Iphiseius degenerans (Berlese)

Iphiseius degenerans (Berlese) View in CoL

Seius degenerans Berlese 1889: 9 .

Amblyseius (Iphiseius) degenerans, Muma 1961: 288 .

Typhlodromus degenerans, Hirschmann 1962: 2 .

Iphiseius (Iphiseius) degenerans, Pritchard & Baker 1962: 299 View in CoL .

Amblyseius degenerans, Zaher 1986: 99 , Northcraft 1987: 521, Papadoulis & Emmanouel

1991: 36.

Iphiseius degenerans, Berlese 1921: 95 View in CoL , Evans 1954: 518, Moraes et al. 1986: 61, 2004b: 92, Chant & McMurtry 2005b: 215, 2007: 125.

Iphiseius martigellus El-Badry 1968: 325 View in CoL (synonymy according to Chant & McMurtry 2005b).

The biological characteristics of this Ethiopian species have been well documented because of its use in controlling thrips on various cultivated plants in greenhouses. Iphiseius degenerans View in CoL is a commercially available biological control agent of thrips and spider mites in greenhouse crops. Although it can feed on a wide range of foods, thrips larvae and sweet pepper pollen are less favourable for immature development (Vanthornhout et al. 2004, 2005), potentially hindering the establishment of this predator in sweet pepper crops. According to McMurtry et al. (2013), I. degenerans View in CoL is classified as a type-IV generalist predator, it is one of the most common native phytoseiid mite species on cassava in southern Africa ( Zannou et al. 2005) and feeds on Mononychellus tanajoa (Bondar) ( Nwilene and Nachman 1996) View in CoL , a widely distributed neotropical mite pest of cassava in Africa, as well as insect larvae and pollen of many plants ( Vantornhout et al. 2005). Another study concluded that I. degenerans View in CoL can be considered a suitable biological control candidate based on its preference with Eutetranychus orientalis (Klein) View in CoL in the Mediterranean region ( Fantinou et al. 2012). Iphiseius degenerans View in CoL preys on Oligonychus perseae Tuttle, Baker & Abbatiello View in CoL outside the webbed nests. Although I. degenerans View in CoL contributed towards the control of O. perseae View in CoL , it is effectiveness is limited and needs further investigation, considering the inclusion of alternative food (e.g. Castor oil pollen)

for predator population growth ( Zappala et al. 2015). This is the first record of this species from the Ivory Coast.

Specimens examined — 34 ♀♀ and 21 ♂♂ collected between 05/IV/2017 and 17/IV/2018 14/III/2017 and 10/III/ 2018 in Abidjan, Anyama Ahoue (aasl 42 m, Lat 5°26′00.87″N, Long 3°55′00.60″W) on Carica papaya L.

World distribution — numerous countries in Northern and Southern Africa ( Demite et al. 2024), Mediterranean area ( Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Portugal), Near East or Middle East ( Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Türkiye, Yemen), in Europe (Georgia), South America ( Brazil) and in North America ( USA in California, Florida, Georgia, New Hampshire), Indian Ocean (Grande Comore Island, Comoros).

Remarks — The measurements of the 10 ♀♀ + 1 ♂ ( Tables 11 & 12) fit well with measurements of specimens reported in the literature.

Sources of measurements – Kenya: el-Banhawy & Knapp (2011); South Africa: van der Merwe (1968); Other African Countries

(Ghana 1♀, Kenya 1♀, Rwanda 1♀, Sierra Leone 1♀, Uganda 1♀): Moraes et al. (2007); Grande Comore: Kreiter et al. (2021);

Türkiye: Döker et al. (2018a);–: not reported.