Paraplonobia (Anaplonobia) prosopis ( Tuttle & Baker , 1964 )

Toroitich, Faith J., Ueckermann, Edward A., Theron, Pieter D. & Knapp, Markus, 2009, The tetranychid mites (Acari: Tetranychidae) of Kenya and a redescription of the species Peltanobia erasmusi Meyer (Acari: Tetranychidae) based on males, Zootaxa 2176, pp. 33-47 : 35

Paraplonobia (Anaplonobia) prosopis ( Tuttle & Baker, 1964)

Aplonobia prosopis Tuttle & Baker, 1964 ; Neopetrobia prosopis Meyer, 1987

The peritremes end in anastomosis with a network of cell-like structures. Prodorsal and opisthosomal setae are strongly serrate and sub-spatulate with e2, f1, f2 and h 1 set on small tubercles. Setae well separated from each other, almost equidistant between all dorsocentrals, dorsal setae sub-equal in length. Dorsal striations faint, longitudinal on prodorsum and transverse on hysterosoma and without lobes. Leg setae strong, lanceolate and serrated. Legs shorter than the body.

Leg chaetotaxy as follows: tarsi 13(2)-10(1)-9-8; tibiae 9-7-8-7; genua 4-4-3-2; femora 5-4-3-3; coxae 2- 2-1-1.

Specimens examined: Four females collected on Prosopis juliflora (Fabaceae) from Marigat, Baringo district (N00°28.907'; E036°03.230').

Remarks: P. prosopis Tuttle and Baker was first described from Prosopis juliflora in Arizona ( United States of America) and the second record of this species is from Mexico ( Tuttle and Baker, 1964). This is the first record of this species in the Afro-tropical region on P. juliflora which is an invasive plant species in Kenya after being introduced as a land reclamation plant in the semi-arid parts of the country. It is therefore possible that this mite was introduced together with its host plant although in our collection, the mite population was very low and the damage symptoms could not be observed on the host plant. The males of this species are not known. In the field, this species is dark red in colour.