Species Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor, 1954)

Museums

Regional Maps

• Typhlodromus californicus McGregor, E.A. 1954. Two new mites in the genus Typhlodromus (Acarina, Phytoseiidae). Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences 53: 89-92.

Introduction

A species known as Neoseiulus californicus is used as a biological control agent for spider mites, and is sold commercially for that purpose in Australia (Steiner & Goodwin, 2013). The name Neoseiulus californicus has be applied to several different species (Xu et al. 2013; Griffiths, 2015). Beaulieu & Beard (2018) presented a detailed analysis of Neoseiulus californicus and several related species, including its synonyms and misidentifications. A proposal to resolve the taxonomic and nomenclatural problems surrounding this species is being considered by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (July 2019).

General References

Beaulieu, F. & Beard, J.J. 2018. Acarine biocontrol agents Neoseiulus californicus sensu Athias-Henriot (1977) and N. barkeri Hughes (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) redescribed, their synonymies assessed, and the identity of N. californicus (McGregor) clarified based on examination of types. Zootaxa 4500(4): 451-507

Demite, P.R., Moraes, G.J. de, McMurtry, J.A., Denmark, H.A. & Castilho, R.C. September 2016. Phytoseiidae Database. Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz”, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Piracicaba, Sao Paulo, Brazil. www.lea.esalq.usp.br/phytoseiidae [Date of access 31 December 2016] (as Neoseiulus californicus)

Griffiths, D.A. 2015. The 'californicus conundrum. Acarina 23: 3-24

Steiner, M. & Goodwin, S. 2013. Neoseiulus californicus. Australian growers benefit from new production method for Neoseiulus californicus. Practical Hydroponics & Greenhouses 135: 30-33.

Tixier, M.S., Otto, J., Kreiter, S., Dos Santos, V. & Beard, J. 2014. Is Neoseiulus wearnei the Neoseiulus californicus of Australia? Experimental and Applied Acarology 62: 267-277.

Xu, X., Wang, B., Wang, E. & Zhang, Z.-Q. 2013. Comments on the identity of Neoseiulus californicus sensu lato (Acari: Phytoseiidae) with a redescription of this species from southen China. Systematic and Applied Acarology 18: 329-344.

History of changes