Phyllotetranychus aegyptiacus Sayed.
Taxonomic placing: Acari, Prostigmata, Tetranychoidea, Tenuipalpidae.
(A very similar species, Phyllotetanychus gawudii Halawa, Mesbah and Mohamed, infesting Date palms, was recently described from Egypt).
Distribution: Middle East to Iran.
Morphology: The female body is about 0.3 mm in length, oval, red, with 16 pairs of pale leaf-like, veined dorsal setae. Rostral shield present and the palpi are 2-segmented. The male is smaller and its veined dorsal setae are smaller and more prolonged.
Host plants: Date palms.
Life history: The pest develops continuously throughout the year, and its eggs are laid beside the midrib of the leaflets, usually on the upper surface. A generation completes its development in about 3-4 weeks.
Economic importance: Attacked leaves become yellowish due to the pest’s feeding. In heavy infestations affected areas turn dirty white, producing blotches and the leaves eventually become dark- brown and may dry.
References
Halawa, A.M., Mesbah, A.E. and Mohamed, A.A. 2015. Revision of the genus Phyllotetranychus Sayed with description of a new species (Tenuiupalpidae) from Egypt. Acarines 9: 13-18.
Khanjani, M., Farsan, S., Asadi, M. and Khanjani, M. 2013. Checklist of the flat mites (Acari: Trombidiformes: Tenuipalpidae) of Iran. Persian Journal of Acarology 2: 235-251.
Meyer, M.K.P. and Gerson, U. 1981. Some false spider mites (Prostigmata: Tenuipalpidae) from Israel. Israel Journal of Entomology 15: 67-81.
Nawar, M.S., Mabrouk, A.H. and Mahmoud, M.A. 2014. Biological aspects and life table parameters of the date palm mite Phyllotetranychus aegyptiacus Sayed (Tenuipalpidae) as affected by different temperatures. Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Egypt 91: 55-64.
Zaher, M.A., Wafa, A.K. and Yousef, A.A. 1969. Biological studies on Raoiella indica Hirst and Phyllotetranychus aegyptiacus Sayed infesting date palms in U.A.R. (Acarina-Tenuipalpidae). Zeitschrift fur Angewandte Entomologie 63: 406-411.
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