreronis could be found. Twenty species were found in a survey conducted in July 2003, 3 of which are new to science and are here described. They are Euseius ceylonicus Moraes and Lopes, n. sp., Euseius pauciventripilis Moraes and Lopes, n. sp. and Phytoseius calopogonium Moraes and Lopes, n. sp.. Five species were found on coconut plants, 3 of which, Amblyseius largoensis (Muma), Neoseiulus baraki (Athias-Henriot) and Neoseiulus paspalivorus (DeLeon), on fruits, in association with A. guerreronis. In addition to coconut, A. largoensis was found on 11 plant species, whereas N. baraki was also found on 2 plant species; N. paspalivorus was found only on coconut. The latter 2 phytoseiids were by far the most numerous in association with A. guerreronis.