# First report of mango leaf-coating mite Cisaberoptus kenyae (Acari: Eriophyidae) in Europe

Thomas Giordano, Francesco Andolina, Giuliano Cerasa, Ilaria Marotta, Roberto Rizzo, Gabriella Lo Verde, Enrico de Lillo, Haralabos Tsolakis

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Thomas Giordano, Francesco Andolina, Giuliano Cerasa, Ilaria Marotta, Roberto Rizzo, et al. First report of mango leaf-coating mite Cisaberoptus kenyae (Acari: Eriophyidae) in Europe. Acarologia, 2025, 65 (3), pp.927-933. 10.24349/4063-mejc. hal-05386982

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# First report of mango leaf-coating mite *Cisaberoptus kenyae* (Acari: Eriophyidae) in Europe

Thomas Giordano<sup>a</sup>, Francesco Andolina<sup>a</sup>, Giuliano Cerasa<sup>a</sup>, Ilaria Marotta<sup>a</sup>, Roberto Rizzo<sup>b</sup>, Gabriella Lo Verde<sup>a</sup>, Enrico de Lillo<sup>c</sup>, Haralabos Tsolakis<sup>a</sup>

## Original research

### ABSTRACT

Over the last two decades, mango cultivation in Sicily showed a steady increase of cultivated areas. This expansion has also facilitated the introduction of potentially harmful alien species. This paper reports the presence of the eriophyid mite *Cisaberoptus kenyae* Keifer (Acari: Eriophyidae) for the first time in Sicily and, therefore in Europe. In the perspective of a potential further expansion of mango also in other European areas as a consequence of the climatic changes, a brief overview of current knowledge on this species is also provided.

**Keywords** alien species; eriophyid; Sicily; *Mangifera indica*; silver blotch mite

## Introduction

Mango (*Mangifera indica* L., Anacardiaceae) is native to South Asia, particularly eastern India, Myanmar and the Andaman Islands (Bally 2006; Derese *et al.* 2017). It is now cultivated in many tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. In the Mediterranean basin, it is found in Israel, Egypt and southern Spain (Rodríguez Pleguezuelo *et al.* 2012). In recent years, mango cultivation has progressively spread to southern Italy, particularly along of Sicily's northern coasts, where cultivars such as Kensington Pride, Tommy Atkins, Osteen, Maya, Kent, Irwin, Glenn and Keitt are grown (Lauricella *et al.* 2017).

Mango hosts numerous and diverse phytophagous insects and mites in its area of origin. Some of them are beginning to spread to new cultivation areas. Among these alien pests, the scale insects *Icerya seychellarum* (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Margarodidae) and *Aulacaspis tubercularis* (Newstead) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) occur in several Mediterranean countries such as Egypt, Israel, Spain and Italy (del Pino *et al.* 2020; Lo Verde *et al.* 2020; Moharum and Bakry 2015). Here we report the first European detection of the eriophyid mite *Cisaberoptus kenyae* Keifer (Acari: Eriophyidae), known also as mango leaf-coating mite or silver blotch mite, and briefly review its distribution, taxonomy, life history and implications for Sicilian orchards in the perspective of a future further expansion of mango as a consequence of the climatic changes.

### Cisaberoptus kenyae Keifer, 1966

Keifer (1966) described *C. kenyae* from mango in Kenya. Afterwards, it has been reported and re-described from many subtropical and tropical areas of the Australian, Afrotropical,

Received 16 July 2025
Accepted 05 September 2025
Published 15 September 2025

Corresponding author
Haralabos Tsolakis<sup>id</sup>: haralabos.tsolakis@unipa.it

Academic editor
Chetverikov, Philipp

https://doi.org/10.24349/4063-mejc

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

<figure><img src="image_2.png" /></figure>

Giordano T. *et al.*

Licensed under
Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0

<footnote><sup>a</sup> University of Palermo, Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences (SAAF), Palermo, Italy.</footnote>

<footnote><sup>b</sup> CREA - Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification, Palermo, Italy.</footnote>

<footnote><sup>c</sup> University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences (DiSSPA -Entomology and Zoology), Bari, Italy.</footnote>
<figure><img src="image_3.png" /><figcaption>**Figure 1** Mango leaves (cv Kensington pride) with initial (a) and severe (b) infestation symptoms by *Cisaberoptus kenyae*</figcaption></figure>

Neotropical, and Oriental (Amrine and de Lillo, unpublished database) and Palearctic Realms, classification according to Udvardy (1975), like Egypt and Israel in the Mediterranean basin (Palearctic region) (Knihinicki and Boczek 2002; Wysoki *et al.* 1992; Yamaguchi *et al.* 2006).

Morphological identification follows Keifer (1966) and Elhalawany *et al.* (2021). *Cisaberoptus* was treated as a junior synonym of *Aceria* by Amrine *et al.* (2003). Subsequent re-examination of specimens, including the collection of males of *C. kenyae*, led to the revaluation of *C. kenyae* as a distinct species and the reinstatement of *Cisaberoptus* as a valid genus (Chandrapatya *et al.* 2017). However, the taxonomic status of these mites remains under investigation.

The life cycle lasts 7.64 days at 25 °C and 60% relative humidity (Abou-Awad *et al.* 2009). In Egypt, 13-16 generations per year have been reported on the Hindi and Alphonso mango cultivars, with density peaks in January, May and November (Abou-Awad *et al.* 2009; Elhalawany *et al.* 2021). In Israel, intra-plant migration usually begins between March and May (Sternlicht and Goldenberg, 1976). However, the seasonal dynamics and the intra-plant distribution of this species vary between the different environments (e.g. Elhalawany *et al.* 2021; Melo *et al.* 2023).

Initially, the mites settle on the buds, then petioles, followed by leaf blades, first along the midrib and then towards the margins (Sternlicht and Goldenberg 1976). Feeding activity promotes the formation of a dense protective white-silver layer similar to a spider web that houses all developmental stages of the mite (Ramani 2019) (Figure 1a, b). There are three main hypotheses on the origin of the leaf-coating: Sternlicht and Goldenberg (1976) reported
that the feeding activity of the mite, initially induces secretion of "... a milky substance, which hardens into a white, crusty, membranous film covering different places infested by the mites, and giving the upper surface of the leaf, at sites of mite infestation, a silvery grey blotch", and afterwards injured tissues become brown necrotic areas (Figure 2a, b). Two years later, Hassan and Keifer (1978), not considering the previous hypothesis by Sternlicht and Goldenberg, reported that the leaf-coating consists in crude and irregular strands with various forms and bunches which is different from the webbing caused by *Aceria knorri* Keifer on *Lepisanthes rubiginosa* (Roxb.) Leenh (Sapindaceae). The authors assumed that the white leaf-coating on mango infested leaves is "... some sort of regurgitation". All following papers on this mite avoided to refer on the nature of the coating, while a recent review on webbing of *Aberoptus* species considers *C. kenyae* a web producer mite because of modifications of the gnathosoma and legs considered consistent with spinning ability of the species (Chetverikov *et al.* 2023).

Regardless of the leaf-coating nature, Ramani (2019) found conspicuous changes in the mesophyll tissues of the infested parts of the mango leaves, consisting of a reduction in cell size and of chloroplasts number in the palisade tissues. Moreover, the dense leaf coating hindering light penetration leads to a significant reduction in photosynthesis, accelerating the plant defoliation (Ramani 2019).

Environmental factors appear to have a limited influence on the population of *C. kenyae*, as the mobile stages remain protected under the web-like layer. On the other hand, leaf exposure seems to influence the population distribution, with a preference for shaded areas (Abou-Awad *et al.* 2009). The eriophyid's infestation level and population density of the eriophyid appear to be closely related to the different mango cultivars, as demonstrated by Ramani and Haq (1989) on five different mango varieties in India.

Several predatory mites of the Phytoseiidae family were found on mango plants infested with *C. kenyae* in Egypt, including *Amblyseius swirskii* Athias-Henriot and *Typhlodromus mangiferus* Zaher & El-Borolossy, which maintained a constant presence for several months, indicating their potential role as biological control agents (BCAs) (Abou-Awad *et al.* 2010).

## Italian records

*Cisaberoptus kenyae* was detected in several mango orchards on the northern coast of Sicily (Table 1). The presence of potential predators on plants showing symptoms of coating was assessed using the shaking method (Tsolakis and Ragusa 2015). Additionally, leaves showing typical symptoms induced by eriophyids were collected and examined in the laboratory under a Wild M38 stereoscope, to discover the presence of the mites and any natural enemies. *Cisaberoptus kenyae* was found exclusively on the Keitt cultivar at the 2nd and 3rd sampling sites. It should be mentioned that the Kensington pride cultivar was infested at the 4th site, where no other cultivars were present, but not at the 3rd site where the Keitt cultivar was also present.

*Cisaberoptus kenyae* adults were collected from leaf samples in mango orchards located at Lascari (Palermo) (38°00'22.95"N 13°55'18.42"E) and preserved in a 70% ethanol solution before being cleared and mounted for the identification. Eriophyids were cleared using Keifer's

<table><caption>**Table 1** Main characteristics of the four sampled mango orchards. The infested cultivars in bold.</caption><thead><tr><th></th><th>Sampling Sites</th><th>Dates</th><th>Coordinates</th><th>Management type</th><th>Crop age (years)</th><th>Host cultivars</th><th>Planting layout</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Lascari (PA)</td><td>22 Feb. 2025</td><td>38°00'22.95"N 13°55'18.42"E</td><td>Organic</td><td>3</td><td>Glenn</td><td>3x5m</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Ficarazzi (PA)</td><td>11 Mar. 2025</td><td>38°05'29.1"N 13°27'53.8" E</td><td>Organic</td><td>5</td><td>Keitt, Maya</td><td>2x4m</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Bagheria (PA)</td><td>17 Mar. 2025</td><td>38°04'18.18"N 13°29'56.59"E</td><td>Conventional</td><td>4</td><td>Keitt, Kensington Pride</td><td>3x5m</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Sant'Agata di Militello (ME)</td><td>10 Apr. 2025</td><td>38°04'36.1"N 14°38'54.1"E</td><td>Conventional</td><td>10</td><td>Kensington Pride</td><td>4x5m</td></tr></tbody></table>
<figure><img src="image_4.png" /><figcaption>**Figure 2** Females of *Cisaberoptus kenyae* (a) (yellow arrows) on an infested mango leaf after removal of the white-silvery leaf coating (blue arrow); damaged cells (red arrows) by the feeding activity of mites are visible. tissues beneath the coating undergo necrosis and become dark brown (b)</figcaption></figure>

Booster and mounted on slides with Keifer's F-Medium (Amrine and Manson 1996). A phase contrast microscope (BX50, Olympus, Tokyo, Japan) was used to identify morphological characters following the generic key provided by Amrine *et al*. (2003) and through comparisons
with the new genera described after that publication. The mite morphology was then compared
with the species associated with mango up to now (around 20 valid species) and in particular
with the description given for *C. kenyae* by Keifer (1966) and Elhalawany *et al.* (2021).
Several specimens of *Iphiseius degenerans* (Berlese) and *A. swirskii* were collected on infested
leaves at the 1st and 4th sampling sites respectively. Both species were found under the leaf
coating. In Egypt, the latter phytoseiid can complete its life cycle by feeding on the eriophyids,
and its predatory efficiency is positively correlated with the increase in temperatures and a
decrease in relative humidity rates (Abou-Awad *et al.* 2009; Abou-Awad *et al.* 2010). Both
predators are well-known as BCAs and commercially available for the biological control of
thrips and spider mites in greenhouses. The other two phytoseiids, namely *Typhlodromus*
(*Typhlodromus* phialatus Athias-Henriot and *Typhlodromus* (*Typhlodromus*) setubali Dosse,
were found in Sicilian mango fields. These species are widespread and common on the main Mediterranean crops (Ferragut *et al.* 1992; Tixier *et al.* 2019). They belong to the type III generalist predatory mites, able to feed, survive, and reproduce on different food sources (McMurtry *et al.* 2013). Their natural occurrence in the field implies a solid base for their use in future biocontrol programs.

Considerations

The increasing introduction of alien phytophagous insects and mites into new geographical
areas is strongly linked to the international trade in live plants. This is particularly true for
alien species that are challenging to detect during inspections of imported plants and fruits,
due to their aspect (shape and size) and lifestyle. Following the spread of mango and other
tropical fruit species in Sicily, several alien pests have already been found, i.e. *Oligonychus*
*perseae* Tuttle, Baker & Abbatiello, *A. tubercularis*, *I. seychellarum* and *Aceria litchii* Keifer
(Giordano *et al.* 2024; Lo Verde *et al.* 2020; Zappalà *et al.* 2015). The occurrence of *C. kenyae*
in different mango crops of varying ages and cultivars suggests that the pest is now well settled
and widely distributed in Sicily. Further investigations are currently underway to confirm
the actual level of establishment of the mite in other mango orchards, quantify the damage
caused during the growing season, and assess the presence of other potential natural enemies.
The Sicilian populations in such a northern area appear well-suited for clarifying this species'
still unclear taxonomic status. Moreover, given the growing economic importance of tropical
fruit cultivation in Sicily, it is essential to implement continuous monitoring in orchards and
nurseries to detect and promptly prevent the introduction of new alien species.

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the private owners of the several orchards in which surveys were
carried out.

ORCID

Thomas Giordano https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3209-3192

Francesco Andolina https://orcid.org/0009-0001-1314-8739

Giuliano Cerasa https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1837-4302

Ilaria Marotta https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3565-0147

Roberto Rizzo https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1628-643X

Gabriella Lo Verde https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8207-1416

Enrico de Lillo https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0364-4963

Haralabos Tsolakis https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8018-9496
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