Saboori, A., Hosseini, M., & Hatami, B. 2003 Preference of adults of Allothrombium pulvinum Ewing (Acari: Trombidiidae) for eggs of Planococcus citri (Risso) and Pulvinaria aurantii Cockerell on citrus leaves in the laboratory.. Systematic and Applied Acarology 8: 49-54.

Notes: The adults of A. pulvinum have a wide range of prey. Herein, we determine the prey range of these adults and report eggs of Planococcus citri and Pulvinaria aurantii [Chloropulvinaria aurantii] as new prey for adults of this mite in northern Iran. We examined the preference of A. pulvinum for eggs of Planococcus citri and Pulvinaria aurantii in no-choice and two-choice tests. The experiments were conducted on sour orange (Citrus aurantium) leaf discs over a 24-h period at 26 plus or minus 1 deg C, 75.5% RH and a 12:12-h light:dark photoperiod. The predatory mite preferred Planococcus citri eggs over Pulvinaria aurantii eggs (P<0.05), and the mean number of eggs consumed by adults of A. pulvinum in the two-choice test was higher than that in the no-choice test. The potential of A. pulvinum as a biological control agent against these two important citrus pests from that region is discussed.