Phytophagous Mite Diversity of Tetranychus spp. and Oligonychus spp. (Acari: Tetranychidae) Found on Different Host Plants in Coimbatore District and Surrounding Regions

Phytophagous mites infesting crop plants have been scarcely studied in Coimbatore region. Surveys were carried out from August 2012 to December 2013 to determine diversity of phytophagous mites (Tetranychus spp. and Oligonychus spp.) inhabiting different host plants from Coimbatore district and districts nearby. The Tetranychus spp. were collected from okra, brinjal and tomato among the major vegetables grown worldwide and also from other hosts such as cassava, jasmine, carnation, citrus, cardamom and Bauhinia sp. Oligonychus spp. were collected from rice, sorghum, tea, jamun and grapes. A total of six Tetranyhus species and five Oligonychus species were identified. In this study, two new species of spider mites, Tetranychus bauhini sp. nov. and Oligonychus pongami sp. nov. from host Bauhinia sp. and Pongamia glabra respectively, have been identified and Tetranychus taiwanicus Ehara and Oligonychus grypus Baker and Pritchard have been reported of its occurrence first time in India. Oligonychus vitis Zaher and Shehata was found to infest Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels to the best of our knowledge this is the first record in India.