Tuckerella Explained

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^[1] adorning their backs are evocative of a peacock's plumage.^[2] They also have long hair-like setae projecting from rear (caudal setae)^[3] that have been compared to a trailing peacock tail.^[1] The 5–7 pairs of caudal setae can be flicked over the body very quickly,^[1] so they are used like whips in defense against predators.^[2] They may also help in wind-borne dispersal.^[2]

They are classified in the superfamily Tetranychoidea,^[4] being its most ornate members.^[1]

Species

• Tuckerella anommata Smith-Meyer & Ueckermann, 1997 (South Africa)
• Tuckerella channabasavannai Mallik & Kumar, 1992 (host: Saraca indica; Andhra Pradesh)
• Tuckerella eloisae Servin & Otero, 1989 (host: Fouquieria diguetii; Mexico)
• Tuckerella filipina Corpuz-Raros, 2001 (host: Hydnocarpus sp.: Philippines)
• Tuckerella hainanensis Lin & Fu, 1997 (host: Coffea arabica; Hainan)
• Tuckerella jianfengensis Lin & Fu, 1997 (host: Annona muricata; Jianfengling, Hainan)
• Tuckerella kumaonensis Gupta, 1979 (India)
• Tuckerella litoralis Collyer, 1969
• Tuckerella nilotica Zaher & Rasmy, 1970 (Egypt)
• Tuckerella ornatus (Tucker, 1926) – type species^[5]
• Tuckerella xiamenensis Lin, 1982 (host: Manilkara zapota)
• Tuckerella xinglongensis Lin-Yanmou & Fu-Yuegua, 1997 (hosts: Polyscias fruticosa var. plumata and Camellia sinensis; Hainan)^[6]
• †Tuckerella fossilibus Khaustov, Sergeyenko & Perkovsky 2014 (Rovno amber)^[7]
• †Tuckerella weiterschani Sidorchuk & Khaustov, 2018 (Baltic amber)^[8]

Notes and References

1. Book: Walter. David Evans. Proctor. Heather. Mites: Ecology, Evolution & Behaviour. 2013. Springer Science & Business Media. 978-94-007-7164-2. 292.
2. Web site: D.E. Walter (University of Queensland) . "Peacock mites" Tuckerellidae . . 2005-09-28.
3. Book: Vacante, Vincenzo. Citrus Mites. 2010. Cabi. 978-1-84593-499-6. 167.
4. Book: David Evans Walter . Hidden in plain sight: mites in the canopy . 224–241 . Margaret Lowman & H. Bruce Rinker . Forest Canopies . https://books.google.com/books?id=F471I0uJv-8C&pg=PA229 . 2004 . . 978-0-12-457553-0.
5. Web site: Index of the Described Animalia of the World: Tuckerellidae . Texas A&M University.
6. Book: Zhang. Zhi-qiang. Hong. Xiao-yue. Fan. Qing-hai. Progress in Chinese Acarology. 2010. Magnolia Press. 978-1-86977-545-2. 7.
7. A.A. Khaustov . A.L. Sergeyenko . E.E. Perkovsky . 2014 . First fossil record of mites of the family Tuckerellidae (Acari: Tetranychoidea) from Rovno amber with description of a new species . International Journal of Acarology . 40 . 5 . 367–369 . 10.1080/01647954.2014.933253. 2014IJAca..40..367K . 84956169 .
8. Ekaterina A. Sidorchuk . Alexander A. Khaustov . 2018 . Two Eocene species of peacock mites (Acari: Tetranychoidea: Tuckerellidae) . Acarologia . 58 . 1 . 99–115 . 10.24349/acarologia/20184228 . free .