THE SPECIES DIVERSITY OF FOUR-LEGGED MITES (ACARI: ERIOPHYOIDAE) IN THE URBOPHYTOCENOSIS OF KYIV

Abstract

The superfamily Eriophyoidea is a large and diverse group of mites that includes a number of species of economic importance, mainly on perennial plants in agriculture and forestry. This article updates the latest data on the species diversity and distribution of eryophyoid mites in the phytocoenoses of Kyiv. Monitoring of four-legged mites was carried out in 2012-2022 from May to September on the territory of the Fomin Botanical Garden, the M.M. Hryshko National Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, in parks, squares and street plantings of Kyiv. During the research, field and laboratory methods were used in accordance with generally accepted methods in acarology. As a result of the surveys, it was found that in the current state of phytocoenoses in Kyiv, the fauna of four-legged mites includes 28 species from 11 genera (Acalitus - 2 species, Aceria - 9, Aculops - 1, Aculus - 5, Anthocoptes - 1, Epitrimerus - 1, Eriophyes - 4, Phyllocoptes - 1, Phytoptus - 1, Trisetacus - 2, Vasates - 1 species). Invasive species account for 21.4 %. They include Aceria erineus, Aceria loewi, Aculus hippocastani, Anthocoptes platynotus, Eriophyes vitis, Vasates allotrichus. The most common are 4 species of mites: Eriophyes tiliae, Aceria petanovicae, Aceria fraxinivorus and Aceria cephalonea. Seven species of Eriophyceae are characterised by significant harmfulness: Aceria erineus, Aceria fraxinivorus, Aceria petanovicae, Aculus tetanothrix, Eriophyes leiosoma, Eriophyes pyri, Eriophyes tiliae. The article presents the fodder plants, gives a brief description of the peculiarities of the types of damage and the occurrence of four-legged mites in the phytocoenoses of Kyiv. The practical value of the work is that the information on the presence, abundance and distribution of the four-legged mites will help in monitoring and making future management decisions.