Raoiella indica
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]

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

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

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]
Family Location Species Common name
Palmae Caribbean Acoelorrhaphe wrightii , (Griseb.& H.A. Wendl.) Everglades palm, paurotis palm
Palmae Florida Adonidia merrilli, (Becc.) Becc. Veitchia H.A. Wendl.) Manila palm, Christmas palm
Palmae Caribbean Areca catechu betel nut palm
Palmae Caribbean Areca, spp.  
Palmae Florida Aiphanes caryotifolia, (H.B.K.) H.A. Wendl. Coyure palm, ruffle palm, spine palm
Palmae Caribbean Aiphanes, spp. Willd. Multiple crown palm, ruffle palm
Palmae Florida Archontophoenix alexandrae, (F. Muell.) Alexander palm, king palm
Palmae Caribbean Bactris plumeriana, Mart. coco macaco, prickly pole
Palmae Florida Beccariophoenix madagascariensis, Jum. & H. Perrier giant windowpane palm
Palmae Caribbean Bismarckia nobilis, Hildebr. & H.A. Wendl. Bismarck palm
Palmae Florida Butia capitata, (Mart) Becc. pindo palm, jelly palm
Palmae Caribbean Caryota mitis, Lour. fishtail palm
Palmae Caribbean Chamaedorea, spp. Willd. chamaedorea palm
Palmae Florida Coccothrinax miraguama, (H.B.K.) Becc. Miraguama palm
Palmae Florida Cocos nucifera, L. coconut palm
Palmae Florida Corypha umbraculifera, L. Talipot palm
Palmae Caribbean Dictyosperma album, (Bory) H.A. Wendl. & Drude ex Scheff. princess palm, hurricane palm
Palmae Caribbean Dypsis decaryi, (Jum.) Beentje & J. Dransf. triangle palm
Palmae Caribbean Dypsis lutescens, (H.A. Wendl.) Beentje & J.Dransf. areca palm, golden cane palm, butterfly palm
Palmae Caribbean Elaeis guineensis, Jacq. African oil palm
Palmae Caribbean Licuala grandis, H.A. Wendl. licuala palm, ruffled fan palm
Palmae Florida Livistona, chinensis (Jacq.) R. Br. ex Mart. Chinese fan palm
Palmae Florida Phoenix canariensis, Hort. ex Chabaud Canary Islands date palm
Palmae Florida Phoenix dactylifera, L. date palm
Palmae Florida Phoenix reclinata, Jacq. Senegal date palm
Palmae Florida Phoenix roebelenii, O’Brien pygmy date palm, roebelenii palm
Palmae Florida Pritchardia pacifica, B.C. Seem. & H.A. Wendl. Fiji fan palm
Palmae Florida Pseudophoenix sargentii, H.A. Wendl. ex Sarg. buccaneer palm, Sargent's cherry palm
Palmae Caribbean Pseudophoenix vinifera, (Mart.) Becc. cacheo, katié, wine palm
Palmae Florida Ptychosperma elegans, (R. Br.) Blume solitaire palm, Alexander palm
Palmae Florida Ptychosperma macarthurii, (H.A. Wendl.) Nichols Macarthur palm
Palmae Caribbean Rhapis excelsa, (Thunb.) A. Henry lady palm, bamboo palm
Palmae Caribbean Roystonea borinquena, O.F. Cook Puerto Rico royal palm
Palmae Caribbean Roystonea regia, (HBK) O.F. Cook Florida royal palm
Palmae Florida Schippia concolor, Burret silver pimento palm
Palmae Florida Syagrus romanzoffiana, (Cham.) Glassman queen palm
Palmae Caribbean Syagrus schizophylla, (Mart.) Glassman arikury palm
Palmae Florida Thrinax radiata, Lodd. ex J.A. & J.H. Schultes Florida thatch palm
Palmae Florida Veitchia, spp. H.A. Wendl. Manila palm
Palmae Caribbean Washingtonia filifera, (Lind. ex André) H.A. Wendl. fan palm
Palmae Florida Washingtonia robusta, H.A. Wendl. Mexican fan palm
Palmae Florida Wodyetia bifurcata, A.K. Irvine foxtail palm
Musaceae Caribbean Heliconia bihai, (L.) L. Macaw flower
Musaceae Caribbean Heliconia caribaea, Lam. wild plantain, Balisier
Musaceae Caribbean Heliconia psittacorum, L. f. parrot flower
Musaceae Caribbean Heliconia rostrata, Ruiz & Pavon lobster claw heliconia
Musaceae Florida Heliconia, spp.  
Musaceae Caribbean Musa acuminata, Colla edible banana, plantain
Musaceae Caribbean Musa balbisiana, Colla wild banana
Musaceae Caribbean Musa coccinea Andrews red-flowering banana
Musaceae Caribbean Musa corniculata, Rumph. red banana
Musaceae Florida Musa, spp. banana, plantain
Musaceae Caribbean Musa acuminata × balbisiana, L. edible banana, plantain
Musaceae Caribbean Ravenala madagascariensis, Sonn. traveler's tree
Musaceae Caribbean Strelitzia reginae, Aiton bird of paradise, crane flower
Pandanaceae Caribbean Pandanus utilis, Bory screw pine
Zingiberaceae Caribbean Alpinia purpurata, (Vieill.) K. Schum. red ginger, jungle king/queen
Zingiberaceae Florida Alpinia zerumbet, (Pers.) B.L. Burtt & R.M. Sm. shell ginger, pink porcelain lily
Zingiberaceae Caribbean Etlingera elatior, (Jack.) R.M. Sm. red torch ginger

Survey, detection and damage

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

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.

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

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