Using leg IV and a specialized caudal attachment organ, an adult male carries around an inactive larval female.

 

The eggs of P. latus are covered with wax-like domes. This is one of the most striking characters known for this species. It is useful for field identification, since these structures can be seen on the surface of the semi-translucent eggs using a 10-16X hand lens.

 

SELECTED REFERENCES

Flechmann, C.W. , J.M. Guerrero, J. Arroyave, and L.M. Constatino. 1990. A little known mode of dispersal of Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks). International Journal of Acarology. 16:181-182.

Lindquist, E.E. 1986. The world genera of Tarsonemidae (Acarina: Heterostigmata): A morphological, phylogenetic and systematic revision with a reclassification of family-group taxa in the Heterostigmata. Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada. 136: 1-517.

Ochoa, R., Von Lindeman, G. 1988. Importancia de los acaros en los cultivos de tomate (Lycopersicon esculentum) y chile dulce (Capsicum annuum) en Panama. Manejo Integrado de Plagas (Costa Rica). 7:29-36.

Ochoa, R., Smiley, R.L.; Saunders, J.L. 1991. The family Tarsonemidae in Costa Rica (ACARI: Heterostigmata). International Journal of Acarology. 17(1):41-86.

Peña, J. E., Ochoa, R., Erbe, E.F. 2003. Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Acari: Tarsonemidae) research status on Citrus. Proceedings of the International Society of Citriculture Congress 2000. pp. 754-759.

Smith, F.F. 1935. Control experiments on certain Tarsonemus mites onornamentals. Journal of Economic Entomology. 28:91-98.

Walter, D. 1999. Mite Image Gallery. University of Queensland.