The peacock mites of the genus Tuckerella (the only genus of the mite family Tuckerellidae) are a significant herbivorous pest in the tropics, for example on citrus fruit. Other species dwell in grasses, possibly as root feeders.
The peacock mite's name suggests that their feather-like (or leaf-like) setae adorning their backs are evocative of a peacock's plumage. They also have long hair-like setae projecting from rear (caudal setae) that have been compared to a trailing peacock tail. The 5âÂÂ7 pairs of caudal setae can be flicked over the body very quickly, so they are used like whips in defense against predators. They may also help in wind-borne dispersal.
They are classified in the superfamily Tetranychoidea, being its most ornate members.
Species
- Tuckerella anommata <small>Smith-Meyer & Ueckermann, 1997</small> (South Africa)
- Tuckerella channabasavannai <small>Mallik & Kumar, 1992</small> (host: Saraca indica; Andhra Pradesh)
- Tuckerella eloisae<small> Servin & Otero, 1989</small> (host: Fouquieria diguetii; Mexico)
- Tuckerella filipina <small>Corpuz-Raros, 2001</small> (host: Hydnocarpus sp.: Philippines)
- Tuckerella hainanensis <small>Lin & Fu, 1997</small> (host: Coffea arabica; Hainan)
- Tuckerella jianfengensis <small>Lin & Fu, 1997</small> (host: Annona muricata; Jianfengling, Hainan)
- Tuckerella kumaonensis <small>Gupta, 1979</small> (India)
- Tuckerella litoralis <small>Collyer, 1969</small>
- Tuckerella nilotica <small>Zaher & Rasmy, 1970</small> (Egypt)
- Tuckerella ornatus <small>(Tucker, 1926)</small> â type species
- Tuckerella xiamenensis <small>Lin, 1982</small> (host: Manilkara zapota)
- Tuckerella xinglongensis <small>Lin-Yanmou & Fu-Yuegua, 1997</small> (hosts: Polyscias fruticosa var. plumata and Camellia sinensis; Hainan)
- â Tuckerella fossilibus <small>Khaustov, Sergeyenko & Perkovsky 2014</small> (Rovno amber)
- â Tuckerella weiterschani <small>Sidorchuk & Khaustov, 2018</small> (Baltic amber)
References
External links