A new species of Neoseiulus Hughes, with records of Seven species of predatory mites associated with date palm in Saudi Arabia (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Abstract

Eight species of phytoseiid mites are reported from date palm orchards in Saudi Arabia. Seven of them were first records for this country: Neoseiulus bicaudus (Wainstein), N. conterminus (Kolodochka), N. makuwa (Ehara), N. rambami (Swirski & Amitai), Proprioseiopsis asetus (Chant), P. messor (Wainstein), P. ovatus (Garman). Neoseiulus makuwa and P. asetus are recorded from the Middle East and North Africa for the first time. One new species is described from Bermuda grass, Neoseiulus saudiensis n. sp. The new species is most similar to Neoseiulus alpinus (Schweizer) and N. marginatus (Wainstein). A key for identification of the included species is provided. Copyright © 2012, Magnolia Press.