title: A review of the natural enemies of the red palm mite, Raoiella indica (Acari: Tenuipalpidae).
abstract: A review of all the available information about the natural enemies reported in association with the red palm mite, Raoiella indica is presented. Twenty-eight species of predatory arthropods, including mites and insects, have been reported in association with R. indica in Asia, Africa and the Neotropics. In addition, pathogenic fungi associated with R. indica in the Caribbean have been reported. The available literature indicates that each site has a different natural enemy complex with only one predator species, Amblyseius largoensis (Acari: Phytoseiidae), present in all the geographical areas. The phytoseiids, Amblyseius caudatus Berlese, Amblyseius channabasavanni Gupta and A. largoensis, were regarded as important natural enemies of R. indica, and their predatory efficiency was studied in some detail. Among the predatory insects the coccinellids Stethorus keralicus Kapur and Telsimia ephippiger Chapin were reported as major predators of R. indica. The known distribution, abundance and relative importance of each species reported in association with R. indica are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology and Nematology, Tropical Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Homestead, FL 33031, USA. dancar@ufl.edu
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carrillo
authors.forename: J Howard
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: Jose Carlos V
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Jorge E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Peña
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020387:Food Chain; D007313:Insecta; D008925:Mites / Q000382:microbiology; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D011235:Predatory Behavior