Amblydromalus limonicus (Garman & McGregor)

Kreiter, Serge, Amiri, Karima, Douin, Martial, Bohinc, Tanja, Trdan, Stanislav & Tixier, Marie-Stéphane, 2020, Phytoseiid mites of Slovenia (Acari: Mesostigmata): new records and first description of the male ofAmblyseius microorientalis, Acarologia 60 (2), pp. 203-242 : 222-223

Amblydromalus limonicus (Garman & McGregor)

Amblyseius limonicus Garman & McGregor 1956: 11 .

Amblyseiopsis limonicus, Garman 1958: 72 .

Tyohlodromus (Amblyseius) limonicus, Chant 1959: 96 .

Amblyseius (Typhlodromalus) limonicus, Muma 1961: 288 .

Amblyseius (Amblyseius) limonicus, Wainstein 1962: 15 .

Typhlodromalus limonicus De Leon, 1967: 22 .

Amblydromalus limonicus, Chant & McMurtry 2005b: 207 ; 2007: 117.

Amblydromalus garmani Chant 1959: 81 (unjustified replacement name for Amblydromalus limonicus according to Chant 1959).

Typhlodromus (Amblyseius) garmani Chant 1959: 81 (objective synonymy according to Moraes et al. 1986: 131; 2004: 199).

Amblyseius (Typhlodromalus) rapax De Leon 1965: 125 (synonymy according to Moraes et al. 1982)

This species belongs to the limonicus species group as seta Z4 is much shorter than 40 % of the distance between its base and that of seta Z5.

Amblydromalus limonicus was described in 1956 from citrus in California. Its distribution range covers North and South America, Australia and New Zealand. It was detected for the first time in 2011 on tomatoes in several locations of the northeastern Spain and has extended its area of distribution since this date ( Chorazy et al. 2016). It first caught the attention as natural enemy of the spider mites Oligonychus punicae (Hirst) and T. urticae in avocados and other fruit trees ( Knapp et al. 2013). In laboratory studies, A. limonicus developed into adults and laid eggs on several species of mites, thrips, whiteflies and scale insects, as well as on pollen ( Knapp et al. 2013). Interest into A. limonicus re-emerged in the early 1990s after F. occidentalis had spread nearly all over the world. It was collected during surveys for F. occidentalis biocontrol agents in New Zealand and Australia. Laboratory and semi-field experiments in the Netherlands and Australia showed that A. limonicus was a very promising candidate for biological control of F. occidentalis in several greenhouse crops ( Knapp et al. 2013). However, it was not possible to establish a commercially viable mass rearing system at this time. At around the same time A. limonicus was also identified in surveys in South America for classical biocontrol agents for the cassava green mite, Mononychellus tanajoa (Bondar) . Recently, a mass production system for A. limonicus was developed and this species became commercially available in January 2012. With the material from this mass production system, more semi-field and field trials could be conducted. Results showed A. that limonicus is also an excellent biocontrol agent for greenhouse whiteflies Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) in various ornamental and vegetable greenhouse crops. As this predatory mite originates from temperate areas, it is a good complement to A. swirskii and Transeius montdorensis (Schicha) . Both species originate from sub-tropical regions and have a higher optimum temperature than A. limonicus . This is the first record of that species in Slovenia, probably originating from dispersion in the environment after greenhouse releases.

World distribution: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Hawaii, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Spain, Suriname, Trinidad, USA, Venezuela.

Specimens examined: 2 ♀♀ in total. Sečovlje, 58a (aasl 3 m, lat. 45°28’43”N, long. 13°37’28”E), 2 ♀♀ on Cucurbita pepo L. ( Cucurbitaceae ), 19/VI/2019.

Remarks: The description and measurements of the adult females collected agree with those provided by Moraes and McMurtry (1983) and by Moraes et al. (1994).