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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #409710
Research Project: Systematics of Acari and Hemiptera: Plant Pests, Predators, and Disease Vectors

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: Updated Italian checklist of tenuipalpidae with description of a new species and new worldwide records of the genus Cenopalpus (Pritchard et Baker)

Author
item DE GIOSA, MARCELLO - Bari University
item Ochoa, Ronald - Ron
item CASTRO, E. - Sao Paulo State University (UNESP)
item SIMONI, SAURO - National Council Of Agricultural Research (CRA)
item GLIK, TOBIA - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
item TASSI, ALINE - Universidad De Sao Paulo
item DE LILLO, E. - Bari University

Submitted to: International Journal of Acarology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/5/2024
Publication Date: 3/1/2024
Citation: De Giosa, M., Ochoa, R., Castro, E.B., Simoni, S., Glik, T., Tassi, A.D., De Lillo, E. 2024. Updated Italian checklist of tenuipalpidae with description of a new species and new worldwide records of the genus Cenopalpus (Pritchard et Baker). International Journal of Acarology. 50(3):237-286. https://doi.org/10.1080/01647954.2024.2318364.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01647954.2024.2318364

Interpretive Summary: Flat mites, also known as false spider mites, are plant feeding mites that comprise many important economic pest species of crops, fruit trees, and ornamentals. Several species can cause yellowing and necrosis on leaves and fruits, and some are known to vector plant viruses. There are overlooked because of their small size and cryptic behavior of hiding in the cracks and crevices of their plant hosts. The importance of this list is to update information on the number of species, plant host associations, and distribution of the Tenuipalpidae species from Italy. This manuscript will be a key reference for biologists, ecologist, entomologists and persons involved in mite systematics and plant protection.

Technical Abstract: The family Tenuipalpidae includes agricultural pests that have garnered extensive attention from the global research community. Despite the economic importance of tenuipalpids, due to their ecology and global trade of the infested plants, there has not been any corresponding and comprehensive research on these mites in Italy in recent decades. This study aimed to determine the species composition of tenuipalpid mites in Italy, update the Italian checklist for the taxon, and include new records and host plant associations of the genera Brevipalpus Donnadieu and Cenopalpus Pritchard and Baker worldwide. The research used advanced microscope including cryo-scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM), Table-top SEM, and differential interference contrast (DIC), to analyze the morphological characteristics of the mites in detail. The study found several new records of tenuipalpid species in Italy, including five Cenopalpus, three Brevipalpus, two Tenuipalpus Donnadieu, and one Pentamerismus McGregor species. Additionally, one new species Cenopalpus ulmifolius (De Giosa, Ochoa et de Lillo) was added to the list. The research also incorporated new records of Cenopalpus species in different countries and several new host plant associations and the description of novel taxonomic characters were present for the Cenopalpus species studied during this work, since they were the most abundant tenuipalpid collected in the sampled areas. The study’s findings are crucial for developing effective management for tenuipalpid mites, understanding the fauna composition, and constructing preparedness strategies for quarantine purposes.