First record of Ceroplastes japonicus (Gray) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) in Greece and a combined approach of morphological identification and DNA barcoding

Abstract

High levels of infestation of a wax soft scale insect (Hemiptera: Coccidae) have been observed on Laurus nobilis L. (Lauraceae) and Diospyros kaki Thunb. (Ebanaceae) in Greece in recent years. Specimens of Ceroplastes were collected from regions of Thessaloniki, Naousa and Kavala (northern Greece) and Attica (southern Greece) in 2012–2017. The specimens were identified based on DNA barcoding and female morphological characteristics as Ceroplastes japonicus Green (Hemiptera: Coccidae).

First records of Ceroplastes ceriferus (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) and Ceroplastes japonicus (Gray) in Switzerland identified by DNA barcoding

“…Although Papadopoulou et al (2020) provide a very helpful key to the morphological identification of the Ceroplastes species occurring in Europe, their identification with classical taxonomy remains challenging. Accurate and fast species identification is an important prerequisite for many research disciplines and a key factor for the implementation of stringent management strategies against invasive insect pests (Floyd et al, 2010; Hodgetts et al, 2016).…”