The determination of mite species and their population densities on oak trees on the campus of Ondokuz Mayıs University in Samsun, Türki̇ye

This study was carried out to determine the mite species and their densities on oak trees in the 600 ha campus area of Ondokuz Mayıs University between 2021 and 2023. Periodic samplings were done to collect leaves and shoot samples. They were taken to the laboratory and examined under a stereo-microscope to collect the mites. Their population densities were also determined. All of the collected mites were preserved in 70% ethyl-alcohol, cleared in lactophenol or lactic acid, mounted by using Hoyer's medium and then identified. Mites were collected on 41% of the collected samples. Twenty species in 11 families and 4 orders were identified. The species were: Bariella bakonyense Ripka and Csoka, 2010 and Rhyncaphytoptus cerrifoliae Farkas, 1963 (Eriophyidae); Eotetranychus quercicola Auger and Migeon, 2014 (Tetranychidae); Brevipalpus recki Livshitz and Mitrofanov, 1968, B. mitrofanovi (Pegazzano, 1975) and Cenopalpus sp. (Tenuipalpidae); Triophtydeus triophthalmus (Oudemans, 1929) (Triophtydeidae); Brachytydeus mali (Oudemans, 1929), Tydeus clavimaculatus Kazmierski, 2013 and T. dignus Livshitz, 1973 (Tydeidae); Homeopronematus staerki (Schruft, 1972) (Iolinidae); Euseius finlandicus (Oudemans, 1915), E. gallicus Kreiter and Tixier, 2010, Kampimodromus langei Wainstein and Arutunjan, 1973, Phytoseius finitimus Ribaga, 1904, Typhloseiulus peculiaris (Kolodochka, 1980) and Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) intercalaris Livshitz and Kuznetsov, 1972 (Phytoseiidae); Czenspinskia transversostriata (Oudemans, 1931) (Winterschmidtiidae); and Dendroptus flexus (Livshitz, Mitrofanov and Sharonov, 1979) and D. willmanni (Schaarschmidt, 1959) (Tarsonemidae). The predatory mite Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) intercalaris, phytophagous mite B. recki and neutral mite, C. transversostriata, were the most abundant species. Six species found in this study, B. bakonyense, R. cerrifoliae, B. mitrofanovi, T. dignus, K. langei and D. flexus, are new records for Türkiye. The remnant oak forests on the campus of Ondokuz Mayis University are an important refuge for a rich foliar mite fauna, and probably for other mite groups and invertebrates in general. These oak forests therefore constitute a rich biodiversity and research resource for Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun Province and Türkiye, and should be managed to retain that status.