Plant inhabiting mites (Acari) of the "Estação Ecológica de Paulo de Faria", State of São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

This study was conducted in the "Estação Ecológica de Paulo de Faria", northern region of the State of São Paulo, Brazil, to determine the biodiversity of plant inhabiting mites in patches of native semideciduous forest. One hundred twenty three species of the suborders Gamasida, Actinedida, Acaridida and Oribatida (35 nominally identified), belonging to 78 genera in 25 families, were collected on 18 plant species. The most frequent species were Euseius concordis (Chant) and Iphiseiodes zuluagai Denmark & Muma, found on eight and six plant species, respectively. The largest richness was observed in Psicotria cartagenensis (eight species), Cecropia pachystachya (seven species), Guarea kunthiana and Jacaratia spinosa (six species).