Eriophyoid mites (Acari: Prostigmata) from Brazil: an annotated checklist

Area of Science:

• * Zoology, specifically acarology, focusing on phytophagous mites.
• * Agricultural entomology and plant protection.

Background:

• * Eriophyoid mites (superfamily Eriophyoidea) are economically and evolutionarily significant due to their close relationships with host plants.
• * Previous studies in Brazil focused on eriophyoid mites causing agricultural damage and associated cecidia (galls).

Purpose of the Study:

• * To compile a comprehensive, annotated checklist of eriophyoid mites reported or described in Brazil over the past century.
• * To facilitate effective plant protection strategies and inform future research on this group of phytophagous mites.

Main Methods:

• * Compilation of data from over a century of scientific literature (papers, books, theses, congress publications).
• * Inclusion of data from specimens housed in Brazilian mite collections.
• * Detailed recording of taxonomic classification, synonyms, host plants, host relationships, symptoms, and geographical distribution for each species.

Main Results:

• * A total of 234 valid eriophyoid mite species were recorded: 196 Eriophyidae, 20 Diptilomiopidae, and 18 Phytoptidae, across 92 genera.
• * Host plants included 233 species from 141 genera and 56 families.
• * Four new reports of eriophyoid mites in Brazil were identified, along with one new combination (Khanthongella secundum). Data on 67 cecidia attributed to eriophyoid mites were also presented.

Conclusions:

• * The current distribution data for eriophyoid mites in Brazil is uneven, with a concentration in the Southeast region, indicating potential research gaps elsewhere.
• * Eriophyoid mites exhibit high host plant specificity, with the majority associated with a single host species, genus, or family.
• * A significant portion of these mites are associated with native host plants, though many also occur on naturalized or exotic species.