Tuckerella

The peacock mites of the genus Tuckerella (the only genus of the mite family Tuckerellidae) are a significant herbivorous pest in the tropics, for example on citrus fruit. Other species dwell in grasses, possibly as root feeders.[1]

Tuckerella
Temporal range: Palaeogene–present
False-colour scanning elecron micrograph of Tuckerella sp., magnified 260 times
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Arachnida
Subclass:
Acari
Order:
Trombidiformes
(unranked):
Raphignathina
Superfamily:
Tetranychoidea
Family:
Tuckerellidae

Baker & Pritchard, 1953
Genus:
Tuckerella

Womersley, 1940

The peacock mite's name suggests that their feather-like (or leaf-like) setae[1] adorning their backs are evocative of a peacock's plumage.[2] They also have long hair-like setae projecting from rear (caudal setae)[3] that have been compared to a trailing peacock tail.[1] The 5–7 pairs of caudal setae can be flicked over the body very quickly,[1] so they are used like whips in defense against predators.[2] They may also help in wind-borne dispersal.[2]

They are classified in the superfamily Tetranychoidea,[4] being its most ornate members.[1]

Species
  • Tuckerella anommata Smith-Meyer & Ueckermann, 1997 (South Africa)
  • Tuckerella channabasavannai Mallik & Kumar, 1992 (host: Saraca indica; Andhra Pradesh)
  • Tuckerella eloisae Servin & Otero, 1989 (host: Fouquieria diguetii; Mexico)
  • Tuckerella filipina Corpuz-Raros, 2001 (host: Hydnocarpus sp.: Philippines)
  • Tuckerella hainanensis Lin & Fu, 1997 (host: Coffea arabica; Hainan)[5]
  • Tuckerella jianfengensis Lin & Fu, 1997 (host: Annona muricata; Jianfengling, Hainan)[5]
  • Tuckerella kumaonensis Gupta, 1979 (India)
  • Tuckerella litoralis Collyer, 1969
  • Tuckerella nilotica Zaher & Rasmy, 1970 (Egypt)
  • Tuckerella ornatus (Tucker, 1926) – type species[6]
  • Tuckerella xiamenensis Lin, 1982 (host: Manilkara zapota)
  • Tuckerella xinglongensis Lin-Yanmou & Fu-Yuegua, 1997 (hosts: Polyscias fruticosa var. plumata and Camellia sinensis; Hainan)[5]
  • †Tuckerella fossilibus Khaustov, Sergeyenko & Perkovsky 2014 (Rovno amber)[7]
  • †Tuckerella weiterschani Sidorchuk & Khaustov, 2018 (Baltic Sea coast)[8]

References
  1. Walter, David Evans; Proctor, Heather (2013). Mites: Ecology, Evolution & Behaviour. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 292. ISBN 978-94-007-7164-2.
  2. D.E. Walter (University of Queensland) (2005-09-28). ""Peacock mites" Tuckerellidae". United States Department of Agriculture.
  3. Vacante, Vincenzo (2010). Citrus Mites. Cabi. p. 167. ISBN 978-1-84593-499-6.
  4. David Evans Walter (2004). "Hidden in plain sight: mites in the canopy". In Margaret Lowman & H. Bruce Rinker (ed.). Forest Canopies. Academic Press. pp. 224–241. ISBN 978-0-12-457553-0.
  5. Zhang, Zhi-qiang; Hong, Xiao-yue; Fan, Qing-hai (2010). Progress in Chinese Acarology. Magnolia Press. p. 7. ISBN 978-1-86977-545-2.
  6. "Index of the Described Animalia of the World: Tuckerellidae". Texas A&M University.
  7. A.A. Khaustov; A.L. Sergeyenko; E.E. Perkovsky (2014). "First fossil record of mites of the family Tuckerellidae (Acari: Tetranychoidea) from Rovno amber with discription of a new species". International Journal of Acarology. 40 (5): 367–369. doi:10.1080/01647954.2014.933253. S2CID 84956169.
  8. Ekaterina A. Sidorchuk; Alexander A. Khaustov (2018). "Two Eocene species of peacock mites (Acari: Tetranychoidea: Tuckerellidae)". Acarologia. 58 (1): 99–115. doi:10.24349/acarologia/20184228.


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