Genus Phytoseius Ribaga, 1904

Phytoseius Ribaga, 1904: 177 .

Type species Gamasus plumifer Canestrini & Fanzago, 1876: 130, designated by Vitzthum, 1941.

Phytoseius (Dubininellus) Wainstein, 1959: 1361 .

Type species Phytoseius (Dubininellus) corniger Wainstein, 1959: 1361, by original designation.

horridus species group Denmark, 1966: 83.

purseglovei species group Chant & Yoshida-Shaul, 1992: 12.

Type species: Phytoseius horridus Ribaga, 1904, sensu Athias-Henriot, 1957.

Chant & McMurtry (1994) recognised three species groups based on presence or absence of setae J2 and R 1: the horridus species group, Denmark (1966) with setae J2 and R 1 absent, the pulmifer species group Chant & Yoshida-Shaul (1992) characterised with setae J2 and R 1 present and purseglovei species group Chant & Yoshida-Shaul (1992) with absence of seta J2 and presence of seta R 1.

Type species: Phytoseius purseglovei De Leon, 1965 .

Following the classificatory scheme of Chant & McMurtry (1994), Phytoseius birbikrami sp. nov. belongs to the purseglovei species group by having female idiosomal setal pattern 12A:4A/JV3,4: ZV, setae z3, s6, R1, JV2, ZV3 are present.

Type species: Phytoseius horridus Ribaga, 1904, sensu Athias-Henriot, 1957.

The species P. khowaiensis sp. nov. and P. baramuracus sp. nov. belong to horridus species group with setae J2 and R1 absent, ventral setal pattern JV-3,4: ZV (Chant & McMurtry 1994).