Eriophyoidea: Phytoptidae

Superorder Acariformes

  Order Trombidiformes

Suborder Prostigmata

Supercohort Eupodides

Cohort Eupodina

   Superfamily Eriophyoidea

        Family Phytoptidae (including Sierraphytoptidae, Nalepellidae, Trisetacidae and Pentasetacidae)

 

Common names:  gall mites, rust mites, erinose mites, eriophyids

 

Probability of Encounter: very high

 

Quarantine importance: Medium.  21 genera, ~150 described species.  Most are leaf vagrants or cause galls on woody parts of plants or big bud deformities, mostly on conifers or monocots (e.g. palms).  Phytoptus avellanae Nalepa cause big bud in filberts; P. hedericola Keifer cause leaf stunting and deformation of English ivy.   Nalepella species cause needle chlorosis and browning of conifer needles.  Retracrus species cause discoloration of fronds of palms, e.g. R. elaeis Keifer causes speckling and black and yellow leaves on African oil palm.  Currently, no phytoptids are known to transmit plant viruses or form erinea.

 

Diagnosis:

• Prodorsal shield always with 1 vi (unpaired median) or 2 ve setae: 1, 3, 4 or 5 setae in total

• Gnathosoma large or small, chelicerae straight or slightly curled

• Tibia I solenidion present or absent

• Subdorsal seta c1 present or absent

• Featherclaws not divided

• Spermathecal tubes usually long.

 

Similar taxa.  Immature Tarsonemidae have 3 pairs of legs and a gnathosomal capsule.  Eriophyidae and Diptilomiopidae lack prodorsal shield setae vi and ve and have short spermathecal tubes.

 

 

References

Amrine Jr, JA.  1996.  Keys to the World Genera of the Eriophyoidea.  Indira Publishing House, West Bloomfield, MI.

Amrine Jr, JW. 1996. Phyllocoptes fructiphilus and biological control of multiflora rose, in Eriophyid mites. Their Biology, Natural Enemies and Control, pp. 741–749, eds E.E. Lindquist, M.W. Sabelis & J. Bruin. Elsevier: Amsterdam.

Amrine Jr, JW. & TA Stasny. 1994. Catalog of the Eriophyoidea (Acarina: Prostigmata) of the world. Indira Publishing House: West Boomfield, Michigan.

Kethley JB.  1982.  Acariformes.  In: Parker, S.P. (ed.)  Synopsis and Classification of Living Organisms.  McGraw-Hill, New York, pp. 120-123.

Krantz GW.  1978.  A Manual of Acarology.  OSU Bookstores: Corvallis.

Lindquist EE, MW Sabelis & J Bruin. 1996.  Eriophyid Mites. Their Biology, Natural Enemies and Control.  Amsterdam, Elsevier.