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Title: Mites (Arachnida: Acari) inhabiting coffee domatia: a short review and recent findings from Costa Rica.

Author
item Vega, Fernando
item ASTORGA, CARLOS - CATIE, COSTA RICA
item Ochoa, Ronald - Ron
item WALTER, DAVID - UNIV OF ALBERTA, CANADA

Submitted to: International Journal of Acarology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/20/2007
Publication Date: 12/1/2007
Citation: Vega, F.E., Astorga, C., Ochoa, R., Walter, D.E. 2007. Mites (Arachnida: Acari) inhabiting coffee domatia: a short review and recent findings from Costa Rica. International Journal of Acarology. 33:291-295.

Interpretive Summary: Coffee is the second largest export commodity in the world after petroleum products with an estimated annual retail sales value of approximately US $70 billion. Even though an enormous amount of scientific literature on coffee has been published, relatively little is known about mites occurring inside natural cavities, called domatia, that occur on the leaves of coffee. Six previously unreported domatia-inhabiting mites were found in Costa Rica, including a new species of Asca found to be carrying fungal spores on its cuticle. This paper, which includes a review of the literature on mites in coffee domatia, will be of use to coffee scientists, coffee growers, action agency personnel, and to pest control managers.

Technical Abstract: Six previously unreported domatia-inhabiting mites are reported from Coffea arabica accessions planted in Costa Rica. One of these is a new species of Asca found to be carrying fungal spores on its cuticle. A review of the literature on mites in coffee domatia is presented.