The reason for this study was to compare the morphology of mites from three Japanese samples with topotypes from the Nalepa collection, in order to correctly identify them. With this purpose eriophyoid specimens were recovered from five vials of the Nalepa mite collection in the Natural History Museum of Vienna. We identified seven species and a new combination is established for one of them - Aceria thomasi and Aculops thymi, from two vials labeled Thymus serpyllum (Lamiaceae); Eriophyes spiraeae from a vial labeled Spiraea crenifolia (Rosaceae); and Peralox longirostris n. comb., Shevtchenkella ulmi, Aceria filiformis and Aculus mastigophorus from two vials labeled Ulmus campestris (Ulmaceae). A supplementary description is presented for these species. The Japanese samples were collected from ‘Shiso’, Perilla frutescens var. crispa (Lamiaceae), from Spiraea thunbergia (Rosaceae) and from Juglans mandshurica (Juglandaceae). The mites collected from ‘Shiso’ were identified as A. thymi, but the other two Japanese samples did not match the topotypes. These two samples may be new species and require further taxonomic studies.

We report Aculops ailanthi Lin, Jin, & Kuang, 1997 (Acariformes: Trombidiformes: Prostigmata: Eriophyidae) from Pennsylvania and West Virginia, USA; present the first scanning electron micrographs of the species in North America and discuss morphological observations that clarify features observed in slide-mounted specimens, such as the number ridges on female genital flaps; and briefly discuss symptoms and control of an A. ailanthi infestation on greenhouse-grown tree-of-heaven, Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle (Sapindales: Simaroubaceae).

The mite family Phytoseiidae contains predatory species used in biological control. However, among the 2,521 valid species, only a few are presently considered for pest management. The study focuses on a species, frequently observed in agrosystems, but whose biology is almost totally unknown: Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) recki. The objectives were to assess its distribution and to determine under laboratory conditions: (i) the development of three populations fed on three tomato pests (Tetranychus urticae, T. evansi, Aculops lycopersici), (ii) the dispersion along the tomato stem, and (iii) the dispersion from mint to infested tomato leaf discs. Based on its distribution, this species seems to be adapted to Mediterranean climate, and is preferentially found on Boraginaceae, Solanaceae, Asteraceae and Lamiaceae. Results show that T. (A.) recki is a generalist predator, with good performance regarding the number of prey consumed. Differences were observed between the populations considered; one population out of the three tested shows even a higher mean consumption of T. urticae than that recorded for Neoseiulus californicus and N. cucumeris. It is attracted by food source and is able to walk along the tomato stem. These results are encouraging enough to consider T. (A.) recki as a good natural enemy candidate for biological control (especially based on biodiversity conservation). Further experiments should be developed to test the predatory ability of this species at larger scale (entire tomato plants and tomato fields or greenhouses).

26/12/2024.- La RAIF achaca este aumento del virus en los cultivos de tomate a la presencia del ácaro del bronceado del tomate (Aculops lycopersici, también denominado Vasates lycopersici, al darse la...