Proprioseiopsis mexicanus (Garman)

Kreiter, Serge, Zriki, Ghais, Ryckewaert, Philippe, Pancarte, Clovel, Douin, Martial & Tixier, Marie-Stéphane, 2018, Phytoseiid mites of Martinique, with redescription of four species and new records (Acari: Mesostigmata), Acarologia 58 (2), pp. 366-407 : 379-380

Proprioseiopsis mexicanus (Garman)

Amblyseiopsis mexicanus Garman, 1958: 75 .

Amblyseius mexicanus, Moraes & McMurtry, 1983: 134 .

Proprioseiopsis mexicanus, Muma & Denmark, 1970: 48 ; Denmark & Muma, 1973: 237;

Moraes et al., 1986: 118; Kreiter & Moraes, 1997: 379; Moraes et al., 2004b: 181; Chant & McMurtry, 2005a: 13; Chant & McMurtry, 2007: 89.

This species was already known from all islands of French West Indies ( Kreiter & Moraes 1997; Moraes et al. 2000, Kreiter et al. 2006; Mailloux et al. 2010) but it was found only in very large number during a previous study on companion plant in Guadeloupe ( Mailloux et al. 2010) and in an actual study in La Réunion (Le Bellec, unpublished data). This species seems to be very abundant on weeds in the lower vegetation. Phytoseiid mites of the genus Proprioseiopsis have been found mainly in ground surface, humus, litter, soil, moss or on grass ( Muma and Denmark 1970; McMurtry et al. 2015). Proprioseiopsis mexicanus population increase when fed Tetranychus urticae Koch eggs ( Mégevand et al. 1993) and this species seems to be a good predator of thrips (Kreiter, unpublished data). It is one of the prevailing phytoseiid species on citrus orchards in Alabama ( Fadamiro et al. 2009). Denmark and Evans (2011) mentioned that the species can be reared on T. urticae and Oligonychus pratensis (Banks) and is associated with Bryobia praetiosa Koch , Bryobia sp. and Panonychus ulmi (Koch) . It was also found in association with Tetranychus evansi Baker & Pritchard ( Furtado et al. 2014) but mentioned as a poor predator of that species. The biology of this species is however almost unknown.

Specimens examined — 25 ♀♀ + 3 ♂♂ in total (12 ♀♀ + 3 ♂♂ measured). Lamentin, CIRAD-CAEC station (long. 14°37′N, lat. 60°58′O, alt. 25 m), 4 ♀♀ + 2 ♂♂ on P. notatum ,

11 ♀♀ + 1 ♂ on N. wightii , 1 ♀ on M. atropurpureum collected between 18- VI and 19-09-2012, and 1 ♀ on P. phaseoloides collected 20-08-2013 ; Saint-Joseph, Rivière Lézarde, CIRAD (long. 14°39′N, lat. 60°59′O, alt. 45 m), 3 ♀♀ on citrus leaves (C. sinensis et C. latifolia ), 1-07-2012 ; Saint-Joseph, Rivière Lézarde, CIRAD (long. 14°39′N, lat. 60°59′O, alt. 45 m) ,

1 ♀ on possibly (not sure) T. labialis , 20-10-2011; Le Lorrain, Mr. Trepon’s farm (long. 14°49′N, lat. 61°50′O, alt. 117 m), 2 ♀♀ on various weeds in a citrus orchard, 25-11-2012; Saint-Pierre, Habitation Parnasse (long. 14°75′N, lat. 61°94′O, alt. 284 m), 1 ♀ on various weeds in a citrus orchard, 30-11-2011 ; Le François, Mr. Peronnet’s farm, La Digue François (long. 14°34′N, lat. 61°53′O, alt. 59 m), 1 ♀ on leaves of lime trees C. latifolia .

Previous record — Australia, Benin, Brazil (Bahia, Maranhão, Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraiba,

Pernambuco, Rondonia, São Paulo), Canada (Northwest Territories, Ontario, Quebec), China

(Jiangxi), Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Galapagos, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Hawaii, Jamaica,

Kenya, Madagascar, Martinique (only 2 ♀♀ in Kreiter et al. 2006), Mexico, New Zealand,

Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Réunion Island, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates,

USA (Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland,

Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia,

Wisconsin).

Remarks — Measurements of the twelve females ( Table 3) fit very well with the those of the holotype female except for slightly longer s4, Z4 and Z5. Measurements of females (Table

3) fit also very well with those of the specimens collected in Peru ( Guanilo et al. 2008a) except shorter j3 and longer Z 5 in specimens from Martinique. This is the same for male measurements ( Table 4) with additionally shorter s4, Z4 and Z 5 in specimens from Martinique.