Eriophyoid mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Eriophyoidea) of Latvia: an annotated checklist.

Abstract

A bibliographical checklist of eriophyoid mites reported from Latvia is compiled. To date, 67 eriophyoid mite species associated with more than 29 plant genera have been recorded from Latvia. Many eriophyoid mite species previously reported in the literature were based on damage symptoms only rather than mite morphology. Some species records did not involve collecting and identifying actual specimens. To date, the majority of eriophyoid species documented from Latvia are associated with ornamental and wild woody plants with low commercial significance. Only damage caused by several Cecidophyopsis species, the pests of blackcurrants and redcurrants, is considered to be of economic significance, although in recent years Aculus fockeui (Nalepa Trouessart) has become a problem in plum orchards. Eriophyoid mites inhabiting herbaceous plants in Latvia have been poorly studied as only five species have been described. The present study shows that major revision is necessary for many of the eriophyoid mite species previously recorded.