Tydeoid mites (Acari: Tydeidae, Edbakerellidae, Iolinidae) occurring on Citrus in southern Africa

Abstract

Tydeoids were collected from different southern African localities by beating citrus foliage and branches. Pronematus ubiquitus (McGregor) was the most frequently encountered, followed by Tydeus munsteri Meyer and Ryke. Some species appeared to be restricted to certain climate types, e.g. Parapronematus geminus Meyer and Rodriques being found only in coastal conditions of Mozambique and Triophtydeus immanis Kuznetzov only occurring in the arid lower Orange River Valley. Four new genera (Tetratriophtydeus, Orfareptydeus, Kakamasia, and Lourus) are proposed along with four new species (O. stepheni, K. cataracta, Pseudopronematulus augrabiensis, and L. citricolus). A key is presented and has been created to facilitate the identification of the tydeoids found and to encourage further research on the role of tydeoids in the citrus ecosystem in southern Africa.

Keywords:

• Acari
• Tydeoidea
• Citrus
• Mozambique
• South Africa
• Swaziland
• Zimbabwe

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to J. H. Hofmeyr, P. R. Stephen, and W. Kirkman for collecting some of the tydeoids and to Citrus Research International for funding this research. The authors also wish to thank Prof. Uri Gerson of the Hebrew University, Rehovot, Israel and Dr Henri André of the Musée Royal de l'Afrique centrale, Belgium for their critical review of the manuscript.