# Notes on tenuipalpid mites associated with Quercus pubescens in southern Italy

Marcello de Giosa, Enrico de Lillo, Ronald Ochoa

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Marcello de Giosa, Enrico de Lillo, Ronald Ochoa. Notes on tenuipalpid mites associated with Quercus pubescens in southern Italy. Acarologia, 2022, 62 (1), pp.22-26. 10.24349/tayr-ir00 . hal-03517428

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# Notes on tenuipalpid mites associated with *Quercus pubescens* in southern Italy

Marcello De Giosa ID<sup>a,b</sup>, Enrico De Lillo ID<sup>a</sup>, Ronald Ochoa ID<sup>c</sup>

## Short note

### ABSTRACT

During a survey of the flat mites (Tenuipalpidae) on forest trees and agricultural crops in five different sites of the Apulian territories (Southern Italy) in 2019, *Brevipalpus recki* (Livschitz & Mitrofanov) and *Cenopalpus longirostris* (Livschitz and Mitrofanov) were collected on *Quercus pubescens* (Willdenow) (Fagaceae). The authors give an account of the new record of *C. longirostris*, which was not listed in the previous Italian fauna, and of the finding of *B. recki* in southern Italy, since it was only mentioned from the northern region of the country so far. In addition, the paper lists *Q. pubescens* as a new host plant for *C. longirostris*.

**Keywords** flat mites; new record; survey; Fagaceae

Mites of the family Tenuipalpidae Berlese are specialized plant feeders and the genera *Aegyptobibia* (Sayed), *Brevipalpus* (Donnadieu), *Cenopalpus* (Pritchard & Baker) and *Tenuipalpus* (Donnadieu) include 80% of the total number of valid species around the world (Castro *et al.* 2020). The world-wide economic importance of flat mites has been increasing due to the rapid spread of major invasive species and to the association of some of them with the transmission of plant pathogens, mainly viruses (de Lillo *et al.* 2021). Despite their economic significance, the geographic distribution and host associations of the Tenuipalpidae are largely incomplete. Several species of the genus *Brevipalpus* and *Cenopalpus* have been described on oaks (*Quercus* spp.: Fagaceae) around the world: *Cenopalpus abaii* Khosrowshahi & Arbabi, *C. lanceolatise-tae* Attiah, *C. meyerae* Khosrowshahi, *C. quercusi* Khanjani *et al.*, *Brevipalpus albus* De Leon, *B. alni* De Leon, *B. arizonicae* Baker & Tuttle, *B. encinarius* De Leon, *B. glomeratus* Pritchard & Baker, *B. insinuates* De Leon, *B. linki* Baker, *B. mitrofanovi* Pegazzano, *B. moreliensis* Baker & Tuttle, *B. oaxacensis* De Leon, *B. ogmus* Pritchard & Baker, *B. pseudopini* (Baker & Tuttle), *B. quercicolus* De Leon, *B. querensis* Baker & Tuttle, *B. recki* Livschitz & Mitrofanov and *B. rugosus* De Leon (Baker 1949; Pritchard and Baker 1952, 1958; De Leon 1960, 1961; Livshitz and Mitrofanov 1967; Thewke and Enns 1970; Pegazzano 1975; Meyer and Gerson 1980; Baker and Tuttle 1987; Hatzinikolis and Emmanouel 1987; Papaioannou-Souliotis *et al.* 1994; Khosrowshahi and Arbabi 1997; Sağlam and Çobanoğlu 2010; Khanjani *et al.* 2012; Ardali *et al.* 2014). Despite the above-mentioned list of species recorded on oaks, only two species *B. mitrofanovi* and *B. recki* have been found in Italy (Bernini *et al.* 1995). The aim of this study was to improve knowledge about tenuipalpid species found on *Quercus* species in Italy, updating Pegazzano (1975). Based on the current study, *C. longirostris* (Figure 1) is a newly recorded species from Italy and *B. recki* is spread also in the south of Italy.

Received 02 August 2021
Accepted 10 December 2021
Published 07 January 2022

Corresponding author
Marcello De Giosa ID:
marcello.degiosa.uniba@gmail.com

Academic editor
Navia, Denise

https://doi.org/
10.24349/tayr-ir00

ISSN 0044-586X (print)
ISSN 2107-7207 (electronic)

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Copyright
De Giosa M. *et al*.

Distributed under
Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0

<footnote><sup>a</sup> Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences (Di.S.S.P.A.), University of Bari Aldo Moro, via Amendola, 165/a, Bari, 70126, Italy.</footnote>

<footnote><sup>b</sup> World Biodiversity Association Onlus çoMuseo Civico di Storia Naturale, Lungadige Porta Vittoria, 9, 37129 Verona, Italy.</footnote>

<footnote><sup>c</sup> Systematic Entomology Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland, 20705, USA.</footnote>
<figure><img src="image_8.png" /><figcaption>**Figure 1** Light micrograph (DIC) of *Cenopalpus longirostris*, adult female.</figcaption></figure>

Leaves and twigs of twenty plants belonging to the genus *Quercus* (*Q. coccifera* L., *Q. ilex* Lour., *Q. pubescens* Will., *Q. robur* L., *Q. sp.* and *Q. suber* L.) (Table 1) were sampled between September and October 2019 in five locations of the Apulia District (Southern Italy): Bari (crop area), Mercadante Forest (Alta Murgia National Park - crop and natural areas), Cassano delle Murge (natural area), Bitetto (natural area) and Mattinata (natural area) (Figure 2). Plant samples were kept in polyethylene bags containing a paper towel, stored in a refrigerator (at about +4°C) and analyzed using Olympus SZH10 stereomicroscope at the Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences (DiSSPA), University of Bari Aldo Moro. Mites were slide-mounted in Hoyer's mounting medium (Walter and Krantz 2009) and dried in an oven (40-50 °C)
<figure><img src="image_9.png" /><figcaption>**Figure 2** Map of Apulian District showing the locations inspected for *Brevipalpus recki* and *Cenopalpus longirostris*. **Negative sites:** 1 (Bari), 3 (Cassano delle Murge - Alta Murgia National Park) and 5 (Mattinata). **Positive sites:** 2 (Mercadante Forest - Alta Murgia National Park) and 4 (Bitetto).</figcaption></figure>

for one week. Mites were identified based on the original descriptions and illustrations by Livschitz and Mitrofanov (1967); the identification of the plant hosts follows Fiori (1969). The specimens were studied using Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) and Phase Contrast microscopy. Voucher specimens were deposited in the Entomological and Zoological Section, Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences (DiSSPA), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy (UNIBA); two slides of *C. longirostris* (1 deutonymph and 1 ♀) are deposited also in the United States National Insect and Mite Collection Smithsonian Institution, located at the Systematic Entomology Laboratory (SEL), USDA, Beltsville, Maryland, USA (USNM).

*Brevipalpus recki* and *C. longirostris* have been previously recorded on various host plant families: *B. recki* on Asteraceae (Inula vulgaris Trevis.), Fagaceae (*Q. alba* L., *Q. cerris* L., *Q. ithaburensis* Decne., *Quercus* sp.) and Rosaceae (*Cerasus avium* (L.) Moench, *Rubus* sp.); *C. longirostris* was reported on Fagaceae (*Quercus* sp.) (Papaioannou-Souliotis *et al.* 1994) and Rosaceae (*Pyrus communis* L.) (Livschitz and Mitrofanov 1967). However, *B. recki* and *C. longirostris* were collected together on *Q. pubescens* in three out of twenty samples inspected from the Mercadante Forest (Alta Murgia National Park) and Bitetto, located in southern Italy. Previously 27 species of flat mites were listed for Italy (De Giosa *et al.* 2021) and with the finding of *C. longirostris*, the total number of tenuipalpid mites in Italy increased to 28 species.

## Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. Gregory Evans (APHIS-USDA) and Andrew Ulsamer (SEL-USDA) for the revision and helpful suggestions. To Debra Creel (SEL-USDA) for their help and support with references and materials. To the Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro; Smithsonian, National Museum Natural History; National Agricultural Library (NAL-USDA), and SEL-USDA for support and assistance with specimens, references and equipment. The mention of trade names or commercial products in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation
<table><caption>**Table 1** Species belonging to the *Quercus* genus, collected in five Apulian territories.</caption><thead><tr><th>Sample's number</th><th>Locality</th><th>Coordinates</th><th>Host species</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td rowspan="6">1</td><td rowspan="6">Bari</td><td>41° 06'35.0''N</td><td>Quercus ilex</td></tr><tr><td>16° 52'55.0''E</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>41°06'39.0''N</td><td>Quercus sp.</td></tr><tr><td>16°52'57.0''E</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>41°06'43.0''N</td><td>Quercus pubescens</td></tr><tr><td>16°52'55.0''E</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="6">2</td><td rowspan="6">Mercadante Forest (Alta Murgia National Park)</td><td>41°6'43.0''N</td><td>Quercus suber</td></tr><tr><td>16°52'55.0''E</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>40°53'06.0''N</td><td>Quercus ilex</td></tr><tr><td>16°39'11.0''E</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>40°53'15.0''N</td><td>Quercus robur</td></tr><tr><td>16°41'25.0''E</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="6">3</td><td rowspan="6">Cassano delle Murge (Alta Murgia National Park)</td><td>41°01'30.0''N</td><td>Quercus pubescens</td></tr><tr><td>16°23'57.0''E</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>40°52'26.0''N</td><td>Quercus robur</td></tr><tr><td>16°41'50.0''E</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>41°02'26.0''N</td><td>Quercus coccifera</td></tr><tr><td>16°41'40.0''E</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="4">4</td><td rowspan="4">Bitetto</td><td>41°02'53.0''N</td><td>Quercus sp.</td></tr><tr><td>16°42'36.0''E</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>41°02'27.0''N</td><td>Quercus pubescens</td></tr><tr><td>16°44'12.0''E</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">5</td><td rowspan="2">Mattinata</td><td>41°43'01.0''N</td><td>Quercus ilex</td></tr><tr><td>16°04'36.0''E</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

or endorsement by the USDA; USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Research supported in part by University of Bari Aldo Moro (Global thesis).

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