Bryobia vasiljevi Reck

Superfamily Tetranychoidea

   Family Tetranychidae

      Subfamily Bryobiinae

         Tribe Bryobiini

            Genus Bryobia 

Synonymns: B. repensi Manson 1967

Probability of Encounter: Unknown

Quarantine importance: High. 

• Bryobia vasiljevi Reck is a member of the praetiosa-complex and may be a damaging pest of apple, passion fruit, asparagus, wheat and other grasses, and some flowers in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.   Males are not present.

Diagnosis:

• Dorsally flattened mites with red cuticle; dark body contents; short, flattened, white setae; and very long legs I.

• Claws hooked; empodium pad-like and with more than 1 pair of tenent hairs.

• Prodorsum with 4 pairs of setae (vi, ve, sci, sce), vi and ve borne on prominent lobes over gnathosoma.

• Median lobes longest and partially fused medially; outer lobes well developed and mound-like.

• Femur I with 24-26 setae.

• Opisthosoma with 12 pairs of setae (c1-3, d1-3, e1-3, f1-2, h1, typically club-shaped.

Similar taxa.  Differentiating this species from other members of the praetiosa-complex is difficult and best done by a specialist.

References

Bolland HR, J Gutierre  & CHW Flechtmann. 1998. World Catalogue of the Spider Mite Family (Acari: Tetranychidae). Brill: Leiden.

Manson DCM.  1967.  The spider mite family Tetranychidae in New Zealand I. the genus Bryobia.  Acarologia 9: 76-123.

Zhang Z-Q.  2003.  Mites of greenhouses: identification, biology and control.  CABI Publishing, Wallingford:  244 pp.