Mites (Acari) from Araucária anaustifolia in Lages, Santa Catarina, southern Brazil

Abstract

Branches of Araucária angustifolia (Bert.) 0. Kuntze trees ca. 15 years old were collected twice a month during the year September 1983 - August 1984 and processed in Tullgren funnel and by beating them over a screen on a white enamel tray, to obtain the mite fauna. Oligonychus ununguis (Jacobi) and Tydeus formosus (Coorenman) were present throughout the year, as well as the Phytoseiid species Amblyseius chiapensis De Leon, A. metapodalis El-Banhawy and Proprioseiopsis spp. No visible damage to the foliage was observed. Oribatid mites were also obtained year round. Other mites, less frequent, were Blattisocius dentriticus (Berlese), Tyrophagus putrescentiae(Schrank) and mites of the families Bdellidae and Cheyletidae. Beating produced a somewhat better result than the funnel method.