<i>Eriophyes pouteriae</i> sp. nov., a New Mite Species Infesting <i>Pouteria sapota</i>
Marcello De Giosa,
Enrico de Lillo,
Aline D. Tassi,
Alexandra M. Revynthi,
Daniel J. de Andrade,
Ronald Ochoa,
Xiangbing Yang,
Daniel Carrillo
Affiliations
Marcello De Giosa
Tropical Research and Education Center, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Homestead, FL 33031, USA
Enrico de Lillo
Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences (Di.S.S.P.A.), University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70121 Bari, Italy
Aline D. Tassi
Tropical Research and Education Center, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Homestead, FL 33031, USA
Alexandra M. Revynthi
Tropical Research and Education Center, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Homestead, FL 33031, USA
Daniel J. de Andrade
Departamento de Fitossanidade, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista (FCAV/Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, São Paulo, Brazil
Ronald Ochoa
Systematic Entomology Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
Xiangbing Yang
Subtropical Horticulture Research Station, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Miami, FL 33158, USA
Daniel Carrillo
Tropical Research and Education Center, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Homestead, FL 33031, USA
Pouteria sapota, or “mamey sapote”, is a tropical fruit tree native to Central America and Southern Mexico, producing sweet, nutrient and vitamin-rich fruit. Several insect pests are known to infest P. sapota, but none have been associated with plant growth alterations. Eriophyoid mites are well known to cause plant malformations, but mites that cause this type of damage to mamey sapote have not been reported. Trees with abnormal leaf growth, including stunted leaves, outward curling, leaf yellowing, and diminishing overall tree vigor, were found in multiple locations in Southern Florida and one location in Brazil. Numerous plant samples were examined for the presence of minute eriophyoid-like mites, and a new species was found. It was morphologically described, and DNA fragments of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), the nuclear subunit D2 region in 28S rDNA, and the ITS nuclear regions were PCR-amplified and sequenced. Morphological and molecular descriptions of the new species, named E. pouteriae sp. nov., are provided to aid the identification and future detection of this mite. Even though several species within the genus Eriophyes have been reported on other Sapotaceae species, this is the first eriophyoid mite known to be associated with mamey sapote.
