| Aceria pseudoplatani | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Underside of sycamore leaf with "felt" gall patches | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Family: | Eriophyidae |
| Genus: | Aceria |
| Species: | A. pseudoplatani |
| Binomial name | |
| Aceria pseudoplatani | |
| Synonyms | |
Eriophyes pseudoplatani[2] | |
Aceria pseudoplatani causes thesycamore felt gall that is found on the leaves of sycamores (Acer pseudoplatanus) or Norway maple (Acer platanoides),[3] and is caused by an acarine gall-mite.
The gall forms a bulge on the upper epidermis, where the pigment colour is usually light yellow to start with and brown later on in the year. The appearance on the lower epidermis is a concavity with cream- or white- coloured felt-like mat that later turns brown.[2][4] The bulge is due to theerinae, or hairs, being wider at their top. In purple-leaved varieties of the sycamore, the patches are pink.[3] The size of the felt-like patches is variable, and they may appear from late spring onwards.[5]
The sycamore felt gall is quite common, is widespread throughout the United Kingdom[6] and is also recorded in Poland, Belgium, and Germany.[7]
Notes:
Sources: