Aceria mori ( Keifer, 1939 )

Lotfollahi, Parisa, Irani-Nejad, Karim Haddad & Lillo, Enrico De, 2014, Eriophyoid mites (Acari: Trombidiformes: Eriophyoidea) of Rosales trees in Iran: two new species and three new records, Zootaxa 3861 (1) : -

Aceria mori ( Keifer, 1939)

( Fig. 3 A)

Type data. Morus sp. ( Moraceae ); Sacramento, California, USA.

Relation to the host plant. The mites inhabit petiole bases and scales of apical buds, causing discolouration and premature drop of shoots, and premature fall of older leaves in heavy infestations ( Mohanasundaram & Sivagami 1983).

Geographic distribution. Palaearctic.

Distribution and host plants in Iran. 4 females, 1 male and 1 nymph, Azarshahr, (37°46'24"N, 45°57'20"E), 1,353 m above sea level from Morus alba L. ( Moraceae ), coll. P. Lotfollahi, 2 August 2011.

Remarks. This is the first record of A. mori from Iran. The morphometric data for the female largely matches the original description by Keifer (1939). However, the lengths of the opisthosomal setae c2 (16–23), d (30–57), f (26–27) and setae 3a (14–16) of the Iranian specimens are slightly longer than those in Keifer's description, possibly resulting from differences in the quality of the microscope used.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Schematic drawings (all originally drawn by Lotfollahi from specimens collected in Iran) of the prodorsal shield for: A. Aceria mori (Keifer, 1939); B. Eriophyes similis (Nalepa, 1890); C. Eriophyes pyri (Pagenstecher, 1857); D. Calepitrimerus baileyi Keifer, 1938; E. Phyllocoptes abaenus Keifer, 1940; F. Aculus fockeui (Nalepa & Trouessart, 1890). Scale bar: 10 Μm.