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Tuckerella
Sign in to saveAlso known as peacock mite, peacock mites
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.
Species
GENUS
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumArthropoda
- ClassArachnida
- OrderTrombidiformes
- FamilyTuckerellidae
via GBIF
Museum specimens
- Specimen records
- 23
- Family
- Tuckerellidae
- Collections
- USNM, OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY ACAROLOGY LABORATORY, COLUMBUS, OH (OSAL), SAMA, QM
- Recorded in
- India, Australia, United States, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico
~2 min read
Encyclopedic overview
3 sectionsContents
- Species
- References
- External links
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 5–7 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.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Tuckerella” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.