Fine structures on a plant leaf, such as trichomes or leaf domatia, are considered to affect plant mite community. However, so far, few empirical studies has determined mite fauna and its seasonal dynamics on plants bearing such fine structures on leaf surface. Viburnum erosum var. punctatum is a deciduous shrub, which has dense stellate hairs and hair tufts (domatia) on the abaxial surface of leaf. In this study, to determine the effects of such structures on fauna of leaf mites, we investigated seasonal dynamics of leaf mites on V. erosum in comparison with those on the other 13 tree or shrub species in secondary forests in Kyoto, the central part of Japan. Some mites remained on V. erosum leaves all over the season, with the density of all mite species reaching the maximum, 39.5 individuals per leaf, in June. The density on V. erosum was 10 times higher than on the other target plant species. Phytoseiid mites belonging to Phytoseius stably occurred for most seasons, from May to October, and the density reached the maximum, 2.2 individuals per leaf, in July. Mites of Tydeoidea and Astigmata were frequently observed in the leaf domatia of V. erosum, whereas they were rarely observed on the other plant species. These results indicate that V. erosum harbor more unique and more abundant mite community on its leaf surface, compared to its sympatric tree and shrub species.

• Masaaki Sudo(Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Japan)
• Takao Itioka(Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Japan)
• Sachiko Nishida(The Nagoya University Museum, Japan)