that some of them are as follows. Mehrnejad and Ueckermann (2001) found A.
baccarum in colonies of Agonoscena pistaciae Burckhardt and Lauterer (Hemiptera:
Psyllidae) on the foliage of Iranian pistachio orchards during May to September.
Khodayari et al. (2008) collected two anystids namely A. baccarum and
Erythracarus pyrrholeucus (Hermann) from leaves of apple orchards in northwestern Iran. The A. baccarum and A. wallacei Otto were sampled from raspberry shrubs
in northern parts of the country (Tajmiri 2013).
3.2.2.6 Stigmaeidae
The worldwide family Stigmaeidae, in addition to soil and litter, is associated with
plants as active predators. After phytoseiid mites, the most important groups of
predacious mites are stigmaeids so that 35% of species are active predators on plants
(Fan and Flechtmann 2015). Also, these beneficial mites can assist phytoseiids in
suppressing pest mites, especially in unsprayed environments (Hoy 2011). The
family encompasses 34 genera and about 580 species (Fan et al. 2016) among
which the genera Zetzellia, Agistemus and Mediolata embrace the species with the
ability to prey on phytophagous mites in agricultural ecosystems especially orchards
(Walter et al. 2009). The wide spread Z. mali Ewing feeds on spider mites and
eriophyids in apple orchards (Gerson et al. 2003) however, in some parts of Iran
(Zanjan province) it has been evaluated as a not strong predator for spider mites
(Rahmani et al. 2010). This species has been recorded from various parts of Iran and
its different aspects have been examined in the country. Field observations in apple
orchards of Karaj, during 1999–2000 by Jamali et al. (2001) indicated that Z. mali
produces three generations per year and adult females lay one egg per day and,
survive without any other food on leaf discs for 10 days. Zahedi-Golpayegani et al.
(2007) stated that this mite is an important predator of the hawthorn spider mite,
Amphitetranychus viennensis (Zacher) (Acari: Tetranychidae) in black-cherry
orchards in Baraghan, and has ability to distinguish odors in olfactometers, with a
positive response to odors from A. viennensis and a negative one to odors containing
a conspecific predator Z. mali, implying that this predator may avoid competition
with other Z. mali.
Khodayari et al. (2008) showed that this species can develop and reproduce on
Tetranychus urticae Koch eggs in laboratory conditions. Spatial distribution pattern
of Z. mali and its preys Eotetranychus frosti (McGregor) and Tydeus longisetosus
Kuznetzov and Zapletina in unsprayed apple orchards of Maragheh, northwestern
Iran, were studied and revealed the peak density of E. frosti and T. longisetosus in
late August and mid-September. In addition, the peak density of their predator
(10.34) occurred in early July (Khodayari et al. 2010).
Some selected taxonomical studies on Iranian stigmaeids are mentioned below.
Khanjani and Ueckermann (2003) described seven new species and documented
some other records from Iran. Noei et al. (2007) found four species of Stigmaeidae
associated with stored rice and decayed rice bran in northern Iran. Beyzavi et al.
(2013) in their catalogue of Iranian Raphignathoidea and Tetranychoidea listed
110
H. Hajiqanbar and A. Farazmand
baccarum in colonies of Agonoscena pistaciae Burckhardt and Lauterer (Hemiptera:
Psyllidae) on the foliage of Iranian pistachio orchards during May to September.
Khodayari et al. (2008) collected two anystids namely A. baccarum and
Erythracarus pyrrholeucus (Hermann) from leaves of apple orchards in northwestern Iran. The A. baccarum and A. wallacei Otto were sampled from raspberry shrubs
in northern parts of the country (Tajmiri 2013).
3.2.2.6 Stigmaeidae
The worldwide family Stigmaeidae, in addition to soil and litter, is associated with
plants as active predators. After phytoseiid mites, the most important groups of
predacious mites are stigmaeids so that 35% of species are active predators on plants
(Fan and Flechtmann 2015). Also, these beneficial mites can assist phytoseiids in
suppressing pest mites, especially in unsprayed environments (Hoy 2011). The
family encompasses 34 genera and about 580 species (Fan et al. 2016) among
which the genera Zetzellia, Agistemus and Mediolata embrace the species with the
ability to prey on phytophagous mites in agricultural ecosystems especially orchards
(Walter et al. 2009). The wide spread Z. mali Ewing feeds on spider mites and
eriophyids in apple orchards (Gerson et al. 2003) however, in some parts of Iran
(Zanjan province) it has been evaluated as a not strong predator for spider mites
(Rahmani et al. 2010). This species has been recorded from various parts of Iran and
its different aspects have been examined in the country. Field observations in apple
orchards of Karaj, during 1999–2000 by Jamali et al. (2001) indicated that Z. mali
produces three generations per year and adult females lay one egg per day and,
survive without any other food on leaf discs for 10 days. Zahedi-Golpayegani et al.
(2007) stated that this mite is an important predator of the hawthorn spider mite,
Amphitetranychus viennensis (Zacher) (Acari: Tetranychidae) in black-cherry
orchards in Baraghan, and has ability to distinguish odors in olfactometers, with a
positive response to odors from A. viennensis and a negative one to odors containing
a conspecific predator Z. mali, implying that this predator may avoid competition
with other Z. mali.
Khodayari et al. (2008) showed that this species can develop and reproduce on
Tetranychus urticae Koch eggs in laboratory conditions. Spatial distribution pattern
of Z. mali and its preys Eotetranychus frosti (McGregor) and Tydeus longisetosus
Kuznetzov and Zapletina in unsprayed apple orchards of Maragheh, northwestern
Iran, were studied and revealed the peak density of E. frosti and T. longisetosus in
late August and mid-September. In addition, the peak density of their predator
(10.34) occurred in early July (Khodayari et al. 2010).
Some selected taxonomical studies on Iranian stigmaeids are mentioned below.
Khanjani and Ueckermann (2003) described seven new species and documented
some other records from Iran. Noei et al. (2007) found four species of Stigmaeidae
associated with stored rice and decayed rice bran in northern Iran. Beyzavi et al.
(2013) in their catalogue of Iranian Raphignathoidea and Tetranychoidea listed
110
H. Hajiqanbar and A. Farazmand