Raoiella indica Hirst, 1924

Ueckermann, Edward A., Palevsky, Eric, Gerson, Uri, Recht, Eitan & Theron, Pieter D., 2018, The Tenuipalpidae (Acari: Trombidiformes) of Israel, Acarologia 58 (2), pp. 483-525 : 511

Raoiella indica Hirst, 1924 ( Figure 22 )

Diagnosis (Female) — Body round, prodorsum with 3 pairs setae and smoothly rounded anteriorly, dorsal setae long and with clavate tips, setae c1, d1, e1 weakly spatulate (e1 often tapered), seta h1 subequal in length to h2, seta h2 setiform, with finely tapered tip, seta f2 shorter than f3 ( Fig 22A ); coxae III-IV nude, femur II with 4 setae, genua I-II with 3 setae, tarsi I-II with companion seta obviously longer than solenidion ( Fig 22B ); palp with distal segment with one setiform eupathidium, one seta and one solenidion.

Male — With distinctively shaped posterior opisthosoma, with ps1 very short ( Fig 22C ).

Hosts and localities — In Israel this species was collected from Phoenix dactylifera L. ( Arecaceae ), Arava Valley ( Smith Meyer & Gerson, 1981). Originally described from Cocos nucifera L. ( Arecaceae ), in India ( Hirst, 1924), it has since then been collected from many palm species world-wide ( Dowling et al., 2012). After its introduction into the Americas this pest has expanded its host plant range to 96 plant species, including bananas ( Amaro & De Morais, 2013).

Symptoms — The symptoms in coconut plants start as small yellow spots on the abaxial leaf surface. Feeding damage causes the two sides of leaflets to fold onto each other. Continued feeding probably is responsible for the curling and drying of the leaflet tips. As feeding progresses the green leaves turn pale green, then yellow and finally copper-brown ( Rodrigues et al., 2007). This species is not a pest in Israel but a severe pest in Central America and southern USA.

Figures

Figure 22 Raoiella indicaHirst – Female: A – dorsal view; B – tarsi I-II;; Deutonymph: C – opisthogaster.