New records of the genus Bryobia (Acari: Tetranychidae) from Syria with description of a new species

Abstract

Three species of Tetranychidae belonging to the genus Bryobia were collected from Latakia governorate, Syria in 2019: Bryobia (Allobia) syriensis n. sp. collected from Salvia verbenaca L., is described; Bryobia (Allobia) nikitensis and Bryobia (Bryobia) gigas collected from S. verbenaca and from soil litter, respectively, are reported. New observations of Bryobia specimens previously reported from the same governorate during 2014-2016 revealed that specimens of Bryobia (Bryobia) watersi were misidentified as Bryobia (Bryobia) graminum and Bryobia (Bryobia) kissophila. Among them, we found two aberrant females bearing three propodosomal lobes. By analogy, we discussed the cases of the trilobed species, Bryobia bakeri and Bryobia aegyptiacus, and concluded that they could be teratological forms of quadrilobed Bryobia species rather than species with a particular pattern of propodosomal lobes.