Plant mites (Arachnida: Acariformes, Parasitiformes) in Caatinga remnants from Piauí State, Brazil

Abstract

The Caatinga is a highly threatened Brazilian biome that may host numerous unknown plant mite species, as little is known about its mite fauna. Thus, our aim was to assess plant mite species from Caatinga vegetation remnants in Piauí State, Northwestern Brazil. The assessment was conducted through sampling mites in two natural vegetation remnants in the southern region of Piauí during December 2015. Species richness was estimated using the Jackknife 1 method (999 randomizations), while observed richness was calculated using the Mao‑Tao method. Estimated and observed richness were compared using a species accumulation curve, set with a 95% confidence interval. In total, 177 mites belonging to nine species were sampled from the Caatinga vegetation remnants. The Iolinidae family accounted for the largest number of individuals, followed by Eriophyidae. The predator mite Pronematus sp. was the most abundant taxon in our samples followed by the phytophagous Aculus sp. (Eriophyidae) and Oligonychus sp. (Tetranychidae) The estimated richness (Jackknife 1) did not differ from the observed richness (Mao Tao). Furthermore, Neoseiulus tunus (De Leon) (Phytoseiidae) was recorded for the first time in the state of Piauí. This is the first scientific work to report mite species on plants from remnants of native vegetation exclusively in Piauí State, Brazil