Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #207500
Title: A new species of Leipothrix Keifer, 1966 (Acari: Eriophyidae) on Dipsacus spp. in Europe and reassignment of two Epitrimerus spp. (Acari: Eriophyidae) to the genus Leipothrix

Author
item PETANOVIC, R - UNIV BELGRADE
item Rector, Brian

Submitted to: Annals of the Entomological Society of America
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/5/2006
Publication Date: 3/1/2007
Citation: Petanovic, R.U., Rector, B.G. 2007. A new species of Leipothrix Keifer, 1966 (Acari: Eriophyidae) on Dipsacus spp. in Europe and reassignment of two Epitrimerus spp. (Acari: Eriophyidae) to the genus Leipothrix. Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 100:157-163.

Interpretive Summary: A new species of herbivorous mite in the family Eriophyidae is described. The mite, given the name Leipothrix dipsacivagus by the authors, has been collected from teasel plants (Dipsacus spp.) in Serbia and Montenegro, Bulgaria, and France. Leipothrix dipsacivagus is being investigated as a candidate for biological control of two European teasel species, Dipsacus fullonum and D. laciniatus, that are invasive weeds in the U.S. In addition to describing the new species L. dipsacivagus, the authors also propose the reassignment of two closely related mite species, Epitrimerus knautiae and E. succisae, to the genus Leipothrix.

Technical Abstract: A new species of eriophyid mite, Leipothrix dipsacivagus n. sp., collected from Dipsacus laciniatus L. (Dipsacaceae) and D. fullonum L. in Serbia and Montenegro, Bulgaria, and France, is described and illustrated. Differential diagnosis is provided in comparison with Leipothrix knautiae (Liro) n. comb., and L. succisae (Roivainen) n. comb., two species that are also proposed here for reassignment from the genus Epitrimerus Nalepa to the genus Leipothrix Keifer, within the family Eriophyidae. Leipothrix dipsacivagus n. sp. is being investigated as a candidate for biological control of invasive Dipsacus spp. in the United States.