Effect of Different Host Plants on Life Type Characteristics of Three Spider Mite Pests (Acari: Prostigmata: Tetranychidae).

The present study evaluated the host plant effect on life type characteristics of three important spider mite pest species, Koch, (Klein), and Attiah (Acari: Prostigmata: Tetranychidae), based on both field and laboratory observations. The polyphagous species, with complicated web (CW-u) life type, occupying unstable habitats, showed variations in the sites for quiescence (SQ), sites for oviposition (SO), sites for defecation (SD), and webbing density (WD) on different annual/perennial host plants. The SQ, SO, and SD of .

World species of the subgenus Oligonychus (Reckiella) Tuttle and Baker (Acari, Prostigmata, Tetranychidae), diagnostic keys, taxonomic notes, and a new species.

Oligonychus Berlese (Acari, Prostigmata, Tetranychidae) is an agriculturally important and the largest genus of spider mites, comprised of 211 species (including new species), two subgenera, four species groups, and 11 species subgroups. The present study comprehensively addressed the morphotaxonomic-based identification of world species of the subgenus Reckiella Tuttle and Baker. Five diagnostic keys were developed for identifying Oligonychus (Reckiella) species belonging to five species subgroups: iseilemae, pritchardi, biharensis, gossypii, and exsiccator.

Molecular-Based Taxonomic Inferences of Some Spider Mite Species of the Genus Berlese (Acari, Prostigmata, Tetranychidae).

DNA barcoding technology using short DNA sequences has emerged as an efficient and reliable tool for identifying, confirming, and resolving closely related taxa. This study used ITS2-rDNA and mtCOI DNA sequences to confirm the identity of eight species, representing 68 spider mite samples, collected mainly from Saudi Arabia (SA) and some from Mexico, Pakistan, USA, and Yemen. The intraspecific nucleotide divergences of the studied species ranged from 0% to 1.

Evidence for Reconsidering the Taxonomic Status of Closely Related Species in Complex (Acari: Prostigmata: Tetranychidae).

To elucidate the taxonomic problems in species delineation within the Oligonychus punicae complex (O. punicae, O. mangiferus, and O.

The genus Berlese (Acari, Prostigmata, Tetranychidae): taxonomic assessment and a key to subgenera, species groups, and subgroups.

A comprehensive taxonomic assessment of the most agriculturally important and highly diverse spider mite genus, Berlese (Acari: Tetranychidae) was performed. The sub-generic division, species groups, doubtful species, species complexes and the interpretation of a key generic character are discussed. Based on the orientation of the male aedeagus, only two subgenera, namely Berlese (aedeagus downturned) and Tuttle & Baker (aedeagus upturned), are valid in the genus .

Two new life types and assessment of web-associated behavioral characteristics of some Oligonychus species on various host plants.

The webbing life type of three spider mite species of the genus Oligonychus was studied based on web-associated behavioral characteristics. All tested Oligonychus species-viz., avocado brown mite, Oligonychus punicae (Hirst), date palm mite, Oligonychus afrasiaticus (McGregor), and banks grass mite, Oligonychus pratensis (Banks)-exhibited a complicated-web (CW) life type on various host plants.