Eriophyidae

Navia, Denise, Duarte, Mercia Elias & Flechtmann, Carlos H. W., 2021, Eriophyoid mites (Acari: Prostigmata) from Brazil: an annotated checklist, Zootaxa 4997 (1), pp. 1-152 : 42

Eriophyidae , Cecidophyinae , Colomerini

100 Cosetacus camelliae ( Keifer, 1945) : 137. ( Keifer 1966b: 7).

Previous genus assignment.

Aceria .

Type host. Camellia japonica L. ( Theaceae ).

Type locality. Santa Maria , California, USA .

Reports in Brazil. “ Parque Nacional do Itatiaia ”, Itatiaia ( Flechtmann 1998b), Rio de Janeiro ; Piracicaba ( Flechtmann 1998b), São Paulo.

Relationship to host plant. Mites live in flower buds under the scales, causing browning of the flower parts and buds ( Keifer 1945). Mites collected under flower bud scales and at base of leaf petioles. In the infestations of white flowering camellias, the mites caused intense bronzing of the distal half of bud scales and no buds developed into a flower. Severe dropping of flower buds was also observed. On pink-reddish flowering camellias bud drop was less intense and many flowers opened half way, although not completely. Some rust on the leaves was also observed ( Flechtmann 1998b).

Remark. Type species in the genus Cosetacus .

Type host plants status. Exotic shrub or tree, cultivated as an ornamental ( Lorenzi & Souza 2001).