Rastrococcus invadens sp. n. (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) introduced from the Oriental Region to West Africa and causing damage to mango, citrus and other trees

Abstract

Rastrococcus invadens sp. n. has been accidentally introduced to West Africa where it is causing considerable damage to many plants, especially mango and citrus, in Togo and Ghana. The origin of the mealybug is the Oriental Region, where it is known from a wide area, but it has always been mistaken for R. spinosus (Robinson), a closely related species. Serious outbreaks on mango in some areas of the Oriental Region suggest recent introductions also, although records from other parts of the Oriental Region are as early as 1900.

Molecular phylogenetic analysis of a scale insect (Drosicha mangiferae; Hemiptera: Monophlebidae) infesting mango orchards in Pakistan

“…Four coccid species have been reported as pests on mango trees including Drosicha mangiferae, D. stebbingi, R. iceryoides, and Rastrococcus invadens (Latif, 1961;Tandon & Lal, 1978;Williams, 1986;Willink & Moore, 1988). R. invadens is a serious pest of mango and other fruit trees in Africa (Agounké et al, 1988;Moore, 2004), whereas R. iceryoides has been reported on ornamental and forest trees as well (Sundararaj & Devaraj, 2010).…”

Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) species on economically important fruit crops in Sri Lanka

“…2K) is one of the dominant species on fruit crops in Sri Lanka. Although it is not new to the country (Williams, 1986), in the survey it was found as an epidemic in agro-ecological zone WL2a. A similar situation in a different area has been described by Galanihe & Watson (2013).…”

Identification Of Rastrococcus Rubellus Williams (Hemipte Ra: Pseudococcidae) on Mango: A New Record to Sri Lanka

“…R. invadens caused major damage to mango, citrus and other fruits when accidentally introduced to Ghana and Togo, West Africa in 1981 (Williams 1989), with up to 80% loss of mango yield in Ghana (Willink and Moore 1988). It spread very rapidly throughout West Africa (Williams 1986). Infestation of mango fruits by R. invadens was found to affect their nutritional status (Tobih et al 2002).…”

“…R. invadens is native to Southern Asia, and is quite widespread in mainland southern Asia (Williams 2004). R. rubellus was described from Malaysia (Williams 1986) and has been reported also from Hong Kong, Indonesia and Laos (Ben-Dov et al 2012e).…”

“…R. invadens, which was collected from Sri Lanka for the first time by E.E. Green in 1900 (Williams 1986), and R. rubellus, a new record for Sri Lanka, were found together in mixed populations in which R. invadens was the dominant species. The number of R. rubellus specimens found was relatively low.…”