Bulletin, So. Calif. Academy of Sciences Vol. 49, Part 2, 1950 MITES OF THE GENUS NEOPHYLLOBIUS By E. A. McGregor Mites of the genus NeophyUohius in the past have been included in the family Tetranychidse. Rather recently doubt has arisen among a few workers, including the present author, as to the correctness of this family placement of Neophyllobius. Little, if anything, has been known regarding the feeding habits of these mites. In recent correspondence. Pence^ related in detail certain labor-ator}' experiments with Neophyllobius mites and Latauia scale crawlers, condensed as follows : ". . . When a crawler is encoun-tered ... it is set upon by the mite which quickly inserts its beak into a vulnerable spot . . . some opiate effect in quickly administered. The crawler . . . relaxes and allows its body juices to be extracted without struggle." Baker,-in recent correspondence, expressed doubt that Neo-phyllobius belongs in the Tetranychidse. He believes that these mites belong in the Stigmseidse "in the broad sense." Baker states that observations on several undescribed genera have caused him to undertake a re-examination of the mite complex embracing Raphignathidae, Stigmaeidse, and Caligonellidae. The available in-formation seems to justify the transfer of Neophyllobius from the family Tetranychidse to the family Stigmseidae, which is here done. Genus Neophyllobius Berlese Neophyllobius Berlese, 1886, Acari dan. Piaiite colt., p. 19. Generic characters. (Female.) Body small, compressed dor-soventrally, rotund to ovate, suture between cephalothorax and abdomen rarely visible. Dorsal integument with strise somewhat tortuous. Dorsal body setse peglike, lanceolate, or clavate, obscurely to conspicuously setose, often borne on tvibercles. Rostrum short, at times hidden. Palpi short, slender. 5-segmented, without the strong, talonlike claw on penultimate segment, but with two or more hairs, one of which may be bladelike. Manibular plate pres-ent; stylets needlelike, recurved basally. Legs long, exceeding the body ; segments with few hairs, mostly arising from tubercles ; patellae at times with a whiplike hair ; patellse I and II often with a barely visible spine ; tibiae often bearing a very minute, naillike seta subterminally ; tarsi much shorter than tibiae, often swollen at middle, and bearing a minute, spindle-shaped seta ; duplex setae lacking. Onychium bearing two claws, between which is a pulvillus bearing two rows of tenent hairs. Male unknown. Genotype. Neoppiyllobius elegans Berlese. 'Roy J. Pence, University of California, Los Angeles. ^E. W. Baker, Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, Washington, D. C. 55
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