Acalitus brevitarsus

Acalitus brevitarsus is an eriophyid mite which induces domed, blister like swellings, known as galls, on some species of alder (Alnus species).

Acalitus brevitarsus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Subclass: Acari
Order: Trombidiformes
Family: Eriophyidae
Genus: Acalitus
Species:
A. brevitarsus
Binomial name
Acalitus brevitarsus
(Fockeu, 1890)
Synonyms

Description of the gall

A pale, slightly domed swelling on the upper surface, which is induced by mites living and feeding within erineum (hairs), on the lower surface. The hairs are white or yellowish at first, later rust-brown and when viewed with a hand lens, the erineum look like a mat of shiny, glass-like hairs. In the autumn the mites spend the winter in old cones and bark crevices.[1][2]

This gall is found on Italian alder (Alnus cordata), European alder (Alnus glutinosa), grey alder (Alnus incana), Alnus x pubescens and Alnus viridis.[3]

Similar species

A fungus, Taphrina sadebeckii, can look similar on the upper surface.[4]

Distribution

Found in Europe from Spain to Russia including the Balkans.[5]

References
  1. Redfern, Margaret; Shirley, Peter; Boxham, Michael (2011). British Plant Galls (Second ed.). Shrewsbury: Field Study Council. pp. 33–36. ISBN 978 185153 284 1.
  2. Chinery, Michael (2011). Britain's Plant Galls. Old Basing, Hampshire: WildGuides Ltd. p. 31. ISBN 978 190365743 0.
  3. Ellis, W N. "Acalitus brevitarsus (Fockeu, 1890)". Plant Parasites of Europe. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  4. Ellis, W N. "Taphrina sadebeckii Johanson, 1886". Plant Parasites of Europe. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  5. "Acalitus brevitarsus (Fockeu, 1890)". Fauna Europaea. Retrieved 1 November 2019.

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