Raoiella indica

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Raoiella indica
Raoiella indica.jpg
Adult Raoiella indica, an SEM image with false-color added
Scientific classification
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R. indica
Binomial name
Raoiella indica
Hirst, 1924

Raoiella indica, commonly known as the red palm mite, is a species of mite belonging to the family Tenuipalpidae. A pest of several species of palm in the Middle East and South East Asia, it is now becoming established throughout the Caribbean. The invasion of this species is the biggest mite explosion ever observed in the Americas. [1]

Contents

Distribution

This species is indigenous to Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Mauritius, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Réunion, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.

It is considered an invasive species in Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin, Trinidad and Tobago, the US Virgin Islands, Grenada, [lower-alpha 1] Haiti and Jamaica. [2]

In 2007, the red palm mite was discovered in Florida. As of April, 2009, this pest has been found at almost 400 sites in five counties there.

Description

Detail of head Raoiella indica - red palm mite head.jpg
Detail of head

This species can be distinguished from most other mites by its colour, flat body, long spatulate setae, and droplets on the dorsal body setae. There is also a noticeable absence of the webbing associated with numerous other spider mites. [3]

The red palm mite has a long, bright red, spatulate body. During all stages of life, this species is red, with adult females often showing black patches on their backs after feeding.

Red palm mite egg Raoiella indica - red palm mite egg.jpg
Red palm mite egg

Red palm mite eggs are 0.12 mm long and 0.09 wide. The eggs are smooth and can be found in groups attached to the underside of leaves. [2]

Larvae are 0.18–.020 mm in length and only have three pairs of legs. Nymphs are 0.18–0.25 mm long.

Adults are approximately 0.32 mm long. Females are larger than males and have a triangular body.

Life cycle

The egg stage ranges from 6 to 9 days. Development from egg to adult ranges from 23 to 28 days for females, and 20 to 22 days for males. The red palm mite lives for about 26 days.

Hosts

This mite has been found on 32 different palm species. In the Caribbean, this species also infests banana plants, heliconias and gingers.

Known hosts of the red palm mite in the Caribbean and Florida as of 12–05–2009 [2]
FamilyLocationSpeciesCommon name
PalmaeCaribbean Acoelorraphe wrightii , (Griseb.& H.A. Wendl.)Everglades palm, paurotis palm
PalmaeFlorida Adonidia merrilli , (Becc.) Becc. Veitchia H.A. Wendl.)Manila palm, Christmas palm
PalmaeCaribbean Areca catechu betel nut palm
PalmaeCaribbean Areca , spp. 
PalmaeFlorida Aiphanes caryotifolia , (H.B.K.) H.A. Wendl.Coyure palm, ruffle palm, spine palm
PalmaeCaribbean Aiphanes , spp. Willd.Multiple crown palm, ruffle palm
PalmaeFlorida Archontophoenix alexandrae , (F. Muell.)Alexander palm, king palm
PalmaeCaribbean Bactris plumeriana , Mart.coco macaco, prickly pole
PalmaeFlorida Beccariophoenix madagascariensis , Jum. & H. Perriergiant windowpane palm
PalmaeCaribbean Bismarckia nobilis , Hildebr. & H.A. Wendl.Bismarck palm
PalmaeFlorida Butia capitata , (Mart) Becc.pindo palm, jelly palm
PalmaeCaribbean Caryota mitis , Lour.fishtail palm
PalmaeCaribbean Chamaedorea , spp. Willd.chamaedorea palm
PalmaeFlorida Coccothrinax miraguama , (H.B.K.) Becc.Miraguama palm
PalmaeFlorida Cocos nucifera , L.coconut palm
PalmaeFlorida Corypha umbraculifera , L.Talipot palm
PalmaeCaribbean Dictyosperma album , (Bory) H.A. Wendl. & Drude ex Scheff.princess palm, hurricane palm
PalmaeCaribbean Dypsis decaryi , (Jum.) Beentje & J. Dransf.triangle palm
PalmaeCaribbean Dypsis lutescens , (H.A. Wendl.) Beentje & J.Dransf.areca palm, golden cane palm, butterfly palm
PalmaeCaribbean Elaeis guineensis , Jacq.African oil palm
PalmaeCaribbean Licuala grandis , H.A. Wendl.licuala palm, ruffled fan palm
PalmaeFlorida Livistona , chinensis (Jacq.) R. Br. ex Mart.Chinese fan palm
PalmaeFlorida Phoenix canariensis , Hort. ex ChabaudCanary Islands date palm
PalmaeFlorida Phoenix dactylifera , L.date palm
PalmaeFlorida Phoenix reclinata , Jacq.Senegal date palm
PalmaeFlorida Phoenix roebelenii , O’Brienpygmy date palm, roebelenii palm
PalmaeFlorida Pritchardia pacifica , B.C. Seem. & H.A. Wendl.Fiji fan palm
PalmaeFlorida Pseudophoenix sargentii , H.A. Wendl. ex Sarg.buccaneer palm, Sargent's cherry palm
PalmaeCaribbean Pseudophoenix vinifera , (Mart.) Becc.cacheo, katié, wine palm
PalmaeFlorida Ptychosperma elegans , (R. Br.) Blumesolitaire palm, Alexander palm
PalmaeFlorida Ptychosperma macarthurii , (H.A. Wendl.) NicholsMacarthur palm
PalmaeCaribbean Rhapis excelsa , (Thunb.) A. Henrylady palm, bamboo palm
PalmaeCaribbean Roystonea borinquena , O.F. CookPuerto Rico royal palm
PalmaeCaribbean Roystonea regia , (HBK) O.F. CookFlorida royal palm
PalmaeFlorida Schippia concolor , Burretsilver pimento palm
PalmaeFlorida Syagrus romanzoffiana , (Cham.) Glassmanqueen palm
PalmaeCaribbean Syagrus schizophylla , (Mart.) Glassmanarikury palm
PalmaeFlorida Thrinax radiata , Lodd. ex J.A. & J.H. SchultesFlorida thatch palm
PalmaeFlorida Veitchia , spp. H.A. Wendl.Manila palm
PalmaeCaribbean Washingtonia filifera , (Lind. ex André) H.A. Wendl.fan palm
PalmaeFlorida Washingtonia robusta , H.A. Wendl.Mexican fan palm
PalmaeFlorida Wodyetia bifurcata , A.K. Irvinefoxtail palm
MusaceaeCaribbean Heliconia bihai , (L.) L.Macaw flower
MusaceaeCaribbean Heliconia caribaea , Lam.wild plantain, Balisier
MusaceaeCaribbean Heliconia psittacorum , L. f.parrot flower
MusaceaeCaribbean Heliconia rostrata , Ruiz & Pavonlobster claw heliconia
MusaceaeFlorida Heliconia , spp. 
MusaceaeCaribbean Musa acuminata , Collaedible banana, plantain
MusaceaeCaribbean Musa balbisiana , Collawild banana
MusaceaeCaribbean Musa coccinea Andrewsred-flowering banana
MusaceaeCaribbean Musa corniculata , Rumph.red banana
MusaceaeFlorida Musa , spp.banana, plantain
MusaceaeCaribbean Musa acuminata × balbisiana , L.edible banana, plantain
MusaceaeCaribbean Ravenala madagascariensis , Sonn.traveler's tree
MusaceaeCaribbean Strelitzia reginae , Aitonbird of paradise, crane flower
PandanaceaeCaribbean Pandanus utilis , Boryscrew pine
ZingiberaceaeCaribbean Alpinia purpurata , (Vieill.) K. Schum.red ginger, jungle king/queen
ZingiberaceaeFlorida Alpinia zerumbet , (Pers.) B.L. Burtt & R.M. Sm. shell ginger, pink porcelain lily
ZingiberaceaeCaribbean Etlingera elatior , (Jack.) R.M. Sm.red torch ginger

Survey, detection and damage

Banana leaves damaged by red palm mites Banana leaves damaged by Raoiella indica - red palm mite.jpg
Banana leaves damaged by red palm mites

The red palm mite forms colonies on the undersides of leaves. There, they feed on the contents of the cells of the leaves. This feeding can cause localized yellowing of the leaves.

Adults are usually visible to the naked eye.

Dispersal

Like most other plant feeding mites, this species disperses on the wind. Tropical storms and hurricanes can distribute this mite over wide areas.

Management

red palm mite damage to palm leaf Raoiella indica - red palm mite damage to pam leaf.jpg
red palm mite damage to palm leaf

Chemical control is considered impractical due to the large size of most palms. Some biological control agents have proven useful in the Eastern Hemisphere, including predatory mites, beetles, lacewings and other mite predators.

See also

Notes

  1. The source says Granada, which is a city in Spain, and implausible in context. It is most likely a typographical error for Grenada, an island-country in the Caribbean.

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References

  1. "A Tiny Menace Island-Hops the Caribbean". Ars.usda.gov. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
  2. 1 2 3 "Pest Alerts - Red palm mite, DPI - FDACS". Doacs.state.fl.us. Archived from the original on 2010-12-02. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
  3. Hoy MA, Peña J, Nguyen R. April 2010. http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/orn/palms/red_palm_mite.htm

Further reading