Identification of Aceria genistae species complex (Acari: Eriophyidae) from broom, gorse and related plants (Fabaceae: Genisteae) in western US and a new record of Aculops hussongi

Abstract

This paper reports on a collection of eriophyid mites from broom (Cytisus scoparius), gorse (Ulex europaeus), and related plants (Fabaceae: Genisteae) in the western USA, to clarify the taxonomic problems within the “Aceria genistae” complex on different hosts. The mites from U. europaeus and Genista monspessulana, which were previously identified as or suspected to be Aceria genistae, are herein confirmed as Aceria davidmansoni—previously known only from U. europaeus in New Zealand. The mites from Lupinus albicaulis (no galls), Lupinus densiflorus (with gall-like deformities although not true galls), Cytisus striatus and C. scoparius are confirmed as A. genistae (the first three species were used in host specificity tests for A. genistae from C. scoparius and only C. striatus is confirmed as a new host for A. genistae). Another unrelated species, Aculops hussongi Keifer, was found on L. albicaulis in Nisqually, Washington, USA.