LAUSR

The objective of this study was to carry out a large survey in order to characterize Phytoseiidae species diversity on cassava in Kenya. A total of 29 species from 10 genera were identified in diverse ecological zones in Kenya. The warm-to-hot low midlands of eastern and the warm-humid coastal strip yielded over 70 % of the species identified. The dominant species were Euseius fustis (Pritchard & Baker) and Typhlodromalus aripo De Leon present in 37 and 34 % of samples, respectively. Typhlodromalus aripo was found persistent in coastal, eastern and western regions of Kenya while E. fustis was present in all sampled localities of the country. In addition to morphological diagnosis, molecular sequences for DNA fragments 12S, CytB, COI and ITS, were obtained for T. aripo and E. fustis. Molecular diagnosis has revealed the unexpected presence of Neoseiulus idaeus Denmark & Muma and indicated its misidentification as Neoseiulus onzoi (Zannou, Moraes & Oliveira) in a previous survey carried out in Kenya. Molecular sequences herein obtained will help further diagnosis of phytoseiid species and complement the international reference databases needed to assist molecular identification of Phytoseiidae species.