Tetranychinae

t

Taxonomy

Probability of encounter

medium

Quarantine importance

High. Allonychus is a small genus similar to Panonychus with about 7 described species, mostly from South and Central America, but with two species known from China on bamboo. Allonychus braziliensis (McGregor) is found in Brazil, Cuba, Nicaraugua and Venezuela where it feeds on cassava, banana, avocado, mango, pear, cinnamon trees and other trees.

• Allonychus littoralis (McGregor) attacks avocado, cassava, cotton and some trees in Central and South America.
• Allonychus reisi Paschoal attacks cassava, cacao, figs, and ornamentals such as azalea and rhododendron.

Diagnosis

• With 2 pairs of paranal setaeseta:
  (pl. setae, from L. = bristle) cuticular process composed of a hollow shaft (sometimes filled with a refractive material) produced from a membranous socket (the alveolus); the hair-like, spine-like, branched or variously expanded structures on the surfaces of the legs and body.  Most setae function as mechanoreceptors, but others (e.g., solenidia) are chemoreceptors or have unknown or ambiguous functions.
  (h2–h3) and 2 pairs of anal setaeseta:
  (pl. setae, from L. = bristle) cuticular process composed of a hollow shaft (sometimes filled with a refractive material) produced from a membranous socket (the alveolus); the hair-like, spine-like, branched or variously expanded structures on the surfaces of the legs and body.  Most setae function as mechanoreceptors, but others (e.g., solenidia) are chemoreceptors or have unknown or ambiguous functions.
  
• 10 pairs of opisthonotal setaeseta:
  (pl. setae, from L. = bristle) cuticular process composed of a hollow shaft (sometimes filled with a refractive material) produced from a membranous socket (the alveolus); the hair-like, spine-like, branched or variously expanded structures on the surfaces of the legs and body.  Most setae function as mechanoreceptors, but others (e.g., solenidia) are chemoreceptors or have unknown or ambiguous functions.
  
• Empodiumempodium:
  (pl. empodia) an unpaired structure arising between the tarsal claws, ranging from pad-like to claw-like and often bearing structures such as tenent hairs, dense setulae, or taking the form of a featherclaw (Eriophyoidea)..
  claw-like (mediodorsal spurspur:
  a projection, usually tooth- or spine-like, from the body or limbs.
  ) with a pair of minute dorsaldorsal:
  relating to the upper or back side; opposed to ventral.
  'hairs' and 4 pairs of proximoventral hairsproximoventral hairs:
  the hair-like processes on the empodia of some spider mites; apparently represents a finely divided empodium, and not tenent hairs.
  of variable length, but some are longer than the clawclaw:
  like - having a distal hook; resembling a claw.
  and at less than right angles to the clawclaw:
  like - having a distal hook; resembling a claw.
  
• 2 pairs of widely separated duplex setaeseta:
  (pl. setae, from L. = bristle) cuticular process composed of a hollow shaft (sometimes filled with a refractive material) produced from a membranous socket (the alveolus); the hair-like, spine-like, branched or variously expanded structures on the surfaces of the legs and body.  Most setae function as mechanoreceptors, but others (e.g., solenidia) are chemoreceptors or have unknown or ambiguous functions.
  on tarsustarsus:
  (pl. tarsi) the subdistal leg segment between the tibia and the pretarsus (apotele).
  I

Similar taxa

Other Tetranychini have either 1 pair of paranal setaeseta:
(pl. setae, from L. = bristle) cuticular process composed of a hollow shaft (sometimes filled with a refractive material) produced from a membranous socket (the alveolus); the hair-like, spine-like, branched or variously expanded structures on the surfaces of the legs and body.  Most setae function as mechanoreceptors, but others (e.g., solenidia) are chemoreceptors or have unknown or ambiguous functions.
(e.g., Oligonychus, Tetranychus, Amphitetranychus) or have the empodiumempodium:
(pl. empodia) an unpaired structure arising between the tarsal claws, ranging from pad-like to claw-like and often bearing structures such as tenent hairs, dense setulae, or taking the form of a featherclaw (Eriophyoidea)..
split distally, ending in a tuft of hairs, or divided into 2–3 claws or lack proximoventral hairsproximoventral hairs:
the hair-like processes on the empodia of some spider mites; apparently represents a finely divided empodium, and not tenent hairs.
or have hairs longer than the clawclaw:
like - having a distal hook; resembling a claw.
(Allonychus).

References

• Baker and Pritchard 1960Baker and Pritchard 1960:
  Baker EW, Pritchard AE. 1960. The tetranychoid mites of Africa. Hilgardia 29 (11): 455–574.
• Baker and Tuttle 1994Baker and Tuttle 1994:
  Baker EW, Tuttle DM. 1994. A guide to the spider mites (Tetranychidae) of the United States. Indira Publishing House, West Bloomfield, Michigan. 347 pp.
• Bolland et al. 1998Bolland et al. 1998:
  Bolland HR, Gutierrez J, Flechtmann CHW. 1998. World catalogue of the spider mite family (Acari: Tetranychidae). Brill, Leiden.
• Helle and Sabelis 1985Helle and Sabelis 1985:
  Helle W and Sabelis MW, eds. 1985. Spider mites: Their biology, natural enemies, and control. World Crop Pests, Vol. 1A. Elsevier, New York.
• Jeppson et al. 1975Jeppson et al. 1975:
  Jeppson LR, Keifer HH, and Baker EW. 1975. Mites injurious to economic plants. University of California Press, Berkeley.
• Meyer 1974Meyer 1974:
  Meyer MKPS. 1974. A revision of the Tetranychidae of Africa (Acari) with a key to the genera of the world. Republic of South Africa, Department of Agricultural Technical Services, Entomology Memoir No. 36: 291 pp.
• Meyer 1987Meyer 1987:
  Meyer MKPS. 1987. African Tetranychidae (Acari: Prostigmata) - with reference to the world genera. Republic of South Africa, Department of Agriculture and Water Supply, Entomology Memoir No. 69: 175 pp.
• Ochoa et al. 1994Ochoa et al. 1994:
  Ochoa R, Aguilar H, and Vargas C. 1994. Phytophagous mites of Central America: An illustrated guide. CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica.
• Tseng 1990Tseng 1990:
  Tseng Y-H. 1990. A monograph of the mite family Tetranychidae (Acarina: Trombidiformes) from Taiwan. Taiwan Museum Special Publication Series 9. 224 pp.
• Zhang 2003Zhang 2003:
  Zhang Z-Q. 2003. Mites of greenhouses: Identification, biology and control. CABI Publishing, Wallingford. 244 pp.

Videos