The coffee (Coffea arabica L.) growing in Cerrado areas of Patrocínio, State of Minas Gerais, more specifically in the region of Alto Paranaíba, have been expanding with success. Coffee diseases and pests result in reduction of the productivity and quality. Phytophagous mites are among the pests that cause economic damage. Therefore, this work had as objective the study of the mite fauna on coffee plants in those areas. Four surveys were done, two in the rainy season and two in the drier season of the 2002-2003 period. Three families of phytophagous, four of predaceous and five of "generalists" mites were identified. The mite species were: Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes, 1939) (Tenuipalpidae); Oligonychus sp. (Tetranychidae); Tarsonemus confusus Ewing, 1939, Fungitarsonemus sp., Daidalotarsonemus sp., Phytonemus sp. (Tarsonemidae); Lorrya formosa Cooreman, 1958, Lorrya sp. (Tydeidae), Parapronematus acaciae Baker, 1965 (Iolinidae); Euseius concordis (Chant, 1959), Euseius citrifolius Denmark and Muma, 1970, Amblyseius herbicolus (Chant, 1959) (Phytoseiidae); Asca sp. (Ascidae); Bdella sp. (Bdellidae); Zetzellia sp. (Stigmaeidae), and unidentified specimens of the family Acaridae and of the suborder Oribatida. This is the first report on the occurrence of T. confusus in coffee. Also, three new species of Tarsonemidae and a new genus in the family Iolinidae were found, these being kept for later description.
Coffea arabica; Tenuipalpidae; Phytoseiidae; Tarsonemidae; Survey
