Acaphylla theae (Watt, 1898)

Han, Xiao, Zuo, Yun, Xue, Xiao-Feng & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2015, Eriophyoid mites (Acari, Eriophyoidea) associated with tea plants, with descriptions of a new genus and two new species, ZooKeys 534, pp. 1-16 : 8

Taxon classification Animalia Prostigmata Eriophyidae

Acaphylla theae (Watt, 1898)

Phytoptus theae Watt, 1898

Eriophyes theae (Watt, 1903); Nalepa 1923: 46.

Acaphylla theae ; Das and Sengupta 1958: 40 (synonym of Acaphylla steinwedeni Keifer, 1943).

Acaphylla steinwedeni ; Keifer 1943: 215.

Acaphylla steinwedeni ; Keifer 1954: 126.

Acaphylla steinwedeni ; Keifer 1975: 545.

Acaphylla steinwedeni ; Amrine and Stasny 1994: 13.

Acaphylla steinwedeni ; Baker et al. 1996: 86.

Host.

Camellia japonica L., Camellia oleifera Abel, Camellia reticulata Lindl., Camellia sasanqua Thunb., Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze, Camellia sinensis var. assamica (J.W. Mast.) Kitam.

Relation to the host plant.

Vagrant. This species occurs on the undersurface of the leaves and is often associated with Calacarus carinatus (Green) (reported as Camellia adornatus (Keifer, 1940)). Acaphylla steinwedeni does not leave as much debris on the leaves as Calacarus carinatus , but it may actually be more important as a rust mite. Both mite species overwinter on the leaves and show no deuterogyny.

Distribution.

Australian, Nearctic, Indomalayan and Palaearctic regions.

Remarks.

Phytoptus theae was reported infesting Camellia sinensis by Watt (1898) who provided a drawing and a short description of the mite, and described the injury on the tea plant. Many authors have wrongfully listed the mite as Phytoptus theae Watt & Mann, 1903, based on the more available publication. Improperly, Nalepa (1929) listed Phytoptus theae as a nude name. Keifer (1954) identified Acaphylla steinwedeni from specimens provided by Dr. Das and which were referred to have been the object of the name Phytoptus theae . Das and Sengupta (1958) made Acaphylla steinwedeni as junior synonym of Acaphylla theae , making this last one as the genotype of the genus Acaphylla . Finally, Amrine and Stasny (1994) listed Acaphylla theae as possible synonym (they marked the synonymy with a question mark) of Acaphylla steinwedeni without any further indication about it and the use of the names.