Vol. 21 (3), September, 2019 BIONOTES MITES ON SOME MEDICINAL PLANTS OCCURRING IN PURULIA AND BANKURA DISTRICTS OF SOUTH BENGAL WITH TWO NEW REPORTS FROM INDIA ALONG WITH KEYS TO DIFFERENT TAXONOMIC CATEGORIES AFSANA MONDAL1 & S.K. GUPTA2 Medicinal Plants Research and Extension Centre, Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Narendrapur, Kolkata – 700103
[email protected] Reviewer: Peter Smetacek Introduction The two districts, viz. Purulia and Bankura, reported, of those, 11 being phytophagous, 17 come under South Bengal and both are being predatory and 2 being fungal feeders. It considered as drought prone areas. Purulia is has also included 2 species, viz. Amblyseius located between 22.60° and 23.50° North sakalava Blommers and Orthotydeus latitude, 85.75° and 76.65° East longitude. caudatus (Duges), the records of which were Bankura district is located in 22.38° and earlier unknown from India. These apart, 23.38° North latitude and between 86.36° and Raoeilla pandanae Mohanasundaram has also 87.46° East longitude. The collection spots in been reported for the first time from West Purulia district were Bundwan, Baghmundi, Bengal. All the measurements given in the text Jalda-I, Santuri and those in Bankura district are in microns. A key to all taxonomic were Chhatna, Bishnupur, Simlapal. The total categories has also been provided. land areas of these two districts are 6259 and Materials and Methods 6882 sq. km., respectively. The climatic The mites including both phytophagous and conditions of the two districts are tropical to predatory groups were collected during July, sub-tropical. Although both the districts are 2018 to April, 2019 from medicinal plants very dry areas but they are good habitats for encountered in Purulia and Bankura districts many medicinal plants.