Flat Mites of the World

Authority

Beard & Ochoa

Species group characters

Brevipalpus phoenicis species group

Dorsal opisthosomal setae f2 absent; tarsi II with 2 solenidia (one adaxial, one abaxial). Palps four segmented, setal formula 0-1-2-3(1s+2e) (s = solenidion, e = eupathidium).

Setal formula for legs I-IV (coxae to tarsi): 2-2-1-1, 1-1-2-1, 4-4-2-1, 3-3-1-1, 5-5-3-3, 9(1)-10(1)-5-5. Leg chaetotaxy: feI-II d, l', v', bv", fe III d, ev', fe IV ev'; ge I-II d, l', l", ge III-IV l'; ti I-II d, l', l", v', v", ti III-IV d, v', v".

Distribution based on confirmed specimens

Azores, Canary Islands, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Portugal, Rwanda and Burundi, South Africa, Spain, USA

Species characters

Adult female habitus

Figures 1, 2, 3, 4

Prodorsum

Central (Fig. 5): cuticle with strong, broad areolae

Sublateral (Fig. 5): posterior region with reticulation forming a few rounded cells; with a distinct cluster of small rounded cells medially; anterior region with a large smooth region

Opisthosoma

c1-c1 to d1-d1: cuticle almost entirely smooth, with some weak wrinkles medially (Fig. 6)

d1-d1 to e1-e1: cuticle almost entirely smooth, with some weak wrinkles medially (Figs. 6, 7)

e1-e1 to h1-h1: cuticle with a series of strong transverse folds, abruptly becoming smooth towards h1-h1 (Figs. 7, 8)

Sublateral: anterior cuticle smooth; posterior cuticle with large distinctly rounded cells (Figs. 7, 8)

Palp

palp femurogenu with barbed, broad flat dorsal seta (Fig. 9)

Venter

Setae 4a-ventral plate (Figs. 10, 11): entirely verrucose, with separately formed rounded "warts"; central cuticle may have some weak transverse bands (formed by fused "warts")

Ventral plate (Figs. 12, 13): cuticle with weak transverse bands; without separately formed "warts"

Genital plate (Figs. 12, 13): cuticle with uniform narrow transverse bands

Spermatheca

A moderately thick duct is visible.

Hosts based on confirmed specimens

The most important host plant family for this mite is the Citrus family - Rutaceae (Citrus aurantium, C. reticulata, Citrus spp.; bitter orange, lemon, mandarine, tangerine).

Other hosts include: Datura stramonium (Solanaceae); Camelia sinensis (tea; Theaceae); Chinchona sp. (large leaf quinine; Rubiaceae); Hedera sp. (ivy; Araliaceae); Musa spp. (banana; Musaceae).

Remarks

Previously listed as Brevipalpus phoenicis species group sp. D.

Beard, J.J., Ochoa, R., Braswell, W.E. & Bauchan, G.R. (2015) Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes) species complex (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) — a closer look. Zootaxa, 3944(1), 1-67. (open access: http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/list/2015/3944%281%29.html)