Predatory mite fauna of Phytoseiidae of northwest Iran (Acari: Mesostigmata)

To determine the predatory mite family Phytoseiidae associated with spider mites in northwest Iran, a survey was carried out during 2006-2007. Nineteen species from 7 genera of the family Phytoseiidae were collected and identified. Measurements are given and some morphological characters are discussed. A key is provided to identify the adult females of the known 27 species of Phytoseiidae of that area. The following new synonymies are proposed: Neoseiulus vardgesi (Arutunjan, 1968) as a junior synonym of N. zwoelferi (Dosse, 1957); Transeius caspiansis (Denmark and Daneshvar, 1982) and T. patellae (Karg, 1982) as junior synonyms of T. wainsteini (Gomelauri, 1968); Phytoseius ciliatus Wainstein, 1975 as a junior synonym of P. juvenis Wainstein and Arutunjan, 1970; and Typhlodromus iranensis (Denmark and Daneshvar, 1982) as a junior synonym of T. (A.) kazachstanicusWainstein, 1958.