Auger, Philippe ¹ ; Navia, Denise ² and Migeon, Alain ³

¹✉ CBGP, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro, Montpellier, France.
²CBGP, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro, Montpellier, France.
³CBGP, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro, Montpellier, France.

2023 - Volume: 63 Issue: 3 pages: 826-833

Short note

Keywords

Abstract

Introduction

Any of these new alien mite species that manages to establish itself in a new environment is of concern, both for environmental and economic reasons if it feeds on crop plants (see Mack et al., 2000 for a review). Due to their minute size, spider mites are difficult to detect before (interception) and early after their introduction into new environments, which may allow them to become permanently established in the newly colonised area. For this reason, their early detection is one of the important challenges in bioinvasion management allowing the adoption of measures to reduce the spread and the impact of the newly introduced mite.

In this context, because of our territorial alert mission, following the sending of a sample by a private individual, we undertook a survey in the south-east of France.

Now we provide the first evidence of the presence in southern France of three alien spider mites species. We also took advantage of the discovery of a species belonging to the genus Aponychus to fill a gap: to build an identification key for the 21 species belonging to this genus.

Results and discussion

Family Tetranychidae Donnadieu, 1875

Subfamily Tetranychinae Berlese, 1913

Tribe Eurytetranychini Reck, 1950

Genus Aponychus Rimando, 1966

Aponychus Rimando, 1966: 105-113. Type-species: Aponychus corpuzae Rimando

Aponychus corpuzae Rimando, 1966

Figures 1A–B, 3A–D

According to Migeon and Dorkeld (2022), this species is only recorded from Oriental and Palearctic regions on Myrtaceae, Poaceae, Rosaceae and Rutaceae plant species. In Palearctic region, A. corpuzae was earlier recorded from China (Wang, 1981), Japan (e.g. Gotoh et al., 2003) and Korea (Lee, 1989). The only hitherto record in Europe is the most recent ones and concerns Italy and Slovenia (Seljak, 2015).

Records: 1 female, 2 males, 1 nymph collected on Phyllostachys sp. (Poaceae), Val Rahmeh Botanical Garden, (43.7847°N 7.5113°E, alt. 45 m a.s.l.), Menton (Alpes-Maritimes), France 30-IX-2019, leg. Auger P. & Migeon A.; 4 females, 1 male collected on Semiarundinaria yashadake Makino (Poaceae), (43.7348°N 3.9804°E, alt. 86 m a.s.l.), Saint-Drézéry (Hérault), France 26-XI-2017, leg. Migeon A.

Like Seljak (2015), overwintering females (female body colour was orange, males and juveniles were not found) (Fig. 3C) were found in November (late autumn), indicating that the species is potentially adapted and probably well established in south France.

Distinctive characters (Fig. 1A, B): females of this species are readily distinguished by their lateral expansions of the propodosoma, by the ventral position of outer sacrals setae (f₂), setae f₂ being half as long as setae f₁, setae sc₁, c₁, c₂, d₁, e₁ being subequal in length and setae h₁ being longer than setae f₁.

Note: new species for France and new host record on the bamboo S. yashadake.

Tribe Tetranychini Reck, 1950

Genus Oligonychus Berlese, 1886

Oligonychus Berlese, 1886: 24. Type-species: Heteronychus brevipodus Targioni Tozzetti.

Oligonychus perseae Tuttle, Baker and Abbatiello, 1976

Figures 1C–D, 2A, 3E–H

Native from Central America (Tuttle et al., 1976), the Persea mite, Oligonychus perseae Tuttle, Baker and Abbatiello, 1976 is recorded from Nearctic, Neotropical and Palearctic regions. Considered as an invasive pest, this species was recorded for the first time in Europe in Portugal (Ferreira et al., 2006; Naves et al., 2021), then in Spain (Alcázar et al., 2005) and more recently in Italy (Sicily) (Zappalà et al., 2015).

Records: 6 females, 2 males collected on Persea americana Mill. (Lauraceae), Val Rahmeh Botanical Garden, (43.7847°N 7.5113°E, alt. 45 m a.s.l.), Menton (Alpes-Maritimes), France 30-IX-2019, leg. Auger P., Migeon A.; 4 females, 1 male collected on P. americana, Route de Super Garavan (43.7901°N 7.5169°E, alt. 189 m a.s.l.), Menton (Alpes-Maritimes), France 24-VIII-2016, leg. Dr René d'Agro.

All the specimens of O. perseae were collected on avocado, P. americana, on the French Côte d'Azur, at Menton, near the Italian border. The first sample came from the private garden of Dr René d'Agro who sent us a sample of mite from infested avocado leaves. He also sent some pictures of grapevine leaves, Vitis vinifera L. (Vitaceae), from his neighbor's garden near his own, which were infested by a spider mite whose leaf symptoms were similar (silk nests on the underside of leaves, mainly located along the midrib and main veins) to those produced by O. perseae (Fig. 2A). Although we did not observe under the microscope the mites responsible for these symptoms on grape (we did not have the opportunity to collect mite material because the owner wished to remain anonymous), we also believe that the mite responsible for this damage is O. perseae. However, this possible occurrence of O. perseae will be the third record of this species on grapevine. The first report was in Madeira Island and the second in Algarve, Portugal mainland (Ferreira et al. 2006, 2007). A second sample was collected in the botanical garden of Menton and other avocado trees showing symptoms of infestation by O. perseae were also observed [not collected: as the symptoms observed were typical of O. persae (see above), we did not consider it necessary to expand the number of samples] here and there in the city.

Distinctive characters (Fig. 1C, D): among the species whose male have an aedeagus which shape is O. ununguis-like, females of this species can be distinguished by: (1) their dorsal striae forming a reversed V-pattern between dorsal setae e₁, (2) setae c₁ and d₁ not reaching the base of the next row whereas the setae e₁ reach the base of the setae f₁, (3) the combination of their tarsal and tibial leg chaetotaxy (tarsus I with 4 setae and one solenidion proximal to proximal duplex setae, tarsus II with 2 setae proximal to duplex setae).

Note: new species for France.

Remarks: this species can represent a phytosanitary risk in France, taking into account (1) the expansion of avocado crop (its main host plant) in the country (Côte d'Azur, Pyrénées-Orientales and Corse) and (2) the pest status and yield losses reported in production areas in affected countries (e.g. Torres et al. 2023). Although there is no evidence indicating damage to other crops besides avocado, reports of the species on grapevine in Europe as well as observation of symptoms in localities close to the infested avocados (in this study) warn about the possible adaptation and impact that this species could cause in European vineyards under climate change scenarios. According to EFSA pest categorization (European Food Safety Authority 2022), O. persea satisfies the criteria to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest and avoiding its spread is important.

Genus Stigmaeopsis Banks, 1917

Stigmaeopsis Banks, 1917: 195. Type-species: Stigmaeopsis celarius Banks

Stigmaeopsis nanjingensis (Ma & Yuan, 1980)

Figures 2B, 3I–L

Stigmaeopsis nanjingensis is known only from Oriental region, from China (Palearctic region probably), and from Europe: in Italy (Pellizzari and Duso, 2009), in Hungary (Kontschan and Nemenyi, 2013) and in mainland Portugal (Naves et al. 2021). According to Migeon and Dorkeld (2022), this species inhabits several bamboos species belonging to the genera Fargesia, Phyllostachys and Pseudosasa.

Records: 7 females, 3 males collected on Phyllostachys sp. (Poaceae) French-Italian Border post, (43.7859°N 7.5277°E, alt. 26 m a.s.l.), Menton (Alpes-Maritimes), France 30-IX-2019, leg. Auger P., Migeon A.

This new occurence is not very surprising as Pellizzari and Duso (2009) previously reported this species in the Italian town of Ventimiglia (Imperia district) which is located close to the French border (less than 10 km).

Distinctive characters (Fig. 2B): (1) in females, the distance between insertions of setae e₁ is similar to that found between insertions of setae d₁; (2) the setae d₁ are longer than the distance between the insertions of setae d₁ members (Saito et al. 2018).

Note: this species was erroneously reported as Stigmaeopsis celarius Banks, 1917 by Auger and Migeon (2007) (12 females, 10 males collected on Phyllostachys viridiglaucescens Rivière & C. Rivière (Poaceae), Bambouseraie de Prafrance (44.0718°N, 3.9796°E, alt. 144 m a.s.l), Générargues (Gard), France 16-IX-2003, leg. Migeon A.) and it was previously collected in Southern France but had not been identified until this work (4 females, 1 male collected on S. yashadake, (43.7348°N 3.9805°E, alt. 86 m a.s.l.), Saint Drézéry (Hérault), France 26-XI-2017, leg. Migeon A.); new species for France and new host record on S. yashadake.

Key to the world species of Aponychus females

The key was built according to the valid species mentioned by Migeon and Dorkeld (2022) taking into account that, following the revision by Hernandes (2010), which concluded that several species of Aponychus should probably be synonymized, only A. aequilibris is considered a junior synonym of A. corpuzae (Hernandes and Feres, 2013). As a consequence, twenty-one species are here considered valid.

As we observed some variations in sacral setae labelling in the literature when they are both in dorsal marginal position (e.g. A. chiavegatoi vs. A. mai), we decide to name f₂ the closest seta to clunal setae (h₁).

1. First 3 pairs of dorsocentral setae (c₁, d₁, e₁) well developed (seta c₁ reaching or surpassing well the base of d₁), not spatulate, more or less elongate, inserted on obvious or strong tubercles
...... 2

– First 3 pairs of dorsocentral setae (c₁, d₁, e₁) short (seta c₁ far from reaching base of d₁), not inserted on strong tubercles
...... 9

2. Seta c₂ tiny, displaced anteriorly onto the prodorsum
...... A. chiavegatoi Feres & Flechtmann, 1988

— Seta c₂ well developed
...... 3

3. Some dorsal setae subspatulate-lanceolate (obviously widened near the middle) to spatulate
...... 4

— All dorsal setae elongate
...... 5

4. Setae sc₂, c₃ and h₁ short, lanceolate; tibia II with 4 tactile setae
...... A. mauritianum Ferla & Ferla, 2020

— Setae sc₂, c₃ and h₁ short, broadly spatulate; tibia II with 5 tactile setae
...... A. schultzi (Blanchard, 1940)

5. Dorsal setae subequal in length (except seta h₁, the longest)
...... A. mallotus Ho, 2003

— Some dorsal setae obviously smaller
...... 6

6. Dorsocentral seta c₁ surpassing well the base of seta d₁ }{7}\cledetermination{— Dorsocentral seta c₁ reaching or almost reaching the base of seta d₁
...... 8

7. Seta f₂ short and subspatulate; tibiae I with 6 setae and II with 4 setae
...... A. taishanicus Wang, 1981

— Seta f₂ short and slender, sometimes blunt; tibiae I with 5 setae and II with 3 setae
...... A. spinosus (Banks, 1909)

8. Dorsal setae stout, some of them rounded distally; seta c₃ about half the length of c₂, h₁ about half the length of f₁
...... A. pilipinus Corpuz-Raros, 1978

— Dorsal setae tapering acute distally; seta c₃ and h₁ about 3/4 the length of c₂ and f₁, respectively
...... A. firmianae (Ma & Yuan, 1965)

9. Seta f₁ or f₂ very reduced or absent
...... 10

— Setae f₁ and f₂ present and well developed
...... 13

10. Seta f₂ absent
...... A. bambusae Gupta & Gupta, 1990

— Seta f₂ present, sometimes in ventral position
...... 11

11. Seta f₁ tiny, f₂ and h₁ subspatulate of same size; seta v₂ very short
...... A. sarjui Gupta, 1980

— Seta f₁ not tiny, short or elongate
...... 12

12. Seta c₁ longer than distance between insertions of c₁ members; seta f₁ setiform widened to lanceolate sometimes somewhat rounded distally, about 1/4 the length of seta h₁; seta f₂ enlarged near the middle gradually narrowing distally, subequal in length to seta h₁
...... A. mai Pan, Jin & Yi, 2022

— Seta c₁ obviously shorter than distance between insertions of c₁ members; setae f₁ and f₂ setiform slender, seta f₁ slightly shorter than seta h₁; f₂ in ventral position, about 1/3 the length of seta h₁ or more
...... A. corpuzae Rimando, 1966

13. Seta f₂ as long as seta h₁, both longer than seta f₁
...... A. siamensis Ehara & Wongsiri, 1975

— Seta f₂ longer than setae h₁ and f₁
...... 14

14. Among first 3 pairs of dorsocentral setae (c₁, d₁ and e₁) some being lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate
...... 15

— All first 3 pairs of dorsocentral setae (c₁, d₁ and e₁) spatulate to subspatulate with rounded tip
...... 16

15. Third pair of dorsocentral seta (e₁) obviously shorter than first and second pairs (c₁ and d₁); femur I with 6 setae, femur II with 5 setae
...... A. imperatus Hafaz & EI-Badry, 1980

— Third pair of dorsocentral setae (e₁) longer or as long as first and second pairs (c₁ and d₁); femur I with 9 setae, femur II with 6 setae..
...... A. grandidieri (Gutierrez, 1966)

16. Seta v₂ shorter than seta sc₁, v₂ about 2/3 the length of sc₁; tibiae III and IV with 1 solenidion; stylophore shallowly cleft
...... A. solimani Zaher, Gomaa & EI-Enany, 1982

— Seta v₂ obviously longer than seta sc₁
...... 17

17. Seta c₁ shorter than seta e₁
...... 18

— Seta c₁ longer or as long as seta e₁
...... 19

18. Seta sc₂ 4 times as long as seta sc₁; seta e₂ twice as long as seta d₂; seta d₂ less than 1.5 the length of seta c₂; seta d₁ shorter than the half distance c₁– d₁
...... A. lupus Chaudhri, 1972

— Seta sc₂ about twice as long as seta sc₁; seta e₂ about 1.25 the length of seta d₂; seta d₂ twice as long as seta c₂; seta d₁ longer than the half distance c₁– d₁
...... A. sulcatus Chaudhri, 1972

19. Seta v₂ more than twice longer than seta sc₁
...... A. rarus Rimando, 1966

— Seta v₂ less than twice longer than seta sc₁
...... 20

20. Seta c₁ as long as seta d₂; seta sc₁ as long as seta d₁
...... A. expansus Chaudhri, 1972

— Seta c₁ shorter than seta d₂ (c₁ about ¾ to 3/5 the length of d₂); seta sc₁ slightly longer than seta d₁
...... A. parydrus (Meyer, 1987)

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Val Rahmeh-Menton Botanical Garden and particularly Mr Christophe Joulin for allowing us to collect plant samples and for assistance during mite collection. Professor Carlos Flechtmann is also deeply acknowledged for providing us with the exhaustive and indispensable documentation on the species belonging to the genus Aponychus. We would also like to thank the anonymous reviewers whose comments helped to improve the manuscript. The present work was supported by the grant from the National Institute for Agronomical Research and Environment, Dpt Plant Protection and Environment (IB 2023 SPE INRAE ; PrepAcari : ''Petits mais Costauds - de la taxonomie intégrative à l′écologie pour se préparer au risque acarien'').

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