Introducing some Eriophyid Mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Eriophyidae), associated with Weeds in Razavi Khorasan Province

The majority of eriophyid mites are phytophagous and some of them are important pests of plants. However, due to host specificity and other bioecological characteristics seen in members of this family, they are considered as important biocontrol agents of weeds. In order to identify the eriophyid mites associated with important weeds in agroecosystems in Razavi Khorasan province, during 2010 and 2011 different agricultural areas were visited and a variety of broadleaf and gramineous, annual and perennial weeds from orchards, cultivated fields and roadsides were sampled. As a result, 12 species belonging to four genera of the Eriophyidae family were collected from12 different host plants belonging to eight plant families and identified as listed below. In this list, species marked with (*) are new for Iran. Aceria acroptiloni Shevchenko & Kovalev, 1974; A. anthocoptes (Nalepa, 1892); A. chenopodia Xue et al., 2009; A. lactucae (Canestrini, 1893); A.malherbae* Nuzzaci, 1985;A. mashhadiensis Xue et al., 2009;A. pulicaris Xue et al., 2011; A.salsolae* de Lillo and Sobhian, 1996; A. tosichella Keifer, 1969;Eriophyes rotundae Mohanasundaram, 1983;Aculops maroccensis Keifer, 1972; Tetra lycopersici Xue & Hong, 2005.