Eotetranychus

Superfamily Tetranychoidea

   Family Tetranychidae

      Subfamily Tetranychinae

        Tribe Tetranychini

          Genus Eotetranychus

Common names: Azalea white mite, Pecan leaf scorch mite, Sixspotted mite, Yellow spider mite, Yuma spider mite, Willamette mite

Probability of Encounter: High

Quarantine importance: High.  About 180 species of Eotetranychus are described, including a number of moderately polyphagous pests such as the Sixspotted mite E. sexmaculatus (Riley) that attacks grapes, cherry, figs, citrus, azalea, rhododendron, figs, strawberries, guava, and a variety of other trees and herbs in much of the world.  Other pests are present in the US, e.g. the Yellow mite E. carpini (Oudemans) and the Willamette mite E. willamettei (McGregor) attack grape, fruit trees and a variety of ornamental trees; the Azalea white mite E. clitus Pritchard & Baker is a pest of azalea and attacks passionfruit, blackberry, and cherry; the Pecan leaf scorch mite E. hicoriae (McGregor) attacks pecans, other hickories, and a variety of ornamental trees.  Several species are of concern to US quarantine at the moment, including:

• Eotetranychus cendanai Rimando on citrus, murraya, legumes, and a grass in Southeast Asia and the Philippines.

• Eotetranychus falcatus Meyer & Rodrigues on cassava, fig, cotton, jute, peanut, cashew, and ornamentals in much of Africa and the Cape Verde islands.

• Eotetranychus kankitus Ehara on citrus, grape, rose, and ornamental trees in China, India and Japan.

Diagnosis:

• With 2 pairs of anal setae and 2 pairs of paranal setae; setae h1 terminal.

• Empodium split distally into 3 pairs of hairs; no spur.

• Tarsus I duplex setae distal and inserted near each other.

• Transverse striae between setae e1.

• Dorsal setae sessile, simple, and longer than the distance between their insertions.

Similar taxa.  Monoychellus has longitudinal striae between setae e1.  Platytetranychus has setae shorter than the distance between their insertions.  Palmanychus has only 1 pair of anal setae.  Other Tetranychini have either setae on tubercles or 1 pair of paranal setae or have hooked empodia with proximoventral hairs or bifurcate empodia.

References

 Baker EW & AE Pritchard.  1960.  The tetranychoid mites of Africa.  Hilgardia 29(11): 455-574.

 Baker EW & DM Tuttle.  1994.  A guide to the spider mites (Tetranychidae) of the United States.  Indira Pub. House, West Bloomfield, MI: 347 pp.

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

Helle W & MW Sabelis (eds.) 1985. Spider Mites, Their Biology, Natural Enemies, and Control, vol. 1A. Elsevier: New York.

Jeppson LR, HH Keifer & EW Baker. 1975. Mites Injurious to Economic Plants, University of California Press: Berkeley

Meyer, M.K.P. 1974.  A revision of the Tetranychidae of Africa (Acari) with a key to the genera of the world.  Dept. Agr. Tech. Serv. Mem. 36: 291 pp.

Meyer, M.K.P. Smith 1987.  African Tetranychidae (Acari: Prostigmata) - with reference to the world genera.  S. Afr. Dept. Agr. Water Supply, Entomol. Mem. No. 69: 175 pp.

Mignon A & CHW Flechtmann 2004.  First additions and corrections to the World Catalogue of the Spider Mite Family (Acari: Tetranychidae).  Intern. J. Acarol. 30: 143-152.

Ochoa R, H Aguilar & C Vargas 1994. Phytophagous Mites of Central America: An Illustrated Guide  CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica.

Tseng Y-H  1990.  A monograph of the mite family Tetranychidae (Acarina: Trombidiformes) from Taiwan.  Taiwan Museum Special Publication series 9. 224 pp.

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