New phytoseiid mites of French West Indies, with description of a new species, and new records (Acari: Mesostigmata).

The authors report results of several surveys carried out to collect phytoseiid mites, between April 2008 and January 2009, in crops and natural surrounding vegetation in several locations of Guadeloupe, La Desirade, Les Saintes and Martinique. A catalogue of 11 new species for Guadeloupe, La Desirade, Les Saintes and Martinique is provided with some information on their biology, when available, and biogeography. New locations for six additional species rarely recorded in the West Indies are also provided. Among the 11 new species, one species new to Science, named Transeius mariae-angeae, is described.


INTRODUCTION
Several species in the family Phytoseiidae are important natural enemies controlling phytophagous mite in several crops (McMurtry and Croft, 1997). This family is widespread all over the world and consists of about 2,200 valid species dispatched in three sub-families Chant and McMurtry, 2007;Kreiter and Tixier, 2010).
The Carribean area constitutes one of the world's hotspots of biodiversity. The hotspot of biodiversity concept was defined by Myers (1988) in order to identify the most immediately important areas for conservation of biodiversity. These hotspots hold high endemism levels and have lost at least 70 % of their original natural vegetation (Myers et al., 2000). The characterization of the phytoseiid mite diversity in the Carribean area is thus contributing to this general topic of conservation.
Nine species of phytoseiid mites were found in a first survey conducted in various locations in Guadeloupe and Martinique (Kreiter and Moraes, 1997). In a second survey, 41 additional species were recorded from all islands of the French Antilles (Moraes et al., 2000), including three new species to Science. In a third survey, conducted mainly in Guadeloupe and Martinique, six additional species were added to the French Antilles http://www1.montpellier.inra.fr/CBGP/acarologia/ ISSN 0044-586-X (print). ISSN 2107-7207 (electronic) 285 Kreiter S. et al. fauna, including a new species to Science . The present known number of species from the French Antilles is 56. This paper focuses on results of several surveys in Guadeloupe, La Désirade, Les Saintes and Martinique carried out from April 2008 to February 2011.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Plant inhabiting mites were collected from various cultivated (mainly citrus in Guadeloupe and bananas in Martinique) or uncultivated plants from April 2008 to February 2011. Depending on the plants considered, mites were directly collected on leaves with a brush using a stereoscopic microscope, or by using the leaf dipping-shakingwashing-filtering method (Boller, 1984), or by beating shrubs and trees. Mites were then transferred with a fine brush into small plastic vials containing 70°alcohol.
Plant species were identified according to nomenclature in Fournet (2002).
Mites were then mounted on slides using Hoyer's medium and identified using a phase and interferential contrast microscope (Leica DMLB, Leica Microsystèmes SAS, Nanterre, France).
Taxonomy follows McMurtry (1994, 2007), and the catalogue of Moraes et al. (2004b) was used for faunistical and biogeographical aspects. The chaetotaxy terminologies used in this paper followed those proposed by Lindquist and Evans (1965) as adapted by Rowell et al. (1978) for Phytoseiidae for dorsal and by Chant and Yoshida-Shaul (1991) for ventral idiosomal setae, respectively. Adenotaxy and poroidotaxy terminologies are those proposed by Athias-Henriot (1975).
Specimens of each species are deposited in the mite collections of Montpellier SupAgro conserved in UMR CBGP.
All measurements are given in micrometers (µm).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Eleven new species for French Antilles were found from April 2008 to February 2011 in these surveys. The catalogue of the 11 sp is completed by the available information on the biology and the distribution, along with taxonomical data. New locations for six rarely collected species in the French Antilles are provided and the new to Science species, Transeius marieae-angeae n. sp., is described here below.
Chelicera -Fixed digit 30 -31 with 9 -10 teeth and movable digit 33 -34 with four teeth.  (Denmark et al. 1999) with the cervix elongate, 4 -6 wide and 6 -8 long, with a big atrium at the basis and a visible long ductus minor on the paratype female.
Adult Male: unknown.
Paratype -1 female (on a separate preparation), same location deposited in the same collection.
Etymology -the name of the species refers to the first name of the first author's wife of this paper and describer of this new species, Marie-Ange Burgell, to whom this species is dedicated.
Diagnosis -the two specimens of Transeius mariae-angeae n. sp. found are close to Transeius bellotti (Moraes and Mesa) but differ in having: the shape of spermatheca very different (both pocular sensu denmark et al. (1999) but with an open cervix and with a small atrium at the basis of the cervix for T. bellotti and a more closed cervix, a strong large atrium and swollen edges of the cervix for T. mariaeangeae n. sp.); the presence of macrosetae on all legs and not only of leg IV; the setae length longer in the new species except Z4, S4, SgeIV and StIV; the dorsum smooth and not imbricate; the setae j3 and s4 not serrated and the number of teeth on movable/fixed digits = 9-10/4 (against 9/3 in T. bellotti).
It resembles also to T. rufus (Denmark and Evans) but differs in having: several setae much longer except for j1, Z4, SgeIV and StIV which are longer in T. rufus; the dorsal shield not reticulated in the new species and slightly reticulated in T. rufus; the number of teeth on movable/fixed digits of chelicerae = 9-10/4 against 7/0. It is also close to T. sanblasensis (De Leon) but setae are longer in the new species except for some (j1, z4, s4, r3, S2) which are very much longer and all macrosetae of the four legs are smaller in the new species. It resembles also to T. aciculus (De Leon) but differs in having j4 shorter (15-18 instead of 36) and S5 longer (14-16 instead of 9); and to T. cristobalensis (De Leon) but differs in having a shorter StIV (38 instead of 88).

Transeius rufus (Denmark and Evans)
Neoseiulus rufus Denmark and Evans, in Denmark et al., 1999: 73. The biology of this species found only once in Honduras by Denmark and Evans (in Denmark et 289 al., 1999) on the giant thatching grass Hyparrhenia rufa (Poaceae), a hairy plant, is unknown.
The biology of this species, found in Central America, is unknown.
Specimens examined -Guadeloupe, Basse-Terre, Rivière Corossol, Cascade des Ecrevisses, 16°11'N, 61°39'W, alt. 177 m, 1 ♀ on an unknown Melastomataceae, Kreiter coll., 26 Dec. 2008. Remarks -this is the first record of this species in the West Indies. The measurements of the single specimen collected fit rather well the measurements given by Denmark and Muma (1989). All the setae are however slightly longer, but at maximum less than 10 % of variation, which is less than the threshold of 20 % around the mean defined by Tixier (2012) to characterize intraspecific variations.
Biology -Amblyseius sakalava was first found in Madagascar on Corchorus trilocularis (Blommers, 1976) and then in a search for native natural enemies of Tetranychus urticae Koch in Sri-Lanka, collected on Manihot esculenta and identified by Dr Viebergen (Wijesekara, 2006). Its life history, reproductive performance on different foods and functional response to the prey were studied in the laboratory. At an average temperature of 29°C, when fed on pollen, A. sakalava completed its life cycle (egg to adult) in 4.5 days on average. The mean preovipositional period is 4.1 days and a female lays an average of 2.2 eggs per day when fed on T. urticae and 1.9 eggs per day when fed on pollen of Tridax procumbens (Asteraceae). The predatory mite reproduces equally when fed on this pollen and a mixture of T. procumbens pollen and the prey mite. But the reproductive performance was significantly lower when the predatory mite was fed on Tetranychus urticae Koch mite alone or pollen of Tithonia diversifolia or a mixture of T. diversifolia pollen and the latter prey mite. Study of functional response showed a typical type 2 response (Wijesekara, 2006).
Previous Records -Madagascar (Blommers, 1976;Moraes et al., 2004b), Sri Lanka (Viebergen, in Wijesekara, 2006 Remarks -this is the first record of this species in the West Indies. The measurements of the single specimen collected fit rather well the measurements given by Blommers (1976). This species was considered as a junior synonym of Amblyseius largoensis (Muma) by Ueckermann and Loots (1988). We fully disagree with this claimed synonymy as to our knowledge it was not demonstrated and as several characters are different between the two species: A. sakalava has 30 % longer measurements for several setae, especially Z5, nearly two times longer cervix of the spermatheca, at least 7 poroids on the dorsal shield to up to 15 compared to none to three maximum in A. largoensis, and the posterior limit of the sternal concave instead of straight in A. largoensis. However as we have collected only one specimen, all these differences have to be examined carefully on more individuals and the potential synonymy studied with modern analysis means.
The biology of this species found only once in Honduras on Citrus sp. by Denmark et al. (1999) is unknown.
Previous Records -Honduras (Denmark et al., 1999;Moraes et al., 2004b). Remarks -this is the first record of this species in the West Indies. The measurements of three of the four specimens collected fit very well the measurements given by Denmark et al. (1999).
The biology of this species found only once in Mexico on Eichomia crassipes by Denmark (1988) is unknown.
Remarks -this is the first record of this species in the West Indies. The measurements of the specimens collected fit well the measurements given by by Denmark (1988). Macrosetae are present on all legs but were not mentioned and measured in Denmark (1988).
The biology of this species found only two times in Puerto Rico (Denmark and Muma, 1975) on "higuillo" leaves (Piper marginatum) and in Honduras by Denmark et al. (1999) on Calea urticifolia remains unknown.

Moraes, Denmark and Guerrero
Quadromalus columbiensis Moraes, Denmark and Guerrero, 1982: 17 The biology of this species found only once in Colombia on Tanicum paniculatum (Moraes et al., 1982) remains totally unknown.
Typhlodromalus peregrinus can be found at the underside of mature citrus leaves, inside tree canopy, under empty scale armor, clump and dead scale insects whitefly exuvia, sooty mold and mine of Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton (Muma, 1967;Childers, 1994;Villanueva and Childers, 2011). Muma (1969) reported that T. peregrinus was able to reproduce and develop on Panonychus citri (McGregor) but did perform better on eggs and crawlers of chaff scale, Parlatoria pergandii Comstock, and six-spotted spider mite, Eotetranychus sexmaculatus (Riley). This phytoseiid was also reported to feed on Phyllocoptruta oleivora (Ashmead), providing some degree of rust mite suppression on lime (Peña, 1992). Thus, T. peregrinus seems to be a generalist species with the ability to reproduce and develop on the two key pests on Guadeloupe and Martinique citrus, P. citri and P. oleivora and probably several occasional pests. Its optimal preys were evaluated as Aleyrodidae, Coccidae, and Tetranychidae by Muma (1971). Fouly et al. (1995) have studied the biology of T. peregrinus in the laboratory at 26°C. Each of the following organisms was evaluated as suitable diet: all stages of T. urticae; immature stages of P. citri; and pollens of Malephora crocea, Quercus virginiana, and Typha latifolia. The combination of T. urticae with pollen was also tested. Total developmental time ranged between 5.73 and 7 days for females and between 5.67 and 6.93 days for males. The percentage of females in the total population ranged between 53 and 61 %. A diet of T. urticae provided the shortest generation time (T), greatest female longevity, and mean total fecundity (F) which resulted in the highest net reproductive rate (Ro) value ( The occurrence of high densities of this species on ground cover vegetation (weeds) is explained in Alabama citrus orchard (Fadamiro et al., 2008(Fadamiro et al., , 2009 by the possibility that grasses may serve as overwintering sites and alternative food sources, which is probably the most important factors in French West Indies citrus orchards as there is no overwintering in citrus crop in this tropical area. Typhlodromalus peregrinus was collected from 64 ground cover plants or vines in Florida citrus fields (Childers and Denmark, 2011) with highest numbers found on the following plants: Bidens alba, Solanum americanum (which is one plant of the ground cover on which T. peregrinus was collected in Guadeloupe), Amaranthus spinosus, Gnaphalium pensylvanicum, Lantana camara and Chenopodium ambrosioides). In Florida, the highest numbers of T. peregrinus in ground cover corresponded with peaks in thrips numbers, suggesting possible predation on one or more species of thrips occurring. Childers and Denmark (2011) suggest that this species should therefore be evaluated as a predator of thrips larvae and/or adults. Significant in-creases in numbers of T. peregrinus were also correlated with increased levels of several pollen species on citrus leaves (Villanueva and Childers, 2004).
Thus, considering all these elements, it is possible that T. peregrinus may constitute a key species in citrus orchards in French West Indies.
Previous Records -Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Hawaii, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Suriname, USA (Florida, Alabama, Missouri), Venezuela (Moraes et al., 2004b). Remarks -this is the first record of this species in the West Indies. The measurements and description of the specimens collected fit very well those given by Moraes and Mesa (1988).
The biology of this species found only two times, in Trinidad Island on Cedrela sp. and on an unknown Bromeliaceae by De Leon (1967) and on Hevea brasiliensis by Ferla and Moraes (2002) is unknown. This species is mentioned and indicated as a senior synonym of T. bhoraii De Leon in the catalogue of Denmark et al. (1999).
Previous Records -Brazil, Trinidad (De Leon, 1967;Denmark et al., 1999;Moraes et al., 2004b). Remarks -this is the first record of this species in the West Indies. The measurements of the single specimen collected fit rather well the measurements given by De Leon (1967) and by Denmark et al. (1999). All setae are however slightly shorter, between 1 and 5 µm, which represent less than 10 % of variation, which is less than the intraspecific variation of 20 % around the mean defined by Tixier (2012). In addition, Denmark et al. (1999) mentioned that T. amilus is a species submitted to variation in lengths of setae.
The biology of this species found only one time in La Réunion Island by Kreiter et al. (2002) on various host plants (Kreiter et al., 2002) remains unknown.
Remarks -this is the first record of this species in the West Indies. Several species are found both in La Réunion Island (in the Indian Ocean) and in the West Indies, probably because of reciprocal introductions certainly long time ago with slaves and commercial exchanges between the two areas or because of introduction of plants in Antilles and La Réunion coming from the same African area than Slaves. The measurements and description of the specimens collected fit very well those given by Kreiter et al. (2002).
Previous Records -British Guyana (De Leon, 1966), Guadeloupe and Martinique (Moraes et al., 2000), Honduras and Guatemala (Moraes et al., 2004b). Remarks -the measurements and description of the specimens collected fit very well those mentioned by Moraes et al. (2000).

Tribe Neoseiulini Chant and McMurtry
Neoseiulus Hughes

Neoseiulus longispinosus (Evans)
Typhlodromus longispinosus Evans, 1952: 413;Evans, 1953: 465;Womersley, 1954: 177;Ehara, 1958 This species was already mentioned from Guadeloupe and other Islands of the French Antilles (Moraes et al., 2000) but only in very few localities on various host plants. It is distributed in many countries of the world, mainly in tropical areas.
The biology of this species has been studied for pest control purposes including side effects of acaricides (Bin Ibrahim and Tan, 2000). The activity, feeding, development, predation, cannibalism, intra-guild predation and behaviour have been extensively studied by several authors (Schausberger and Croft, 1999a, b;Croft et al., 1999a, b;Schausberger and Croft, 2000 a, b;Blackwood et al., 2001 Remarks -the measurements and description of the specimens collected fit very well those given by Moraes et al. (2000).
The biology of this species was only recently studied. It seems to be common on various herbaceous plants (Moraes et al., 1986) and could be a Gondwanian species because of its currently known area of distribution: Caribbean, India, Oriental region and Africa (Ueckermann and Lawson-Balagbo, pers. comm.). This species predominates in the dry areas of states of Ceará and Pernambuco in Brazil on coconuts (Lawson-Balagbo et al., 2008a). This species thrived on the coconut eriophyid, Aceria guerreronis Keifer as primary food source resulting in shorter developmental time, higher ovipositon rate and higher intrinsic rate of increase than on any other diet (Lawson-Balagbo et al., 2007). Neoseiulus paspalivorus is dorso-ventrally flattened giving it an advantage in accessing the area under the bracts (Lawson-Balagbo et al., 2008b). This species is thus cited as a promising candidate for the biological control of the coconut eriophyid (Lawson-Balagbo et al., 2008a). This latter pest was recently introduced in Sri Lanka and southern India where it is causing considerable damage to coconut. Neoseiulus paspalivorus was found only on coconut in the area of production and on fruits, in association with A. guerreronis (Fernando et al., 2003;Moraes et al., Acarologia 53(3): 285-303 (2013) 2004a). Its presence on coconut in French West Indies contaminated by A. guerreronis is thus not surprising. The specimens collected were found very close from coconuts.
The biology of this species remains unknown.
The biology of this species remains unknown.
Specimens examined -La Désirade, Parc Eolien, 16°19'N, 61°02'W, 269 m, 3 ♀ and 1 ♂ on Coccoloba pubescens, Kreiter coll., 5 January 2009. Remarks -the measurements and description of the specimens collected fit very well those given by Moraes et al. (2000) CONCLUSION The number of species from the French Antilles was of 56 before the present study. Thanks to surveys conducted from April 2008 to February 2011, eleven species are herein added to the fauna of French Antilles. In conclusion, a total of 67 species belonging to 22 genera are thus now known from the French Antilles. These species belong to the three subfamilies: Amblyseiinae (51 species), Typhlodrominae (12 species) and Phytoseiinae (4 species) and a catalogue of these 67 species will be published soon (Kreiter, in prep.) with a key to identification. Some new collections and localities for rare species are added. Among these 11 species, T. peregrinus and N.