Mesostigmata

t

Taxonomy

updated 2025

Diagnostic characters

• Phytoseiidae with all setae in the S-series and Z1 suppressed
• Seta s6 present, z3 absent; Z4–5 enlarged, barbed and with insertions contiguous.
• Genu II with 7 setae; genu III with 6 setae.

Key to species of Platyseiella

1. 27 pairs of idiosomal setae present, dorsal setae J2 and R1 absent; r3 on dorsal shield.............................. 2
   - 29 pairs of idiosomal setae present, including J2 and R1; r3 in soft cuticle.............................. P. longicervicalis Moraes et al.

2. Peritreme extending to level of setae j1; Florida.............................. P. platypilis Chant
   - Peritreme shorter, extending only to level of j3; southern Africa.............................. P. marikae Ueckermann

Similar taxa

Species of Paraphytoseius (Amblyseiinae) strongly resemble Phytoseiinae but have serrate-chelate chelicerae and lack both setae z3 and s6. Species of Phytoseius have seta z3.

Key to genera of Phytoseiinae

1. Seta z3 absent, s6 present.............................. Platyseiella Muma
   - Seta z3 present, s6 present or absent............................... 2

2. Seta z6 absent, s6 present; dorsal shield setae barbed, usually acicular, fine to thickened.............................. Phytoseius Ribaga
   - Seta z6 present, s6 absent; dorsal shield setae spatulate/paddle-shaped.............................. Chantia Pritchard & Baker

Ecology and distribution

One species of Platyseiella is know from each of three disparate regions: Thailand, Florida, and southern Africa.

References

• Beard and Walter 1996Beard and Walter 1996:
  Beard JJ, Walter DE. 1996. Australian mites of the genera Paraphytoseius and Paraamblyseius (Acarina: Phytoseiidae). Australian Journal of Entomology 35: 235–241.
• Chant and McMurtry 1994Chant and McMurtry 1994:
  Chant DA, McMurtry JA. 1994. A review of the subfamilies Phytoseiinae and Typhlodrominae (Acari: Phytoseiidae). International Journal of Acarology 20: 223–310.
• Moraes et al. 1989Moraes et al. 1989:
  Moraes GJ, Denmark HA, van den Berg H, Bellotti A. 1989. Some phytoseiid mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) from the Far East, with description of a new species. International Journal of Acarology 15: 129–133.
• Ueckerman 1990Ueckerman 1990:
  Ueckermann EA. 1990. A new species of the genus Platyseiella Muma, 1961 from South Africa (Acari: Phytoseiidae). International Journal of Acarology 16: 17–21.