Additional taxonomic studies on predatory mites of the family Cunaxidae (acari) from the Philippines

Taxonomic studies were conducted to identify and officially document cunaxid species that were collected mainly in 2016 from Mt. Makiling and vicinity in Laguna, University of the Philippines Land Grant area within the boundaries of Laguna and Quezon and several localities in Northern Luzon provinces of Isabela, Nueva Viscaya and Pangasinan. Samples of litter and other organic debris, as well as nests of ants and termites, were bagged in the field and subjected to Tullgren extraction in the laboratory. Mites trapped in the jar beneath each funnel were sorted out from other arthropods, cleared in lactic acid and mounted on glass slides for microscopic examination and identification and preparation of illustrations for species that were found to new to science or previously not known to exist in the Philippines. A total of 185 specimens were collected and prepared; these belong to 5 subfamilies, 11 genera and 24 species. Addition of new species discovered in the study brings the total diversity of Philippine Cunaxidae to 80, the highest on record worldwide at present. New habitat records were also found for 19 other species that were previously reported from the country. Two forml reports were published, the first dealing with the subfamily Coleoscirinae, and the second mainly with the subfamilies Cunaxinae and Cunaxoidinae. Four new coleocirine species were described as new to science- Neobozia ermilovi Corpuz-Raros, Naredo and Garcia; Corpuz-Raros, Naredo and Garcia; and Neoscirula lambatina Corpuz-Raros, Naredo and Garcia. In the second paper, one new species, Cunaxia minidiscondyla Corpuz-Raros Naredo and Garcia (subfamily Cunaxoidinae) was recorded for the first time in a country outsite its original or type locality in Peninsular Malaysia. The last species is a significant discovery as it was collected along with other predatory mites associated with the Cocolisap scale insect ( Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne) in Batangas where there were then outbreak infestations by this pest on coconut. The previously unknown female of Lupaeus longisetosus (Corpuz Raros, 1996) and male of Dactyloscirus trifidus Corpuz-Raros, 2007 were also discovered and described for the first time.