2 5 B . M . Al - Chalabi Bull. Iraq nat. Hist. Mus. (2000) 9 (2):5-8 NOTES ON SOME MITES UNDER CERTAIN FIELD CROPS IN CENTRAL IRAQ Zahida Al-Douri Iraq Natural History Museum, University of Baghdad. Baghdad, Iraq ABSTRACT A study of some mite species of alfalfa. wheat, and barley was conducted in central Iraq. The mites were extracted using a tullgren funnel method. Twelve species were recorded. 10 of them belong to suborder Trombidiformes and 2 belong to suborder Sarcoptiforms. Three mites, Irnpar(pes hystricinus, Scutacarus longitarsus, and Rhizoglyphus echin opus are new records for Iraqi mite fauna, and 11 are new host records in alfalfa soil. INTRODITION The mite fauna of cohort tarsonemina and family Acaridae were rather neglected in Iraq. except for Mahmood (1987) who studied family Acaridae were associated with stored grain in Baghdad although they were extensively studies all over the world by many authors such as Cross (1965). Mahunka (1970), Bulanova-Zakhvatkin (1975). Vainshtein (1978). Sevastianov (1986) and Al-Douri (1988). Therefore it is fund necessary to make a survey of the different species of Tarsonemid and Acaridid mites in the soil of certain field crops (alfalfa. wheat and barley) in central Iraq. MATERIALS AND METHOD A total of 260 soil samples of alfalfa. wheat and barley from three localities in central Iraq (Baghdad City, Suwaira and Musiba) were taken and once a week when possible during October, November and December 1990 and 1991. The soil samples were collected from the surface layer (0-10 cm) using the aid of an iron sampler (10 x 10 x 10cm). Mites were extracted in the laboratory though a Tullgren funnel extractors kept in 70% ethyl alcohol. The mite were cleared in 10% KOH, Washed with distilled water, mounted in Hoyers medium on glass slides, and then carefully examined, under a stereoscopic binocular microscope. RESULTS Table I summerizes the result of a survey of soil samples in central Iraq. It is found that Iniparipes hysticinus Berlese, 1903 and Scutacarus longitarsus (Berlese. 1905) {Trombidiformes} and Rhizogiyphus echiniopus (fumouse et Robin) {Saroptiformes} consitute first record for the Iraq mite fauna. Eleven species of mite extracted from alfalfa soil and one mite extracted from both wheat and barley soil are new host record. DISCUSSION Al-Douri (1988) studied the mite of cohort Tarsonemina in Musayid and Suwaira areas in the soil of wheat and barley. She described 4 new species and reported 19 species as new record for Iraq. With the present two newly recorded mites for Iraq of this study the list of Tarsonemid fauna become include (21) species. The group Tarsonemid was neglected in Iraq become of its minute size delicate structure which is very different to deal with, although it is 6 Inheritance of dark head assumed to play a role in decomposing organic material as they are fungivorous or phytophagous (Gurney-Husy 1967.Suski 1967. Wicht 1970 and Al-Douri 1988). Mahmood (1987) in her study of mite associated with stored grain in Baghdad reported three species of Acaridae. The total number of species of family Acaridae become four with recording Rhizoglyphus echinopus (Funouze et Robin) in the present study. So it seems important to carryout future studies on this mite family. LITERATURE CITED Al-Douri. Z.N. 1988. Mites chort Tarsonemine (Trombidiformes fauna of barley and wheat in various parts of USSR and Iraq. Ph. D. Thesis In S.Zool.Acd.Sci USSR p. 85-89. Baker E.W. and Wharton G.W.1952. An Introduction to Acarology Mc Millan company New York. Bulanova-Zakhvatkina, EM.1975. {Super family Eremuloidae} 161-165. itlustr In: Gilyarov. M.S. {Ed} {Identification Key of soil inhabiting mites.Sarcoptiformes} Nauka,Moscow 1-491.(In Russian). Cross E.A. 1965 The generic relation ships of the family pymotidae (Acarina. Trombidiformes)\\Univrsity of Kansas. Science Bull. 45. -P.25-275. Gurney. B-Husey. N. W.1967 Pygmephorus species (Acarian: pyemotidae) associated with cultivated mushroms. Acarology. G.353-358. Mahunka S.1970 Consideration on the systemation of the Tarsonemine and the Description of New Europaen Taxa (Acari: Trombidiformes)\\Acta Zool.Acad.Sci Hung.. 16. 137.147. Sefatianov .V.D 1986 Mites cohort Tarsonemia (Trombidiformes) fauna of wheat. - M:Science.PP. 105-1 14. Souhaila .H.Mahmood. 1987 Mites Associated with stored grain in Baghdad. Biol. Sci-Res. vol.18 (2). 67-76. Suski, Z.W. 1968 Polish mites of the family Tarsonemidae (Acarina.Heterostigmata) Tarsonemus idaeus n.sp. Bull.Acad. Pol. Sci.Ser.Sci. Biol.. 16110. 637-642. Vainshtein, BA., Kuznetsov. N.N.,Livshits J.Z.and Sosnina E.F .l9784Family Bdellidae.I:133-143 In; Gilyarov .M.S. [ Key of soil inhabiting mites. Trombidiformes.1 Nauka, Moscow: 1-270. (in Russian). Wicht. MC. 1970 Three new species of pyemotid mites associated with commercial mushrooms. Acarology, 12\2, 262—268. 7 B . M . Al - Chalabi Table 1: Results on species, localities (given as numbers) and field crop soil collected in central Iraq. Mite species Alfalafa Barley wheat ORDER ACARIFOMES Subord. Trombidiformes Fam. Pygmophoridae Bakerdania centriger(Cooreman) 1 2 3 Bak. Grasilis (Krczal) 1 2 3 Bak. Tarsalis (Hirst) 1 2 3 Brennandania sp. 1 - - Mesopotamiphorus bobylonicus Sevastianov et Zahida Al-Douri - 2 3 Fam. Scutacaridae Imparipes hystricinus (Berlese) Pygmodispus sp. 1 - - Scutacarus quadrangularis (Paoil) 1 - - Scu. Longitarsus (Berlese) 1 2 3 Scutacarus sp. 1 - - Fam. Tarsonemidae - - 3 Tarsonemidae spl Tarsonemidae sp2 1 2 - Subord:Sarcoptiformes - 2 - Fam. Acaridae Rhizoglyphus echinopus(Fumouze 1 2 3 Et Rodion) Tyropagus spl 1 - - Tyropagus sp2 - 2 3 Localities: No. I: Baghdad No. 2: Musiab 80 km southwest of Baghdad city No. 3: Suwaira 60-km south Baghdad 8 Inheritance of dark head Bull. Iraq nat. Hist. Mus. (2000) 9 (2):5-8