Preliminary studies on the biology of the pest mite Luciaphorus auriculariae (Acari: Pygmephoridae) infesting Jew's ear mushroom Auricularia polytricha in China

The mite, Luciaphorus auriculariae Gao et al. recently discovered in Fujian Province, China, is regarded as a destructive mite to the commercial production of jew's ear mushroom, Auricularia polytricha, causing a 10–50% to total loss of the crop.There are only two phases in the life cycle of L. auriculariae. Eggs develop directly into adults within the physogastric hysterosoma of the female. Mating takes place both within and outside of the hysterosoma and lasts 7–12 seconds. Under normal conditions, a male mates up to 20 times, but a female, only once. When the hysterosoma bursts, fertilized females disperse rapidly in search of food. As soon as a favourable location is found, they project their gnathosomas and their hysterosomas begin to swell.At controlled temperatures of 20°C, 25°C, 30°C, and 35°C, the egg phase lasted 13.6±3.2,6.6±0.6, 4.5±0.8 and 3.0±0.9 days; the adult phase, 26.6±4.3, 12.6±2.2, 8.8±0.2 and 7.0±0.7 days, and the progeny totaled 125.4±90.1, 128.1±119.1, 163.9±92.1 and 77.3±81.5, respectively.Laboratory tests showed that in the course of normal development and reproduction, L auriculariae can feed on both the mycelia and sporophores of A. polytricha, A. auricula and Flammulina velutipes, but not on the mycelia of Agaricus bisporus, Pleurotus ostreatus, Tremella fuciformis, or Lentinus edodes or the sporophores of L. edodes.When living conditions become unfavourable, the walls of the physogastric hysterosoma harden and form a crust around the cavity, delaying further egg development and protecting newly emerged adults.