Neoseiulus rambami (Swirski & Amitai)

Negm, Mohamed W., Alatawi, Fahad J. & Aldryhim, Yousif N., 2012, A new species of Neoseiulus Hughes, with records of seven species of predatory mites associated with date palm in Saudi Arabia (Acari: Phytoseiidae), Zootaxa 3356, pp. 57-64 : 61

Neoseiulus rambami (Swirski & Amitai)

Amblyseius rambami Swirski & Amitai, 1990: 117 .

Neoseiulus rambami, Chant & McMurtry, 2003: 27 ; 2007: 29; Palevsky et al., 2009: 1724 .

Specimens examined. Five females, Alhasa region, 26 October 2011, 25°22' N, 49°34' E, alt. 160 m, three specimens on the pinnate leaves of Phoenix dactylifera L. ( Arecaceae ) and two on Cynodon dactylon .

Remarks. The type specimens of Neoseiulus rambami were found on Ficus religiosa, Tiberias , Israel ( Swirski & Amitai, 1990). Morphological characteristics of the Saudi specimens are very close to those as redescribed by Palevsky et al. (2009). The only remarkable difference is that Palevsky et al. (2009, Fig. 4 E) illustrated genu IV with six setae. However, genu IV has seven setae in the Saudi specimen. Males are described for the first time by Palevsky et al. (2009). This is the first record of this species in Saudi Arabia, and it is otherwise known only from Israel.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Neoseiulus saudiensis Negm, Alatawi & Aldryhim n. sp. Female, 1. idiosoma dorsum, 2. idiosoma venter, 3. spermatheca, 4. chelicera, 5. genu, tibia and basitarsus IV.