ARS | Publication request: Three New Cheyletid Species (Acari: Cheyletidae) from the National Museum of Natural History Entomological Collection

Submitted to: Acarina, Russian Journal of Acarology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: December 1, 2005
Publication Date: December 1, 2005
Citation: Bochkov, A.V., Ochoa, R. 2005. Three new cheyletid species (Acari: Cheyletidae) from the National Museum of Natural History Entomological Collection. Acarina, Russian Journal of Acarology. 12(2):137-144.

Interpretive Summary: Tank mites feed on noxious pests such as whiteflies, scale insects, thrips, and plant-feeding mites and are important biological control agents in natural and agricultural environments. Unfortunately, many tank mite species are unknown to science and must be described before they can be integrated into pest management systems. The purpose of this research is to describe three unknown species so that they can be recognized. This information is important to biological control specialist, pest management personnel, mite researchers, and U. S. port identifiers.

Technical Abstract: Three new species of the family Cheyletidae (Acari: Prostigmata) Mexecheles shiva sp.n. from India (Bombay), Alliea chimaera sp.n. from Australia (Queensland), and Neocheyletiella ardeola sp.n. from Ardeolla ralloides (Scopoli, 1769) (Ciconiiformes: Ardeidae) from Mozambique are described and illustrated. The mites were discovered and are deposited in the mite collection of the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, located at the Systematic Entomology Laboratory, USDA, ARS, BARC-West, Building 005, Beltsville, Maryland, USA.