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Idiosomal setae analysis in Oligonychus peruvianus and Oligonychus perseae (Acari: Tetranychidae) from different hosts

Abstract:

The phytophagous mites, Oligonychus peruvianus (McGregor, 1917) and Oligonychus perseae Tuttle, Baker and Abbatiello, 1976 are considered occasional pests in several tropical crops. Due to the morphological similarities between them, both species are difficult to differentiate. In this study, morphometrical and chaetotaxic analysis were made to discriminate O. peruvianus from O. perseae. Idiosomal length and width and idiosomal chaetotaxy were measured in O. peruvianus females collected on Manihot esculenta Crantz or Persea americana L. trees from Venezuela and then compared to O. perseae specimens from avocado trees from Costa Rica. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) of the idiosomal chaetotaxy showed existence of three distinct groups, the first group represented by O. peruvianus individuals collected in avocado trees; the second one by O. perseae individuals from avocado and the third one conformed by those O. peruvianus from cassava plants. Our results confirmed taxonomic value of chaetotaxy as a tool to discriminate these mentioned Tetranychidae species. © 2011, Sociedad Venezolana de Entomologia.