Eriophyoid mite species on bamboo in China (Acari: Eriophyidae): one new species and supplementary description of two sympatric species

Abstract

Eriophyoid mites are characterized by high host plant specificity—roughly 80% named species infesting only one host plant species. However, sympatric species, i.e. two or more eriophyoid mites infesting the same host, were consistently reported. In this study, we described and illustrated one new species, Abacarus horseshoex sp. nov. on Bambusa sp., and re-described two sympatric species, Abacarus fuzhoubambusae nom. nov. and Knorella bambusae (Kuang & Feng, 1989) on Bambusa multiplex (Lour.) Raeusch. ex Schult. (Poaceae). Abacarus bambusae Kuang & Zhuo, 1987 now is Abacarus fuzhoubambusae nom. nov. All three eriophyoid mite species are vagrants causing no apparent symptom to their host plants. We further provided mitochondrial gene (cox1, 12S rRNA) and nuclear gene (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA) sequences for the new species and mitochondrial gene (cox1) for the other two species.