An Updated Checklist of Indian Phytoseiid Mites (Acari:Mesostigmata)

The mites of the family Phytoseiidae have received worldwide attention because of their importance in biological control of mite and some of the soft-bodied insect pests of various crops. This is probably the most explored and exploited among all the predatory mites. In view of their importance, these mites have also been explored in India, from where many new species have been described since 1960. Apart from these, some work has also been carried out in India on their bioecology, predator–prey interactions, and the effects of pesticides on these mites, which have been reviewed in Gupta (2003a).