Consumption rate of phytonematodes by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pergalumna</Emphasis> sp. (Acari: Oribatida: Galumnidae) under laboratory conditions determined by a new method

Although several generalist species of Pergalumna are known to be nematode predators, the potential of oribatid mites as natural enemies of phytonematodes has been underestimated. The objective of this work was to estimate the consumption rate of a Pergalumna sp. when feeding on two major pest nematodes, Meloidogyne javanica and Pratylenchus coffeae, under laboratory conditions. A new method was used, in which live nematodes are offered to mites and subsequently consumption is quantified based on the sclerotized, well preserved structures in the mite's fecal pellets. The assay was evaluated during 5 days, at 25 degrees C and 96% relative humidity, with three replicates for each nematode species. Every replicate consisted of a group of four mites isolated in an arena, to which 400 nematodes were transferred daily. The daily produced fecal pellets were mounted in Hoyer's medium for examination under a microscope. The nematode buccal stylets and cephalic frameworks were counted to estimate the number of nematodes consumed. It was estimated that a single mite daily ingested 18.3 +/- 0.8 (mean +/- SE) M. javanica (J(2) juveniles) or 41.6 +/- 7.2 P. coffeae (juveniles + adults), the maximal daily consumption being 34 M. javanica and 73 P. coffeae. The method showed to be practical, precise and suitable for laboratory studies in which nematophagous mites classified as engulfers are included.