Phytoseiidae mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) in pastures from Goiás state, Brazil

Abstract

Phytoseiidae mites are represented by more than 2,700 species commonly found in plants and soil with some species widely used in biological control programs worldwide. Knowledge of mite diversity in pastures and interactions between Phytoseiidae and grasses is essential for developing more efficient and sustainable management techniques for this crop. Here, we present a survey of Phytoseiidae species in pastures from Goiás State, Brazil, to contribute to the knowledge of the diversity and abundance of these predatory mites. We sampled 15 country properties in the Cerrado domain that had pasture crops used for cattle farming, for a total of 480 samples, from eight different Poaceae species. We recorded 21 species from 10 genera, including 11 new records for Goiás and two species collected for the first time since their original descriptions, namely Amblyseius atibaiensis Mineiro, Lofego and Sato and Proprioseiopsis biologicus Lofego, Demite and Moraes. Only Iphiseiodes zuluagai Denmark and Muma, Neoseiulus benjamini (Schicha), Proprioseiopsis mexicanus (Garman) and Proprioseiopsis biologicus Lofego, Demite and Moraes had previously been reported in Brazilian pastures, while the remaining species are new records in these ecosystems. Proprioseiopsis ovatus (Garman), N. benjamini and P. mexicanus were the most abundant species, whereas only a single individual was found for Amblyseius acalyphus Denmark and Muma, Amblyseius compositus Denmark and Muma, A. lofegoi, I. zuluagai, Neoseiulus gracilis (Muma), Metaseiulus (Metaseiulus) camelliae Chant and Yoshida-Shaul and Silvaseius barretoae Yoshida-Shaul and Chant. These results highlight pastures as reservoirs for predatory mites, with potential for biological control in agroecosystems. However, further studies are necessary to better understand this diversity.