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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Reno, Nevada » Great Basin Rangelands Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #315935
Title: A new Metaculus species (Acari: Eriophyoidea) on Diplotaxis tenuifolia (Brassicaceae) from Serbia: a combined description using morphology and DNA barcode data

Author
item VIDOVIC, BILJANA - University Of Belgrade
item CVRKOVIC, TATJANA - Institute For Plant Protection And Environment
item MARIC, IVANA - Institute Of Pestiides And Environmental Protection
item CHETVERIKOV, PHILIPP - St Petersburg State University
item CRISTOFARO, MASSIMO - Biotechnology And Biological Control Agency
item Rector, Brian
item PETANOVIC, RADMILA - University Of Belgrade

Submitted to: Annals of the Entomological Society of America
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/13/2015
Publication Date: 9/11/2015
Citation: Vidovic, B., Cvrkovic, T., Maric, I., Chetverikov, P.E., Cristofaro, M., Rector, B.G., Petanovic, R. 2015. A new Metaculus species (Acari: Eriophyoidea) on Diplotaxis tenuifolia (Brassicaceae) from Serbia: a combined description using morphology and DNA barcode data. Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 108(5): 922-931.

Interpretive Summary: A species of herbivorous mite, Metaculus lepidifolii, is under study as a potential biological control agent of the noxious, invasive plant, broadleaved pepperweed (Lepidium latifolium). During field surveys for this mite in Serbia, similar mites were also found on perennial wallrocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia), which is in the same plant family (Brassicaceae) as broadleaved pepperweed. It was initially unclear whether this new mite was also M. lepidifolii, or whether it was a new species. If it was M. lepidifolii, its presence on a host plant in a different genus from broadleaved pepperweed would have called into question the suitability of M. lepidifolii as a biological control agent. Taxonomic studies involving physical measurements of the mites, as well as DNA sequence comparisons were conducted and the results indicated that the new mite is indeed a new species. The name Metaculus diplotaxi is proposed for this new speices. As a result of this study, research on M. lepidifolii as a candidate biological control agent for broadleaved pepperweed will continue.

Technical Abstract: A new species of eriophyoid mite, Metaculus diplotaxi n.sp. inhabiting Diplotaxis tenuifolia (L.) DC., has been described from Serbia. To investigate interspecific variability between Metaculus spp., on three different host plants of Brassicaceae we analyzed phenotypic variability of morphological traits and molecular sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (MT-CO1). Discriminant analysis identified seven traits that significantly differentiate three Metaculus spp: M. lepidifolii, M. rapistri and M. diplotaxi n.sp. Analysis of MT-CO1 sequences supported the results obtained from the analysis of morphometric features.