{{Short description|Genus of mites}} {{Automatic taxobox |fossil_range = {{Fossil range|Palaeogene|present}} |image = Willow Gall Mite (Aculops tetanothrix) on Arroyo Willow (Salix lasiolepis) (7688204092).jpg |image_caption = Willow gall mite (''Aculops tetanothrix'') on arroyo willow (''Salix lasiolepis'') Cache Creek, Bear Valley, CA |image_alt = Willow gall mite (''Aculops tetanothrix'') on arroyo willow (''Salix lasiolepis'') Cache creek, Bear valley, CA |taxon = Aculops |authority = Keifer, 1966 |subdivision_ranks = Species |subdivision = Around 200 species see text |synonyms = * ''Pedaculops'' <small>Manson, 1984</small> }} [[File:Aculops rhois galls.jpg|thumb|left|Galls of ''Aculops rhois'' on poison ivy]]
'''''Aculops''''' is a genus of parasitic plant mites in the family Eriophyidae.
Some species, such as ''Aculops lycopersici'', are prolific crop and ornamental pests.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}} ''Aculops ailanthii'' is being considered as biocontrol for the extremely{{Specify|date=December 2024|reason=according to which metric?}} invasive Ailanthus altissima in North America.<ref>{{Cite thesis | url=https://drum.lib.umd.edu/handle/1903/8526?show=full | title=Native and Indigenous Biocontrols for Ailanthus altissima | date=11 July 2008 | type=Thesis | last1=Gardner | first1=Richard Thomas }}</ref>
Very little is known about the genus, with new species frequently being discovered{{When|date=December 2024}}, such as in New Zealand.<ref>{{Cite journal | url=https://www.mapress.com/j/zt/article/view/zootaxa.4550.1.4 | doi=10.11646/zootaxa.4550.1.4 | title=A new genus and three new species of eriophyoid mites from New Zealand Coprosma (Rubiaceae) | year=2019 | last1=Han | first1=Xiao | last2=Zhang | first2=ZHI-Qiang | journal=Zootaxa | volume=4550 | issue=1 | pages=101–114 | pmid=30790878 | s2cid=73484479 | doi-access=free }}</ref>
==Selected species== *''Aculops ailanthii'' <small>(Lin-Fuping, Jin-Changle & Kuang-Haiyua, 1997)</small> - ailanthus leafcurl mite *''Aculops cannabicola'' <small>(Farkas, 1960)</small> – hemp russet mite *''Aculops fuchsiae'' <small>(Keifer, 1972)</small> – fuchsia gall mite *''Aculops lycopersici'' <small>(Massee, 1937)</small> – tomato russet mite *''Aculops rhois'' <small>(Stebbins, 1909)</small> - poison ivy gall mite *''Aculops tetanothrix'' <small>(Nalepa, 1889)</small> – willow gall mite
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Commons category-inline}} * {{Wikispecies-inline|Aculops|''Aculops''}}
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Category:Eriophyidae Category:Trombidiformes genera
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