Abstract
Within the scope of a project investigating phytophagous and predacious mites associated with date palm, Phoenix dactylifera L. (Arecaceae), a comprehensive survey was conducted at five different provinces of Saudi Arabia. Eleven species within eight genera of false spider mites (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) were recorded from date palm trees, ground cover plants, and soil debris. Among them, three genera, Dolichotetranychus Sayed, Phytoptipalpus Sayed and Pseudoleptus Bruyant and three species, Pentamerismus retusus Meyer, Pseudoleptus kermanshahiensis Khanjani, Khanjani, Saboori & Seeman and Tenuipalpus bagdadensis Al-Gboory, are new to the mite fauna of Saudi Arabia. Two new species, Phytoptipalpus phoenicis sp. nov. and Dolichotetranychus riyadhensis sp. nov., collected from P. dactylifera and Cynodon dactylon L. (Poaceae), respectively, are described and illustrated. A key to species of Tenuipalpidae reported from date palms worldwide is given.