Monochetus sulcatus (Nalepa, 1892)

on Fagus sylvatica

Fagus sylvatica, France, dép. Seine-et-Marne, Fontainebleau, 30.v.2018 © Pierre Duhem

underside

gall

small epiphyllous bulge in a leaf axil; the normally present bunch of hairs at the underside is more voluminous than usual.

host plants

Fagaceae, monophagous

Fagus sylvatica.

synonyms

Redfern & Shirley consider M. sulcatus a synonym of Phyllocoptes depressus, a gall mite on dogwood.Because eryophiids generally are monophagous, the discrepancy in host plant argues against that synonymy, that also is not hold up by the Fauna Europaea (2014).

notes

essentially the gall is just a somewhat stronger expression of a normal acarodomatium.

According to Weidner the species is an inquiline of Acalitus plicans.

references

Béguinot (2012a), Buhr (1964b), Dauphin & Aniotsbehere (1997a), Farkas (1965a), Houard (1908a), Lambinon, Schneider & Feitz (2001a), Petanović & Stanković (1999a), Redfern & Shirley (2011a), Skoracka, Lewandowski & Boczek (2005a), Weidner (1954a), Xue, Wang, Song & Hong (2009a).