''Bryobia'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of
mite
Mites are small arachnids (eight-legged arthropods). Mites span two large orders of arachnids, the Acariformes and the Parasitiformes, which were historically grouped together in the subclass Acari, but genetic analysis does not show clear evid ...
s in the
spider mite
Spider mites are members of the Tetranychidae family, which includes about 1,200 species. They are part of the subclass Acari (mites). Spider mites generally live on the undersides of leaves of plants, where they may spin protective silk webs, a ...
family, Tetranychidae. The
taxonomy
Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification.
A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...
of the genus is difficult. The genus has been revised several times. It is difficult to distinguish these tiny species from each other on the basis of
morphological characters, and there is little agreement on which characteristics are of importance. Also, species can be variable in morphology. Over 130 species have been described, but many of the names are likely
synonyms
A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are all ...
.
[Ros, V. I. D. (2009)]
Evolutionary consequences of reproductive parasites in spider mites.
''Entomologische Berichten'' 70(5) 154-61.
Description
''Bryobia'' mites are among the largest spider mites. The adult is visible to the naked eye. Mites of this genus are mainly distinguished by the arrangement of the
seta
In biology, setae (singular seta ; from the Latin word for "bristle") are any of a number of different bristle- or hair-like structures on living organisms.
Animal setae
Protostomes
Annelid setae are stiff bristles present on the body. Th ...
e on their bodies.
[Khanjani, M., et al. (2008)]
A species of the genus ''Bryobia'' Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) from Iran.
''International Journal of Acarology'' 34(3) 243-49. In general, these mites are red in color with whitish setae and long legs with hooked claws.
[Walter, D. E]
Invasive Mite Identification: Tools for Quarantine and Plant Protection. Lucid v. 3.3. 2006.
Biology
''Bryobia'' mites feed on plants. They puncture the plant tissues with their sucking mouthparts. They are often found on leaves, but they also live on branches and twigs.
[
The life history is variable across species. Typically, it takes about a month for a mite to develop from egg and ]larva
A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle.
The ...
to adult.
This depends on environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity. Some species overwinter in the egg stage. Some species have a single generation per year, while others have several. The eggs are laid singly or in clutches, and some mites may cover the eggs with dust or other matter. Unlike some other spider mites, bryobia mites do not spin webs.[
The great majority of ''Bryobia'' mites are asexual (although certain species do ]reproduce sexually
Sexual reproduction is a type of reproduction that involves a complex life cycle in which a gamete ( haploid reproductive cells, such as a sperm or egg cell) with a single set of chromosomes combines with another gamete to produce a zygote tha ...
). Their populations are all female, and individuals reproduce by thelytoky
Thelytoky (from the Greek ''thēlys'' "female" and ''tokos'' "birth") is a type of parthenogenesis in which females are produced from unfertilized eggs, as for example in aphids. Thelytokous parthenogenesis is rare among animals and reported in a ...
, a form of parthenogenesis
Parthenogenesis (; from the Greek grc, παρθένος, translit=parthénos, lit=virgin, label=none + grc, γένεσις, translit=génesis, lit=creation, label=none) is a natural form of asexual reproduction in which growth and development ...
. They emerge from unfertilized eggs. Phylogenetic
In biology, phylogenetics (; from Greek φυλή/ φῦλον [] "tribe, clan, race", and wikt:γενετικός, γενετικός [] "origin, source, birth") is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among or within groups o ...
analysis shows that the asexual species in the genus are not a monophyletic
In cladistics for a group of organisms, monophyly is the condition of being a clade—that is, a group of taxa composed only of a common ancestor (or more precisely an ancestral population) and all of its lineal descendants. Monophyletic gro ...
group; indicating that asexual reproduction evolved several times or that sexuality re-evolved. The asexual species have a high level of genetic diversity
Genetic diversity is the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species, it ranges widely from the number of species to differences within species and can be attributed to the span of survival for a species. It is dis ...
considering that they are clones; this may have arisen through hybridization
Hybridization (or hybridisation) may refer to:
*Hybridization (biology), the process of combining different varieties of organisms to create a hybrid
*Orbital hybridization, in chemistry, the mixing of atomic orbitals into new hybrid orbitals
*Nu ...
and mutation
In biology, a mutation is an alteration in the nucleic acid sequence of the genome of an organism, virus, or extrachromosomal DNA. Viral genomes contain either DNA or RNA. Mutations result from errors during DNA or viral replication, mi ...
. In at least two species, namely ''Bryobia kissophila'' and ''B. praetiosa'', asexuality is caused by the parasitic bacterium '' Wolbachia''.[Ros, V. I. D., et al. (2008)]
Origins of asexuality in ''Bryobia'' mites (Acari: Tetranychidae).
''BMC Evolutionary Biology'' 8 153. This bacterium causes functional apomixis
In botany, apomixis is asexual reproduction without fertilization. Its etymology is Greek for "away from" + "mixing". This definition notably does not mention meiosis. Thus "normal asexual reproduction" of plants, such as propagation from cuttin ...
in the mites, so that a female produces only offspring that are identical to her.[Weeks, A. R. and J. A. J. Breeuwer. (2001)]
''Wolbachia''–induced parthenogenesis in a genus of phytophagous mites.
''Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B'' 268(1482) 2245-51. It is possible that ''Wolbachia'' could influence the reproductive processes of most bryobia mite species.[
]
Familiar species
Perhaps the best known species is ''Bryobia praetiosa
The clover mite (''Bryobia praetiosa'') is a species of mite.
Description
Clover mites are long, oval shaped arachnids with a pair of long legs pointing forward often mistaken for antennae. They are reddish brown; the younger ones and the egg ...
'', the clover mite or brown clover mite, an economically important pest
Pest or The Pest may refer to:
Science and medicine
* Pest (organism), an animal or plant deemed to be detrimental to humans or human concerns
** Weed, a plant considered undesirable
* Infectious disease, an illness resulting from an infection
** ...
of over 250 species of plants.[ It occurs nearly worldwide.][Gomez, C. and R. F. Mizell]
Clover Mite, ''Bryobia praetiosa''.
Document EENY437. University of Florida IFAS Extension. 2008. Like other bryobia mites, this species is herbivorous, but there have been occasional reports of it occurring as an ectoparasite
Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson has ...
on humans, particularly children. It causes an itchy skin irritation.[Ebeling, W]
Chapter 12 - Miscellaneous Pests: Mites.
Urban Entomology. UC Riverside. 2002. There has also been an isolated case report of an infestation in a domestic cat
The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members o ...
.[Lindo, D. E. and H. H. Grenn. (1968)]
''Bryobia praetiosa'' (clover mite) infestation in a feline.
''Can Vet Jour'' 9(11) 254-56.
* ''Bryobia artemisiae
''Bryobia'' is a genus of mites in the spider mite family, Tetranychidae. The taxonomy of the genus is difficult. The genus has been revised several times. It is difficult to distinguish these tiny species from each other on the basis of morphol ...
'' lives on wormwoods and causes a gray discoloration of the leaves.[Hatzinikolis, E. N. and N. G. Emmanouel. (1991)]
A revision of the genus ''Bryobia'' in Greece (Acari: Tetranychidae).
''Entomologia Hellenica'' 9 21-34.
* '' Bryobia attica'' feeds on olive
The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'', meaning 'European olive' in Latin, is a species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae, found traditionally in the Mediterranean Basin. When in shrub form, it is known as ''Olea europaea'' ...
.Bryobia convolvulus
''Bryobia'' is a genus of mites in the spider mite family, Tetranychidae. The taxonomy of the genus is difficult. The genus has been revised several times. It is difficult to distinguish these tiny species from each other on the basis of morphol ...
'' is commonly found on field bindweed (''Convolvulus arvensis''), and it is also a pest of alfalfa
Alfalfa () (''Medicago sativa''), also called lucerne, is a perennial flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. It is cultivated as an important forage crop in many countries around the world. It is used for grazing, hay, and silage, as w ...
.wheat
Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...
and barley
Barley (''Hordeum vulgare''), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains, particularly in Eurasia as early as 10,000 years ago. Globally 70% of barley pr ...
. It is also found on azalea
Azaleas are flowering shrubs in the genus ''Rhododendron'', particularly the former sections ''Tsutsusi'' (evergreen) and '' Pentanthera'' (deciduous). Azaleas bloom in the spring (April and May in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, and Octob ...
, spiderwort
''Tradescantia'' () is a genus of 85 species of herbaceous perennial wildflowers in the family Commelinaceae, native to the Americas from southern Canada to northern Argentina, including the West Indies. Members of the genus are known by many co ...
, clover
Clover or trefoil are common names for plants of the genus ''Trifolium'' (from Latin ''tres'' 'three' + ''folium'' 'leaf'), consisting of about 300 species of flowering plants in the legume or pea family Fabaceae originating in Europe. The genus ...
, and alfalfa.Iceland
Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
it infests hay
Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticated ...
fields and it can also be found living inside houses.[Hallas, T. E. and B. E. Gudleifsson. (2004)]
Phenology of ''Bryobia cristata'' (Acari, Prostigmata) in hayfields in northern Iceland.
''Experimental and Applied Acarology'' 33 103-07.
* ''Bryobia graminum
''Bryobia graminum'', also known as the clover mite, is a species of mite with a cosmopolitan distribution.
It was first described in 1781 by Franz von Paula Schrank as ''Acarus graminum''.
Its hosts are mainly herbaceous plants (grasses & dai ...
'' is a pest of fruit trees, clover, and grasses across Europe, Africa, Asia, and elsewhere,Bryobia kissophila
''Bryobia'' is a genus of mites in the spider mite family, Tetranychidae. The taxonomy of the genus is difficult. The genus has been revised several times. It is difficult to distinguish these tiny species from each other on the basis of morphol ...
'' is a familiar pest of common ivy
Common may refer to:
Places
* Common, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
* Boston Common, a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts
* Cambridge Common, common land area in Cambridge, Massachusetts
* Clapham Common, originally com ...
(''Hedera helix''). It causes yellowing of the leaves.greenhouse
A greenhouse (also called a glasshouse, or, if with sufficient heating, a hothouse) is a structure with walls and roof made chiefly of Transparent ceramics, transparent material, such as glass, in which plants requiring regulated climatic condit ...
s. It is also known from potato
The potato is a starchy food, a tuber of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'' and is a root vegetable native to the Americas. The plant is a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae.
Wild potato species can be found from the southern Unit ...
crops. It is found in Europe, New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
, Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, and elsewhere.Bryobia lagodechiana
''Bryobia'' is a genus of mites in the spider mite family, Tetranychidae. The taxonomy (biology), taxonomy of the genus is difficult. The genus has been revised several times. It is difficult to distinguish these tiny species from each other on t ...
'' may invade greenhouses and it infests bean
A bean is the seed of several plants in the family Fabaceae, which are used as vegetables for human or animal food. They can be cooked in many different ways, including boiling, frying, and baking, and are used in many traditional dishes th ...
s, cucumber
Cucumber (''Cucumis sativus'') is a widely-cultivated Vine#Horticultural climbing plants, creeping vine plant in the Cucurbitaceae family that bears usually cylindrical Fruit, fruits, which are used as culinary vegetables. s, currants, and several other cultivated plants. It is known from Europe to Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
to Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
.Bryobia rubrioculus
''Bryobia'' is a genus of mites in the spider mite family, Tetranychidae. The taxonomy of the genus is difficult. The genus has been revised several times. It is difficult to distinguish these tiny species from each other on the basis of morphol ...
'' damages fruit trees, especially almond
The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries, including the Levant. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genus ...
. It causes discoloration of the bark and leaves.[The Bryobia Mite and the Pear-leaf Blister Mite.](_blank)
Victoria State Government Department of Environment and Primary Industries: Agriculture. Note No. AG0094, 2000, updated 2010. On apricot
An apricot (, ) is a fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus ''Prunus''.
Usually, an apricot is from the species '' P. armeniaca'', but the fruits of the other species in ''Prunus'' sect. ''Armeniaca'' are also ...
it causes spotting of the fruit.vineyard
A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineyards ...
s in the Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though ...
of the United States.[Grape: Bryobia mite.](_blank)
Pacific Northwest Insect Management Handbook. Oregon State University. 2013.
* ''Bryobia vasiljevi
''Bryobia'' is a genus of mites in the spider mite family, Tetranychidae. The taxonomy of the genus is difficult. The genus has been revised several times. It is difficult to distinguish these tiny species from each other on the basis of morphol ...
'' occurs on a variety of crops, including apple
An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...
s, asparagus, and wheat, in Australia, New Zealand, and elsewhere.Bryobia watersi
''Bryobia'' is a genus of mites in the spider mite family, Tetranychidae. The taxonomy of the genus is difficult. The genus has been revised several times. It is difficult to distinguish these tiny species from each other on the basis of morphol ...
'' has been found on mallow, cucumber, peanut
The peanut (''Arachis hypogaea''), also known as the groundnut, goober (US), pindar (US) or monkey nut (UK), is a legume crop grown mainly for its edible Seed, seeds. It is widely grown in the tropics and subtropics, important to both small ...
, and Bermuda grass.
References
External links
Detailed description of the genus together with explanatory diagrams
{{Taxonbar, from=Q10436588
Trombidiformes genera