Abstract

The postembryonic development, consumption and life table parameters of Cydnodromus picanus Ragusa and Phytoseiulus persimilis (Athias-Henriot) were studied at 29.44 ± 1.47 °C and 42.35 ± 5.01% of RH with a photoperiod of 14:10 h (L:D) in order to evaluate the potential of these predators for feeding on the carmine spider mite Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Boisduval). Eggs, larvae and protonymphs of T. cinnabarinus may be optimal food for C. picanus, which obtained survival rates of 100%, 97% and 93%, respectively, on them. The survival of P. persimilis was around 6.7% with diets based on eggs, larvae and protonymphs, showing a high mortality level by dehydration when fed with eggs. The time of the postembryonic development was significantly shorter (p < 0.05) for C. picanus than for P. persimilis when they were fed with eggs, larvae and deutonymphs of T. cinnabarinus. When fed with eggs and a combination of different stages of T. cinnabarinus, the intrinsic rate of growth (rm) was significantly higher (p < 0.05) for C. picanus (0.289 and 0.307, respectively) than for P. persimilis (0.019 and 0.025, respectively). The values of the finite rate of growth (?) were also significantly (p < 0.05) higher for C. picanus (1.34 and 1.36) than for P. persimilis (1.02 and 1.03) when they were nourished with eggs and a mixed diet, respectively. The high values of rm and ? found for C. picanus in the experimental conditions are indicators of the possible control that this phytoseiid mite, as a predator of T. cinnabarinus, would potentially offer under the conditions of lower relative humidity encountered in the arid zone of the desert of Chile.