Neoseiulus californicus ( McGregor, 1954 )

Ferla, Noeli Juarez, Johann, Liana, Klock, Crisna, Majolo, Fernanda & Botton, Marcos, 2011, Phytoseiid mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) from vineyards in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, Zootaxa 2976, pp. 15-31 : 21

Neoseiulus californicus ( McGregor, 1954)

Typhlodromus californicus . — McGregor, 1954: 89; El-Banhawy, 1979: 113. Amblyseius californicus . — Schuster & Pritchard, 1963: 271; McMurtry, 1977: 21. Neoseiulus californicus . — McMurtry & Moraes, 1989: 181.

Neoseiulus chiliensis Dosse, 1958: 55 (synonymy by Athias-Henriot, 1977). Junior synonym of Neoseiulus ornatus (Athias-Henriot) — Chant (1959)

Not junior synonym of N. ornatus — Gonzalez & Schuster (1962), Hirshmann (1962)

Specimens examined. BENTO GONÇALVES: Cabernet Sauvignon, G. parviflora : V-2007 (1), Paspalum sp.: VI-2007 (1), V. vinifera: Leaf, I-2007 (1), II-2007 (1), III-2007 (8); Chardonnay, V. vinifera, Leaf, XI-2006 (1), I- 2007 (2), II-2007 (3). Merlot, B. pilosa , V-2007 (1), C. maculatum , II-2007 (1), S. oleraceus , IV-2007 (1), V. vinifera: Leaf, I-2007 (14), II-2007 (12), IV-2007 (6) V. vinifera: Bud: V-2007 (2). Pinot Noir, Brachiaria sp.: I-2007 (2), Conium maculatum (L.): I-2007 (2), Sida sp.: I-2007 (1), V. vinifera, Leaf, I-2007 (183), II-2007 (3), III-2007 (9). CANDIOTA: Alfrocheiro, V. vinifera, Leaf, XI-2006 (1), XII-2006 (3), I-2007 (9), II-2007 (12), III-2007 (67), IV-2007 (96), Cabernet Sauvignon, Artemisia sp.: IV-2007 (1); Baccharis trimera Less. : VI-2007 (1), Ipomoea sp.: XII-2006 (1), V. vinifera: Leaf, I-2007 (3), II-2007 (54), III-2007 (76); Buds: IV-2007 (2); Chardonnay, C. canadensis , VIII-2007 (1), P. tomentosa , IV-2007 (1), S. sataremnensis , IV-2007 (1), S. chilensis , VI-2007 (1), V. vinifera: Leaf, I-2007 (8), II-2007 (12), III-2007 (33), IV-2007 (42). Merlot, B. pilosa , IV-2007 (1); Blainvillea sp., VI-2007 (1); Senecio sp., VI-2007 (5) V. vinifera: Leaf, XI-2006 (1), I-2007 (29), II-2007 (5), III-2007 (13), IV- 2007 (6), V. vinifera: Bud: V-2007 (3). Pinot Noir, P2: I-2007 (1); Amaranthus deflexus L.: II-2007 (1); Eleusine distachya Nees : II-2007 (1), P. tomentosa : IV-2007 (1), Solanum americanum Mill. : VII-2007 (3), Senecio sp.: VI- 2007 (2) V. vinifera: Leaf, I-2007 (10), II-2007 (14), III-2007 (16), IV-2007 (53); Bud: V-2007 (1). ENCRUZIL- HADA DO SUL: Pinot Noir, V. vinifera, Leaf, III-2007 (3), IV-2007 (5). BOQUEIRÃO DO LEÃO: Cabernet Sauvignon, V. labrusca, Leaf, I/2007 (1).

Seven females were measured: dorsal shield 352 (325–367) long and 168 (157–175) wide, j1 19 (17–22), j3 25 (22–32), j4 17 (12–22), j5 17 (15–22), j6 21 (17–25), J2 27 (22–30), J5 12 (10–12), z2 23 (17–25), z4 27 (20–32), z5 19 (17–20), Z1 26 (22–30), Z4 46 (42–50), Z5 64 (62–65), s4 28 (22–35), S2 34 (30 –40), S4 31 (27–35), S5 27 (25–30), r3 21 (17–25), R1 20 (17–22), StIV 46 (40–52), st1-st3 60 (50–65), st2-st2 60 (55–65), G-G 61 (55–68), ventrianal shield 107 (95–110) anterior wide, 87 (80–97) posterior wide and 116 (105–132) long, spermatheca cervix 12 (10–15), fixed digit 28 (25–32), movable digit 24 (20–27).

Previous records in Brazil. Rio Grande do Sul ( Ferla & Moraes, 1998, 2002). All measurements agree with the original description. This is a selective predator of tetranychid mites ( McMurtry & Croft, 1997) and is used commercially as a biological control agent in Brazil and other countries.