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Abstract
Coconut is one of the main tropical crops. Aceria guerreronis Keifer (Eriophyidae) and Raoiella indica Hirst (Tenuipalpidae) are the main coconut mite pests in several African, American and Asian countries. Mites are not pests of coconut in Thailand. A survey was conducted in Thailand to determine the coconut mite fauna in search of prospective predators to control A. guerreronis and R. indica in other countries. Twenty-four species were found, including nine Mesostigmata, an order containing effective biological control agents. A few specimens of the mesostigmatid phytoseiids Neoseiulus baraki (Athias-Henriot) and Amblyseius largoensis (Muma), were associated with low populations of Colomerus novahebridensis Keifer (eriophyid occupying the same niche as A. guerreronis) and R. indica, respectively. A new mesostigmatid species, Lasioseius siamensis Silva and Moraes sp. nov. (Blattisociidae), is described. Complementary descriptions of Brontispalaelaps leveri Womersley and Neocypholaelaps ceylonicus Narita and Moraes (both Ameroseiidae), relatively abundant Mesostigmata, are provided based on collected specimens.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Erika P. J. Britto, for her help with the identification of the Blattisociidae and Melicharidae; to Tatiane for her help with the identification of the Cunaxidae and to Fabio H. Akashi for his help with the identification of the Bdellidae. We would like to thank Pichate Chaowattanawong, Atcharabhorn Prasoetphon, Sayan Sukmisa and Wichai Judoung for their invaluable help during the survey in Thailand and Carlos H.W. Flechtmann, for his many suggestions for the improvement of this manuscript. To CNPq (Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development) for providing financial support for the conduction of this study.