Eriophyidae

Navia, Denise, Duarte, Mercia Elias & Flechtmann, Carlos H. W., 2021, Eriophyoid mites (Acari: Prostigmata) from Brazil: an annotated checklist, Zootaxa 4997 (1), pp. 1-152 : 40

Eriophyidae , Cecidophyinae , Colomerini

094 Colomerus vitis ( Pagenstecher, 1857) : 46. ( Newkirk & Keifer, 1971: 7).

Synonyms.

Phyllerium (Erineum) vitis Fries, 1829

Phytoptus vitis mihi Landois, 1864

Eriophyes vitis ( Landois, 1864)

Type host. Vitis vinifera L. ( Vitaceae ).

Type locality. Germany (probably near Heidelberg, Pagenstecher’s home) .

Reports in Brazil. Locality not informed ( Fagundes 1928 in Braga 1957; Ronna 1934), Porto Alegre ( Parseval 1939), Bento Gonçalves ( Soria et al. 1993), Candiota ( Johann et al. 2009), Rio Grande do Sul.

Relationship to host plant. According to their behavior and the type of injury they produce, three strains can be distinguished: erineum, bud and leaf curl strain ( Smith & Stafford 1948). Revisions on bioecological aspects and symptoms caused by the three C. vitis strains is presented in Duso & de Lillo (1996) and Duso et al. (2012). Females of the erineum strain colonize the unfolding leaves and induce the first erinea mainly on the under surface of infested leaves. Patches are whitish at first, then turn yellow and finally reddish brown. On the other side of the leaves, the patches are manifested as blister-like whitish or reddish swellings that gradually dry and turn brown. Females of the bud and other strain overwinter inside the buds and feed on the primordia as the buds swell. As the shoots start growing, the mites are carried up on the axils of young leaves, and they can also crawl up from bud to bud. The main symptoms caused by the bud strain consist of scarification of green bark, short basal internodes, flattened shoots, death of terminal and dormant buds, stunting or death of main growing points of the bud along with the development of lateral shoots (witches’ broom growth or zig-zagged shoots). The leaf curl strain prefers hairy and young leaves; infested leaves become curled downward or rolled up in summer, developing few abnormal trichomes. Stunted growth and scarring of the shoots, as well as necrosis and hypoplasias of the leaf underside can be observed. Colomerus vitis erineum strain is reported as the vector of Grapevine pinot gris virus ( GPGV) and Grapevine berry inner necrosis virus ( GINV), which decreases production ( Malagnini et al. 2016).

Remarks. Type species in the genus Colomerus . Carew et al. (2004) used molecular markers to gain further insight into the identity of the erineum and the bud strains of C. vitis in Australia and results indicated the existence of two distinct species, however description of the cryptic species was not presented. Valenzano et al. (2020) characterized the morphology of protogynes (spring–summer morphs) and deutogynes (winter morphs), and confirmed their genetic similarity. Colomerus oculivitis ( Attiah, 1967) , that infest buds and presents a restricted distribution, is morphologically very close C. vitis ; these species differ by few traits. Colomerus species , particularly C. oculivitis , have been intercepted on table grapes and grapevine budwood by quarantine services in different countries. In addition, breeding colonies of Colomerus mites were found on imported fresh table grapes ( Craemer & Saccaggi 2013). Integrative studies are needed to clarify thr taxonomy of Colomerus mites associated with the grapevine. Up to now, only the species C. vitis erineum strain is reported in Brazil and the transmitted viruses were not detected.

Type host plant status. Exotic, liana/vine of economic and social importance widely cultivated in domestic and commercial orchards, mainly destined for wine production or fresh fruit market ( Lorenzi et al. 2006).