Platyphytoptus sabinianae Keifer 1938

Pye, Daniel R. L., 2012, New eriophyoid mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Eriophyoidea) in Britain: one new genus, four new species, 19 new records and two incursions, Zootaxa 3578, pp. 43-68 : 53-54

Platyphytoptus sabinianae Keifer 1938

Type host and locality. Pinus sabiniana Douglas , USA, California.

Distribution. Found on many Pinus spp. and fairly widespread in southern and eastern Europe and the USA ( Keifer 1975), and also recorded from China ( Wei et al. 2003).

Relation to the host. Vagrant between the base of the needles, causing chlorotic twisted needles. Along with Trisetacus ehmanni and Setoptus jonesi , P. sabinianae has been associated with severe losses in commercial Pinus sylvestris L. (Scot's pine) plantations in the USA ( Saunders & Harrigan 1976).

Collection details. England, North Yorkshire, York, Sand Hutton (54° 1ʹ 1.92ʺ N, 0° 57ʹ 1.08ʺ W), high numbers on Pinus nigra J.F. Arnold , collected by the author, 11.iv.2011.