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Title: SOME TARSONEMID MITES (ACARI: TARSONEMIDAE) FROM THE BRAZILIAN ¿CERRADO¿ VEGETATION, WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF THREE NEW SPECIES

Author
item LOFEGO, A - SAO PAULO, BRAZIL
item MORAES, G - PIRACICABA-SP, BRAZIL
item Ochoa, Ronald - Ron

Submitted to: Zootaxa
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/4/2005
Publication Date: 1/17/2005
Citation: Lofego, A.C., Moraes, G.J., Ochoa, R. 2005. Some tarsonemid mites (Acari: Tarsonemidae) from the Brazilian "Cerrado" vegetation with descriptions of three new species. Zootaxa. 823:1-27. (#171343: January 17, 2005)

Interpretive Summary: Mites are serious agricultural pests that cause billions of dollars in damage to U. S. agricultural products each year. The family of white mites, considered to have originated from tropical and subtropical regions, includes members that feed on fungi, plants and insects. This study describes three new species of white mites that are of special interest as they are associated with Guava and ornamental plants in Brazil. Important findings on one genus were obtained after the mites were successfully reared on plant material. This research provides new information on the mites of the tropics that will be important to mite identifiers, quarantine specialists, and tropical biologists.

Technical Abstract: Seven tarsonemid species were found in leaf samples from the "Cerrado" vegetation in the State of Sao Paulo in southeastern Brazil. Descriptions of the four known species, Daidalotarsonemus tesselatus DeLeon, Tarsonemus bilobatus Suski, Tarsonemus confusus Ewing and T. waitei Banks are provided. Three new species, Daidalotarsonemus folisetae sp. nov., Metatarsonemus megasolenidii sp. nov. and Tarsonemus longisetae sp. nov. are described. Food habits of D. tesselatus are discussed. Key words: Acari, Tarsonemidae, Cerrado, phytophagous mites, taxonomy.