مشخصات پژوهش

The genus Tamarix L. (salt cedar) represents the most species-rich lineage within the Tamaricaceae family, comprising 73 species globally. It is predominantly found across the arid regions of the Old World, with its greatest diversity concentrated in the Irano-Turanian zone. Tamarix species include shrubs, semi-shrubs, and tall trees, characterized by their adaptability to saline (halophytic) and dry (xerophytic) environments. Most exhibit multiple stems and slender branches, making them wellsuited to harsh ecological conditions. During a survey of eriophyid mite fauna in central Iran, sampling was conducted on this region’s dominant plant species in the summer of 2024. Eriophyoid mites were extracted from plant material using a modified washing technique and subsequently preserved in vials containing ethanol 70%. Morphological measurements and species identification were performed using an Olympus BX53 phase contrast microscope. During this study, Dicruvasates tamaricis Abou-Awad and El-Borolossy, 1995 (Acari: Eriophyidae), was discovered on Tamarix sp. from Anarak city, Isfahan province, as a vagrant mite (4 females, 5 males and 2 nymphs). All morphological characters were similar to the original description, except for the genital setae 3a, which were longer, and setae h1, which were shorter than original description; this variation is likely due to geographical differences. The genus Dicruvasates Abou-Awad and El- Borolossy, 1995 is defined with directed upward scapular setae sc and four opisthosomal longitudinal ridges (two subdorsal and two lateral) bearing spinules and/or small, subtriangular, or semilunar plates. This genus contains two species in the world: D. tamaricis, originally described on Tamarix nilotica (Ehrenb.) from Egypt, and another species D. ngubani Chetverikov et al., 2024 on Tamarix usneoides from South Africa. This is the first report of the genus Dicruvasates from Iran and the first report of an eriophyoid mite from Isfahan province.