First record of the tomato red spider mite, Tetranychus evansi Baker and Pritchard (Acari: Tetranychidae) in Mexico, from cultivated and wild solanaceous plants

Abstract

The tomato red spider mite Tetranychus evansi Baker and Pritchard is a pest of primary importance on cultivated Solanaceae in some countries. Based on morphological characters and sequencing of a fragment of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), the presence of T. evansi is reported for the first time in Mexico, from four municipalities (counties) in three states: Baja California, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas, on solanaceous plants, both cultivated (tomato, Solanum lycopersicum L., and potato Solanum tuberosum L.) and wild (nigthshades, Solanum cf. americanum Mill. and Solanum nigrescens Mart. and Gal.). The molecular study confirms for the first time the presence of haplotype 4 (belonging to clade I) of T. evansi in North America (Nuevo Leon state). This clade includes most invasive T. evansi populations worldwide. Although no studies have been carried out on the economic impact of T. evansi in Mexico, it is of utmost importance to recognize the presence of this species to establish sound management strategies.