Phytoseiulus Evans

Lofego, Antonio Carlos, Barbosa, Marina Ferraz De Camargo, Demite, Peterson Rodrigo & Moraes, Gilberto José De, 2024, Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) of the subfamily Amblyseiinae from Brazil, Zootaxa 5439 (1), pp. 1-306 : 229-230

Phytoseiulus Evans

Phytoseiulus Evans, 1952: 397 .

Phytoseiulus . — Moraes et al., 1986: 108, 2004b: 167; Takahashi & Chant, 1993a: 233; Chant & McMurtry, 2006a: 17, 2007: 53.

Type species. Laelaps macropilis Banks, 1904: 59 .

Main distinguishing characteristics. Reddish. Dorsal shield relatively small, not covering the idiosoma completely, without pronounced lateral constriction, mostly smooth. Idiosomal setal pattern rather variable: 10A:6E/JV-3:ZV-

3 (J2, S2, S4, and Zv3 absent) in P. fragariae Denmark & Schicha; 10A:6E/JV-3,4:ZV-3 (J2, S2, S4, Jv4 and Zv3 absent) in P. macropilis and P. persimilis ; and 9A:5D/JV-3:ZV-3 (j5, J2, S2, S4, S5 and Zv3 absent) in P. longipes Evans ; with several dorsal shield setae long, thickened and serrate, including j6, s4, Z1, Z4 and Z5; seta Z4 occupying a rather lateral position on the dorsal shield. Sternal shield distinctly wider than long, with posterior margin slightly undulate. With rounded to ovate anal shield in P. longipes and P. persimilis , and with shield-shaped ventrianal shield in P. fragariae and P. macropilis , bearing only one pair of pre-anal setae (Jv2). Peritreme shortened, reaching level between j3 and z2. Spermathecal calyx either trumpet-shaped, or funnel-shaped with the tubular section inflate near atrium. Fixed cheliceral digit quite variable among species, only 2–3 distal teeth in P. longipes , but 6–10 evenly distributed teeth in other species; movable digit with tree teeth. Chaetotaxy of tibia I 2-2/2,2/1-2 (according to Takahashi & Chant, 1993, instead of 2-2/1,2/1-2, according to Evans, 1963). Macrosetae present only on leg IV, sharp-tipped. Male ventrianal shield normal ( P. macropilis and P. fragariae ) or reduced ( P. longipes and P. persimilis ), with three pairs of pre-anal setae arranged in a triangular pattern; spermadactyl wand-shaped.

Remarks. Three of the four species presently included in this genus have been reported from Brazil, suggesting this country to contain or be part of the center of diversity of Phytoseiulus . Worldwide, species of this genus have been reported only from plants, consistently with their exclusively predatory habit on phytophagous mites of the family Tetranychidae .