Edaphic Mesostigmata mites in central Iran: Twelve new country and local records

Abstract

Agroecosystems containing edaphic Mesostigmata mites are considered important predators of nematodes, collembola, and insects, and those living on plants may be effective at controlling pests like spider mites. In the present research study, we provide new information about the Edaphic Mesostigmata mites known from the Isfahan metropolis in the central Iran based on the new field collection in 2019. In totally, thirty-two edaphic species belong to 13 families, and 25 genera collected and identified from Isfahan province (central Iran), of which four species are new records for the fauna of Iran (indicated by an asterisk). Twelve new provincial distribution records viz., Asca aphidioides (Linnaeus, 1758), Blattisocius tarsalis (Berlese, 1918), Cosmolaelaps claviger (Berlese, 1883), Gaeolaelaps neoaculeifer (Hrischmann, 1966)*, Gymnolaelaps obscuroides (Costa, 1968), Hypoaspis quadridentatus (Allred, 1970)*, Hypoaspisella asperatus (Berlese, 1904)*, H. patagoniensis (Sheals, 1962)*, Neoseiulus bicaudus (Wainstein, 1962), Parasitus mycophilus (Karg, 1971), Pogonolaelaps canestrinii (Berlese, 1903) and Polyaspis berlesei (Camin, 1954) are presented.

Keywords

• mesostigmata
• new records
• distribution
• iran
• agroecosystem