Los insectos escama asociados a raíces son de interés económico en cultivos como el café. Aunque existen desarrollos notables en el conocimiento sobre la taxonomía alfa de tales insectos, se requiere más información sobre su diversidad. El objetivo de este trabajo fue actualizar la lista de especies de insectos escama huéspedes en raíces de café en Colombia, así como reconocer sus hormigas trofobióticas. Se recolectaron 541 muestras en nueve departamentos de Colombia; se analizaron 4.762 especímenes de insectos escama y 450 hormigas. Los coccomorfos se prepararon en láminas para microscopía y las hormigas, en doble montaje en seco. Asimismo, se examinaron 250 muestras de escamas conservadas en siete colecciones entomológicos de Colombia. Por último, se revisó la literatura relacionada con registros previos de escamas en café para el país. La presente investigación provee una lista actualizada de especies de insectos escama para el cultivo en el país, incluida su distribución geográfica y hormigas asociadas. Se actualiza la lista de insectos escama asociadas a raíces de café a 61 especies, 52 de ellas obtenidas a partir de las muestras analizadas y nueve por registros de literatura; se hacen 20 nuevos registros de asociación con café y 15 nuevos registros para Colombia. Las especies con mayor presencia en el cultivo fueron Puto barberi, Geococcus coffeae, complejo Dysmicoccus texensis, Rhizoecus colombiensis y Pseudococcus elisae. Además, se obtuvieron 32 morfoespecies de hormigas, de las cuales 30 se conocen en relaciones trofobíoticas facultativas con hemípteros, y dos del género Acropyga en trofoforesia.

Herein we describe a new species, Tillancoccus koreguajae Caballero & Ramos, sp. n. (Hemiptera: Coccidae) from Colombia collected on sugarcane. Pinnaspis strachani (Cooley) is also recorded on sugarcane for the first time worldwide. An updated list of seven species of Coccomorpha on sugarcane in Colombia is provided, including information on its distribution, biology, and mutualistic ants for each species. Seven species of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) have been recorded previously on sugarcane, Saccharum officinarum L. (Poaceae) in Colombia: Pseudococcidae: Dysmicoccus boninsis (Kuwana), D. brevipes (Cockerell), Pseudococcus calceolariae (Maskell), Saccharicoccus sacchari (Cockerell); Coccidae: Pulvinaria elongata Newstead; Diaspididae: Duplachionaspis divergens (Green) and Serenaspis minima (Maskell). However, the record of S. minima in Colombia is considered doubtful as there are no voucher specimens from Colombia and because the distribution of this species is currently limited to the Australasian region. Pseudococcus calceolariae is present in Colombia but its record on sugarcane is also doubtful. A taxonomic key for the identification of scale insects on sugarcane in Colombia is provided.

The Neotropical scale insect genus Ripersiella Tinsley (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Rhizoecidae) was investigated, based on soil samples deposited at the Hungarian Natural History Museum. Description and illustration of a new species, Ripersiella incarum Kaydan & Szita sp. n., and an identification key and new additional locality records for the currently known Ripersiella species in the Neotropical region, are provided and discussed.

Actualmente los insectos escama hipogeos (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) son el segundo artrópodo plaga más importante de la caficultura colombiana. Para desarrollar planes de manejo integrado de este problema fitosanitario se hace necesario reconocer las especies que están asociadas al cultivo. En esta investigación se analizaron 768 especímenes de 85 muestras recolectadas en raíces de café en Norte de Santander y Valle del Cauca. Se identificaron 10 géneros reunidos en cuatro familias. Puto barberi, Toumeyella coffeae y Dysmicoccus varius fueron las especies más recurrentes. Se registra a Dysmicoccus mackenziei, Dysmicoccus radicis y Mixorthezia minima por primera vez para Colombia y a Coffea arabica como nuevo hospedante de Phenacoccus solani y se describe una nueva especie del género Pseudorhizoecus.

A new species belonging to Rhizoecus Künckel d'Herculais (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Rhizoecidae) is described, with hosts and distribution data in the New World. A dichotomous and illustrated key for the twelve species of Rhizoecus recorded from Colombia is presented.

Neotropical species of the scale insect genus Rhizoecus Künckel d’Herculais (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Rhizoecidae) found in soil sample material of the Hungarian Natural History Museum were studied. Two new Rhizoecus species, Rhizoecus kontschani Kaydan and Konczné Benedicty sp. n., and Rhizoecus granaradewillinkae Kaydan and Szita sp. n., are described and illustrated based on the adult females. Also, the adult females of Rhizoecus keysensis Hambleton and Rhizoecus pseudocacticans Hambleton are illustrated. An identification key and new additional locality records for the currently known Rhizoecus species are provided.

Background: The goal of this research is to provide new information about the hypogeal scale insects associated with coffee crops in Mexico. This plant is associated with many insects, among others, the scale insects. This group of insects are potential pests in coffee crops because they are exclusive phytophagous. Until now, there are more than 500 scale insects species recorded in Mexico, 19 of them in Chiapas State. The rhizosphere of the coffee plants contains high diversity of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) that have not been studied until now. Samples were collected from coffee and undetermined species of Poaceae roots, in Chiapas State, Mexico, in November 2014, and mature female specimens were identified to species level. Results: Specimens of Dysmicoccus texensis (Pseudococcidae), Geococcus coffeae, Pseudorhizoecus proximus, Rhizoecus colombiensis, Rhizoecus neostangei and Ripersiella campestris, (Rhizoecidae) and Insignorthezia insignis and Mixorthezia minima (Ortheziidae) were identified. Pseudorhizoecus proximus, R. campestris and M. minima are recorded for the first time from Mexico. In addition, a new species, Williamsrhizoecus coffeae Caballero and Ramos sp. nov., is described. Conclusions: New information about phytophagous insects are presented to Mexico and the world. Nine species of infraorder Coccomorpha are recorded for Mexico, two of them are new registers, and one species new to science is described.

A study was conducted on the Neotropical scale insect genus Coccidella Hambleton (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Rhizoecidae) based on soil sample material deposited at the Hungarian Natural History Museum. Descriptions of the adult females of two new Coccidella species, i.e., Coccidella hexapora Kaydan & Konczné Benedicty, sp. n. and Coccidella kozari Kaydan & Szita, sp. n., are provided, plus a redescription and illustration of adult female of Coccidella kissbalazsi Konczné Benedicty & Kozár. An identification key and new additional locality records for the currently known Coccidella species are provided and the affinities of the new species are discussed.