• Restricted. Africa, North (Mexico) and South America, the Caribbean (Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago). It is NOT recorded in Oceania.
• Serious pest of cassava (and relatives). Defoliation, low root yield, and poor quality cuttings for next crop.
• Mites pierce leaves, sucks out juices, causing yellowing, curling, death. Leaves fall, terminal buds die giving stems characteristic ‘candle stick’ appearance.
• Eggs laid on leaves, producing larvae (six legs), then nymphs and finally yellowish-green adults, about 0.8 mm long. Higher populations in dry times. Note, there are other similar species, so samples need to be examined by experts.
• Spread by walking, in wind or in water. Long distance spread on vehicles, on cuttings share between farmers, on nursery plants, or on leaves taken to market.
• Biosecurity: prohibit unregulated cassava introductions; follow FAO Technical Guidelines for cassava germplasm moved internationally; use only virus-tested tissue cultures.
• Natural enemies: key predator is Typhlodromalus aripo, together with Typhlodromalus manihoti.
• Cultural control: IITA have bred tolerant varieties.
• Chemical control: not recommended.

Cassava green mite

Mononychellus tanajoa. Another mite, Mononychellus caribbeanae, is considered a separate species by some taxonomists; previously, it was thought to be another name for Mononychellus tanajoa.