Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank)

Flechtmann, Carlos H. W. & Etienne, Jean, 2002, New records of plant mites (Acari, Acaridae, Tetranychidae) from Guadeloupe and Marie Galante with descriptions of five new eriophyid species, Zootaxa 47, pp. 1-16 : 1-2

Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank)

Acarus putrescentiae Schrank, 1781

Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Robertson, 1959 .

Specimens examined: four females, two males, coll. J. Etienne, Bouillante, Pigeon, Guadeloupe, 6 Sept. 2001, in buds and leaves of Erythroxylon squamatum (Erythroxylaceae) .

This is a species with smooth, shining cuticle, in which the degree of tanning of the appendages varies with the nature of food. It is of cosmopolitan distribution, occurring in a wide variety of habitats, as in stored food, house dust, litter and on plants. ( Hughes, 1976).