TITLE:
Eriophyoid Mite of the Genus Trisetacus Reported on Juniperus excelsa in Lebanon
AUTHORS:
Bouchra Douaihy, Philipp E. Chetverikov, Nathalie Machon, Magda Bou Dagher-Kharrat
KEYWORDS:
Acari; Eriophyoidea; Trisetacus; Cryptic Species; Juniperus; Lebanon
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.4 No.2A,
February
28,
2013
ABSTRACT: We report for
the first time the occurrence of Trisetacus acari Eriophyoid parasite
infesting Juniperus excelsa seeds in Lebanon. The specimen studied belong most probably to the species T. kirghizorum (Shevchenko
1962) living on J. semiglobosa in the Kirghiz mountains. We suggest that Trisetacus spp. found in the
seed cones of Kirghiz junipers as well as J. excelsa comprise a complex of cryptic species that
might be distinguished using molecular markers. It is necessary to
revise the group cupressi in the genus Trisetacus and an integrated
phylogenetic study of the mites belonging to this genus could elucidate the patterns
of eriophyoid mites evolution on conifers and could help in a better resolution
of the Juniper phylogeny.