Tiny Trouble, Unknown Risk: International Interceptions Highlight Cross-Border Movement and Biosecurity Threat of Cenopalpus (Acari: Tenuipalpidae)

Marcello De Giosa; Sauro Simoni; Tobias E Glik; Michael Ormsby; Helen Nahrung; Aline D Tassi; Ronald Ochoa; Davina L Saccaggi

doi:10.3390/insects17030290

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Tiny Trouble, Unknown Risk: International Interceptions Highlight Cross-Border Movement and Biosecurity Threat of Cenopalpus (Acari: Tenuipalpidae)

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Tiny Trouble, Unknown Risk: International Interceptions Highlight Cross-Border Movement and Biosecurity Threat of Cenopalpus (Acari: Tenuipalpidae)

Marcello De Giosa, Sauro Simoni, Tobias E Glik, Michael Ormsby, Helen Nahrung, Aline D Tassi, Ronald Ochoa and Davina L Saccaggi

Insects , Vol.17(3), pp.1-12

2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17030290

PMID: 41898952

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Abstract

invasions

dispersal

pest

quarantine

flat mites

interceptions

Mite species of the genus Cenopalpus are phytophagous pests associated with fruit and ornamental crops. Although the genus is primarily distributed in the Palearctic region, increasing international trade of plant material has created repeated opportunities for its unintentional transport across borders. To support improved awareness of emerging biosecurity risks, international quarantine interception records were analyzed from Australia, Laos, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, and the United States of America. A total of 98 interceptions were documented between 1981 and 2024, exclusively reported by New Zealand, South Africa, and the USA, while no Cenopalpus spp. mites were intercepted in Australia, Laos, Malaysia, or Singapore. Six species were identified, with Cenopalpus pulcher being the most frequently detected, followed by C. lanceolatisetae and C. officinalis. Interceptions were primarily associated with fruit crops, particularly apples and stone fruits, frequently with origins in Europe and the Middle East. Several records represent the first detection of Cenopalpus in trade originating from countries within Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania. Taxonomic uncertainty associated with Cenopalpus mites likely limits accurate identification in interception records, highlighting the need for improved diagnostic expertise. The implications of these findings for plant biosecurity programs, including surveillance and diagnostic priorities, are discussed.

Details

Title: Tiny Trouble, Unknown Risk: International Interceptions Highlight Cross-Border Movement and Biosecurity Threat of Cenopalpus (Acari: Tenuipalpidae)
Authors: Marcello De Giosa (Corresponding Author) - University of Florida
Sauro Simoni - Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria
Tobias E Glik - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Michael Ormsby - Ministry for Primary Industries
Helen Nahrung - University of the Sunshine Coast
Aline D Tassi - University of Florida
Ronald Ochoa - Beltsville Agricultural Research Center
Davina L Saccaggi - Stellenbosch University
Publication details: Insects , Vol.17(3), pp.1-12
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date published: 2026
DOI: 10.3390/insects17030290
ISSN: 2075-4450
PMID: 41898952
Copyright note: © 2026 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.
Data Availability: The original contributions presented in this study are included in the article. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.
Organisation Unit: Forest Industries Research Centre
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991216244602621
Output Type: Journal article

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