The tetranychid mites (Acari: Tetranychidae) of Kenya and a redescription of the species Peltanobia erasmusi Meyer (Acari: Tetranychidae) based on males
Toroitich, Faith J.
Ueckermann, Edward A.
Theron, Pieter D.
Knapp, Markus
Zootaxa
2009
2176
33
47
Doreste, 1981
Doreste
1981
[151,662,1689,1715]
Arachnida
Tetranychidae
Mononychellus
Animalia
Prostigmata
8
41
Arthropoda
species
progresivus
Leg chaetotaxy as follows: tarsi 13+2-12+ 1-10-9; tibiae 9(1)-7-6-6; genua 5-5-4-3; femora 10-7-4-3; coxae 2-2-1-1. Specimens examined: 3 femalesand 1 maleon Manihot esculenta(Euphorbiaceae)from Kabarnet, Baringo district ( N00°27.785'; E035°45.722').
Remarks:An earlier record of this species was reported by Girling et al. (1978)as Mononychellus tanajoaBondarand later Guitterez (1987) reported that all the species from Africa earlier reported as Mononychellus tanajoawere infact Mononychellus progresivus. The host plant and specific location where this species was collected from in Kenyawas not specified by the authors. This species is widespread in the tropics where Manihot esculentais cultivated. It is likely that the pest spread with the spread of this crop to many tropical countries. This is one of the most important arthropod pests of Manihot esculentaand is amongst the spider mite species that are host specific since all the reports of this pest are from Manihotsp as a host plant. There have however been numerous debates on the identity of this species occurring in Africa with some authors insisting that the species that occur in cassava fields all over Africa is Mononychellus tanajoaBondarand thus most publications that deal with its control and economic importance refer to Mononychellus tanajoawhich has been successfully controlled using the phytoseiid mite Typhlodromalus aripoDe Leon. However, comparing the features of the specimen I have with the description given by Meyer (1987)together with the paper by Guitterez (1987) show that our specimen correspond to the description of Mononychellus progressivus. In the field, damaged leaves exhibit the typical silver stipples caused by spider mites and the species appears yellowish in colour.