The mealybug genus Rastrococcus Ferris (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

Abstract

The mealybug genus Rastrococcus, comprising twenty‐two species, is revised. A key is presented together with detailed descriptions and illustrations of all the included species. The genus is distributed throughout Australasia and southern Asia, and precise locality and hostplant data are listed. New taxa are R.expeditionis sp.n., R.jabadiu sp.n., R.monachus sp.n., R.rubellus sp.n., R.taprobanicus sp.n. and R.viridarii sp.n. In addition, Lankacoccus gen.n. is erected for Phenacoccus ornatus Green, formerly included in Rastrococcus. New synonymies proposed are P. ballardi Newstead with R.mangiferae (Green) and R.cappariae Avasthi & Shafee with R. iceryoides (Green). Lectotypes are designated for P.ornatus, P.iceryoides, P. ballardi, Dactylopius (Pseudococcus) obtusus Newstead and Pseudococcus mangiferae.

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

“…All 30 of the described species of Rastrococcus are native to the Oriental and Australasian regions, occurring in Australasia and southern Asia (Williams 1989). They feed on a range of fruit trees; none are host-specific, so they are all of potential economic importance wherever they may be accidentally introduced outside their native ranges.…”

“…They feed on a range of fruit trees; none are host-specific, so they are all of potential economic importance wherever they may be accidentally introduced outside their native ranges. 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).…”

“…The colour of the body contents also differed, being pale green in R. invadens but pink in R. rubellus. In microscope slide mounts, the frontal cerarii of R. rubellus were almost always linked by sclerotized cuticle, whereas in R. invadens they were usually separated by a strip of membranous cuticle; this difference was illustrated by Williams (1989 and2004). Agounké et al 1988).…”

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

“…in 2008-9 (Galanihe & Watson, 2013. In other parts of the world, this species has been recorded attacking mango and citrus crops (Williams, 1989(Williams, , 2004. In the field, R. rubellus can only be distinguished from R. invadens by the pale pink colour of its body contents; in R. invadens, the body contents are pale green (Williams, 1989).…”

New scale insects (Homoptera: Coccinea) from Sulawesi and New Guinea, with some other additions to the Indonesian fauna

“…The genus Rastrococcus Ferris was comprehensively reviewed by Williams (1989Williams ( , 2004. Rastrococcus kendariensis is close to Rastrococcus jabadiu Williams, 1989, but differs from it in (1) the small number of tubular ducts, which are of one size only and located in Figure 6.…”