Survey of predacious phytoseiid mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) inhibiting coffee trees in Kenya with descriptions of some new species

Abstract

During a comprehensive survey of predacious mites in the different coffee zones of Kenya 33 species of phytoseiid mites were reported from 122 coffee farms: eight species of Euseius Wainstein, three Ueckermannseius Chant & McMurtry, seven Amblyseius Berlese, two Typhlodromalus Muma, nine Typhlodromus Scheuten, and four species from different genera. The number of species and abundance of mites greatly varied among coffee agrozones: 14 species in UMI, 22 in UMII, and 21 in UMIII. The predacious mite E. kenyae Swirski & Ragusa was the most common species in any zone. Although Typhlodromus species showed a greater diversity, they were recorded at low abundance. The study included the description of 6 new species: Amblyseius hamisi n. sp., Euseius majengo n. sp., Uckermannseius lugula n. sp., Transeius maragoli n. sp., Phytoseius kaimosi n. sp. And Typhlodromus ruiru n. sp.; Amblyseius italicus Chant and A. sundi (Pritchard & Baker) were reported for the first time from Kenya and descriptions are included.