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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #380420
Research Project: Systematics of Acari and Hemiptera: Plant Pests, Predators, and Disease Vectors

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: New Record of Vittacus bougainvilleae (Keifer) (Acari: Eriophyidae), Brevipalpus californicus (Banks) and Brevipalpus yothersi Baker (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) on bougainvillea plants in South Africa

Author
item NGUBANE-NDHLOVU, NOMPUMELELELO - North-West University
item Ochoa, Ronald - Ron
item UECKERMANN, EDDIE - North-West University
item KAPP, CARO - North-West University

Submitted to: Acarologia
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/22/2022
Publication Date: 3/16/2022
Citation: Ngubane-Ndhlovu, N.P., Ochoa, R., Ueckermann, E., Kapp, C. 2022. New Record of Vittacus bougainvilleae (Keifer) (Acari: Eriophyidae), Brevipalpus californicus (Banks) and Brevipalpus yothersi Baker (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) on bougainvillea plants in South Africa. Acarologia. 62(3):332-339. https://doi.org/10.24349/d7co-7t53.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24349/d7co-7t53

Interpretive Summary: Plant feeding mites of economic importance include more than 7000 species, some cause damage to agricultural crops and ornamental plants, others are associated with diseases (virus, fungi, bacteria). This article reports three different mite species affecting a popular ornamental plant in South Africa. This study will be important to plant protection officers, ecologists, entomologists, biologists and agriculture and ornamental producers.

Technical Abstract: Vittacus bougainvilleae (Keifer) 1959 and Brevipalpus californicus s.l. (Banks) 1904 and Brevipalpus yothersi Baker 1949 are recorded for the first time in South Africa infesting bougainvillea plants. Bougainvillea plants, native to Brazil, are cultivated in home gardens as climbing fences or potted small trees. Vittacus bougainvilleae, the bougainvillea rust mite, was detected in the Western Cape Province during the summer season. Infested plants showed symptoms of leaf rolling, leaf and flower drop. Brevipalpus californicus and Brevipalpus yothersi were detected in Mpumalanga province during late autumn causing no obvious damage. In addition, predatory mites associated with bougainvillea plants were recorded.