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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #266196
Title: New flat mite genera (Acari: Trombidiformes: Tenuipalpidae) associated with Australian sedges (Cyperaceae)

Author
item BEARD, J. - University Of Maryland
item Ochoa, Ronald - Ron

Submitted to: Systematic & Applied Acarology Special Publications
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/6/2011
Publication Date: 6/30/2011
Citation: Beard, J.J., Ochoa, R. 2011. New flat mite genera (Acari: Trombidiformes: Tenuipalpidae) associated with Australian sedges (Cyperaceae). Systematic & Applied Acarology Special Publications. (2941):1-37.

Interpretive Summary: Flat mites are pests on crops, ornamental plants, and forest and fruit trees and around 920 species have been described. They are very small and several have been associated with the spread of plant viruses. Body shape and color help them hide, making field recognition and control difficult. This paper describes and illustrates two new groups and four new species from Australia and provides tools to separate them from closely related mites. This study contributes information for identification of flat mites that will be useful for biologists, entomologists, zoologists and students involved in studies of nature and classification.

Technical Abstract: Two new genera, Gahniacarus and Cyperacarus, and four new species, G. gersonus, G. tuberculatus, C. naomae and C. foliatus, are described from native Australian sedge species in the genus Gahnia (Cyperaceae). Leg chaetotaxy is provided for all stages of each species. The importance of taxonomic characters offered by immature stages and ontogenetic changes in leg chaetotaxy are discussed. A key to the Tenuipalpidae associated with Cyperaceae in Australia is provided. Key words: Acaricis, Afronychus, Dolichotetranychus, Gahnia, leg chaetotaxy, Lisaepalpus, ontogeny, Prolixus, Tenuilichus, Tenuipalpus, Tetranychoidea.