Tetranychinae

t

Taxonomy

Common names

bamboo spider mite

Probability of encounter

very high

Quarantine importance

High. About 140 species of Schizotetranychus have been described and many of these feed on grasses, especially bamboos, and other monocots. Figs, a variety of trees, and some herbs are also host to species of the genus.

• Schizotetranychus andropogoni (Hirst) attacks rice, sorghum, sugarcane and other grasses. It is not currently reported from the U.S., but is in Mexico, Pakistan, India, Thailand, and some countries of the former Soviet Union.
• Schizotetranychus aspargai (Oudemans) is a pest of asparagus, pineapple, and some acacias in Australia, Europe, the Middle East, South Africa, and the U.S. including Hawaii and Puerto Rico.
• Schizotetranychus baltazari Rimando attacks citrus, some ornamental shrubs, and yams and is currently known only from India, Southeast Asia, and the Philippines.
• Schizotetranychus celarius (Banks) attacks several genera of bamboo, rice, sugarcane, other grasses, and figs. It is present in the U.S. including Hawaii and also found in Australia, Asia including Japan, and Europe.

Diagnosis

• With 2 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.
  (h2–3) 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.
  
• 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 into 2 claws
• Tarsustarsus:
  (pl. tarsi) the subdistal leg segment between the tibia and the pretarsus (apotele).
  I with 2 pairs of closely associated 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.
  
• Opisthosomaopisthosoma:
  (= abdomen) the posterior body division in arachnids; usually not distinct in mites because of the fusion of the opisthosoma with part of the prosoma to form the idiosoma.
  with 10 pairs of 'dorsal' 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.
  (c1–3, d1–2, e1–2, f1–2, h1)

Similar taxa

Several generic-level taxa similar to Schizotetranychus in having split clawclaw:
like - having a distal hook; resembling a claw.
-like empodiaempodium:
(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)..
have been recently described from bamboos (e.g., Yunonychus, Yezonychus) based on the absence of an opisthosomal setalsetal:
of or pertaining to a seta.
pair (i.e., 9 vs 10 pairs in Schizotetranychus); however, the identity of these 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.
is difficult to determine. Trilobonychus from Nothofagus in New Zealand has 3-pronged clawclaw:
like - having a distal hook; resembling a claw.
-like empodiaempodium:
(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)..
and 9 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.
(f2 absent). Other Tetranychinae lack the split empodial clawclaw:
like - having a distal hook; resembling a claw.
.

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.
• Migeon and Flechtmann 2004Migeon and Flechtmann 2004:
  Migeon A and Flechtmann CHW. 2004. First additions and corrections to the World Catalogue of the Spider Mite Family (Acari: Tetranychidae). International Journal of Acarology 30 (2): 143-152.
• 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.
• Zhang et al. 2000Zhang et al. 2000:
  Zhang Z-Q, Zhang Y, and Lin J. 2000. Mites of Schizotetranychus (Acari: Tetranychidae) from moso bamboo in Fujian, China. Syst. Appl. Acarol. Sp. Publ. 4: 19-35.
• Zhang and Martin 2001Zhang and Martin 2001:
  Zhang Z-Q and Martin NA. 2001. A review of Schizotetranychus-like mites from New Zealand. J. Roy. Soc. N.Z. 31: 307-325.