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Abstract
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False spider mites were described by Berlese in 1913. Commonly known as flat mites or false spider mites, they are distributed worldwide. All members of this family are phytophagous and make damage on the plant hosts. They are found in greenhouses, on ornamental plants and on a wide range of other plants (Khanjani et al., 2012, 2013). During 2014-2015, a research project was conducted to study the false spider mites in Qom vicinities. In this respect, leaves of trees which were infested by false spider mites were collected and taken to the laboratory for being processed. Mites were removed from plant leaves with a No. 0 paint brush under a stereomicroscope (Wild M8) and directly mounted in Hoyer’s medium. In total, 13 species, belonging to 5 different genera were identified, namely: Aegyptobia tragardhiSayed, 1950; A. beglaroviLivschitz and Mitrofanov, 1967; Cenopalpus khosrowshahiKhanjani et al., 2012; C. prunusiKhanjani et al., 2012; C. bakeriDuzgunez, 1967; C. iraniDosse, 1971; C. crataegiDosse, 1971; C. lanceolatisetaeAttiah, 1956; C. meyerae Khosrowshahi, 1991; C. saryabiensis Akbar and Chaudhri, 1958; Phytoptipalpus salicicola(Al-Gboory, 1987); Pseudoleptus kermanshahiensisKhanjani et al., 2012; Tenuipalpus punicaePritchard & Baker, 1958. Among them, A. tragardhi, C. bakeriand T. punicaewere found in high populations on cedar, prune and pomegranate trees respectively.
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