REPORTS ON ACARINE FAUNA ASSOCIATED WITH WILD MUSHROOMS FROM KERALA, SOUTH INDIA
NEERAJ MARTIN *
Department of Zoology, Malabar Christian College, Kozhikode, Kerala, 673001, India.
SACHIN P. JAMES
Department of Zoology, Malabar Christian College, Kozhikode, Kerala, 673001, India.
K. P. AMRITHA SANKAR
Department of Zoology, Malabar Christian College, Kozhikode, Kerala, 673001, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This paper deals with a total of 24 species of mites belonging to 19 genera, 11 families and 3 orders, occurring on 15 species of wild mushrooms collected from Kozhikode district of Kerala. Among those, some are damage causing, some are predatory and some are of uncertain association with wild mushrooms. This paper includes species Galumna sandormahunkai, Pergalumna janosbaloghi and Neocunaxoides andrei which are reported from India for the first time. This study also includes 2 species viz. Cheiroseius sp. and Hoploseius sp. (family-Blattisociidae) which appears to be new to science. Besides, the present study revealed the incidence 20 species of mites, which were not previously recorded from any wild mushroom species in the world. All the obtained species are listed taxa-wise with collection details and remarks. Furthermore, a list of wild mushroom species and recorded mites were also provided.
Keywords: Wild mushroom, mites, new report, Kerala, Cheiroseius.