Phytophagous mites (Tetranychoidea: Tetranychidae, Tenuipalpidae) from natural vegetations in Lara, VenezuelaPhytophagous mites from natural vegetation have been scarcely studied in Venezuela. Surveys were carried out from March 2007 to November 2008 to determine diversity of phytophagous mites inhabiting in different plant taxa in Iribarren, Jiménez, Palavecino, Morán and Crespo municipalities from Lara state, Venezuela. In each sampling site, a 500 m- transect was established and the most frequent plant species were sampled. In field, 15 leaves were examined for mite presence by using hand lens. In laboratory, plant material was examined under magnification and mite morpho-species belonging to tetranychid and tenuipalpid were picked up. A total of two tenuipalpid species and eight tetranychid species were identified. Tenuipalpid mites identified were Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes) on Cassia siamea (Caesalpinaceae), Capparis linearis (Capparidaceae), Spathodea campanulata (Bignoniaceae), Randia sp. (Rubiaceae), Melicoccus bijugatus (Sapindaceae) and Tenuipalpus sp. was collected from Spondias mombin (Anacardiaceae). On the other hand, tetranychid included Tetranychus urticae Koch on Terminalia catappa (Combretaceae), Euphorbia pulcherrima (Euphorbiaceae) and Enterolobium cyclocarpum (Mimosaceae). Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Boisduval) on Lycopersicon sp. (Solanaceae), Ipomoea sp., Convolvulus sp. (Convolvulaceae) and Leonotis nepetifolia (Lamiaceae). Tetranychus desertorum Banks on Parthenium hysterophorus (Asteraceae). Eutetranychus banksi (McGregor) on C. siamea, Chlorophora tinctoria (Moraceae), Dalechampia sp. (Euphobiaceae) and Malpighia glabra (Malpighiaceae). Eotetranychus cf. willamettei on Sterculia apetala (Sterculiaceae). Oligonychus biharensis (Hirst) on Clitoria sp. (Papilionaceae) and Ziziphus cyclocardia (Rhamnaceae). Oligonychus sp. on S. campanulata and Neotetranychus gloriosus Estebanes & Baker on Croton sp. (Euphorbiaceae). In this study, B. phoenicis is recorded for the first time on C. siamea, S. campanulata, Randia sp. and M. bijugatus for Venezuela.
Tetranychidae; Tenuipalpidae; trees; shrubs; herbs
