Phytoseiulus

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Taxonomy

Diagnostic characters of adult female

• Dorsal shield ca. 0.325–0.345 mm long
• Dorsal shield setae j5 and S5 both absent; j6 long and barbed; R1 barbed and >2x r3.
• Peritrematal shield free from dorsal shield
• Fixed digit of chelicera relatively short and with only 3 teeth
• Calyx of spermatheca subtubular, tapering gradually from vesicle
• Sternal shield with 2 pairs of setae; st3 and st4 both on small platelets
• Anal opening on anal shield with 3 setae
• Setae JV2 and JV4 in soft cuticle
• Genu IV without macrosetae; macroseta on basitarsus IV simple (ca. 0.110 mm long)

Similar species

Other species of Phytoseiulus have a sternal shield with 3 pairs of setae (st1–2) and have dorsal shield setae j5 and S5.

Ecology and distribution

Phytoseiulus longipes is the most morphologically aberrant member of the genus. It was described from southern Africa and is also known from southern South America.

References

• Evans 1958Evans 1958:
  Evans GO. 1958. A new mite of the genus Phytoseiulus Evans (Acarina: Phytoseiidae) from Southern Rhodesia. Journal of the Entomological Society of South Africa 21: 306–308.
• Takahashi and Chant 1993Takahashi and Chant 1993:
  Takahashi F, Chant DA. 1993. Phylogenetic relationships in the genus Phytoseiulus Evans (Acari: Phytoseiidae). II. Taxonomic Review. International Journal of Acarology 19: 23–37.