Mark P. Culik

Diaspididae (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) of Espírito Santo, Brazil

Abstract Twenty-seven species of armored scale insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) are newly recorded from Espírito Santo, Brazil, and information on the host plants and geographic distribution of the 31 species of Diaspididae that have been identified in the State is provided. New plant host records are reported for 11 of the diaspidid species studied and results are discussed with respect to development of agriculture in this and similar areas with objectives of modernization and diversification.

Coccidae, Pseudococcidae, Ortheziidae, and Monophlebidae (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) of Espírito Santo, Brazil

Culik, M.P., Martins, D.S., Ventura, J.A., Peronti, A.L.B.G., Gullan, P.Y. & Kondo, T. Coccidae, Pseudococcidae, Ortheziidae, and Monophlebidae (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) of Espirito Santo, Brazil. Biota Neotrop. Sep/Dez 2007 vol. 7, no. 3 http://www.biotaneotropica.org.br/v7n3/pt/abstract?article+bn00507032007. ISSN 1676-0603. New plant hosts are recorded for nine scale insect species recently collected in Espirito Santo, Brazil, and eleven scale insect species are recorded for the first time from the state: Ceroplastes floridensis Comstock, Coccus longulus (Douglas), Coccus viridis (Green), Eucalymnatus tesselatus (Signoret), Pseudokermes sp., Saissetia coffeae (Walker), Phenacoccus madeirensis Green, Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi Gimpel & Miller, Pseudococcus longispinus (Targioni Tozzetti), Icerya purchasi Maskell, and Icerya genistae Hempel. This is also the first record of Co. longulus in Brazil. Information on the host plants and geographic distribution of the 26 species of scale insects of the families Coccidae, Pseudococcidae, Ortheziidae, and Monophlebidae, currently known from Espirito Santo is provided.

First records of two mealybug species in Brazil and new potential pests of papaya and coffee

Abstract Five mealybug (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) plant pest species: Dysmicoccus grassii (Leonardi), Ferrisia malvastra (McDaniel), Ferrisia virgata (Cockerell), Phenacoccus tucumanus Granara de Willink, and Pseudococcus elisae Borchsenius are recorded for the first time in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. These are the first records of D. grassii in Brazil, from papaya (Carica papaya, Caricaceae), and from coffee (Coffea canephora, Rubiaceae). Ferrisia malvastra is also newly recorded in Brazil, where it was found on Bidens pilosa (Asteraceae). Ferrisia virgata was collected from an unidentified weed and Phenacoccus tucumanus from Citrus sp. (Rutaceae). Plotococcus capixaba Kondo was found on pitanga (Eugenia cf. pitanga, Myrtaceae) and Pseudococcus elisae on Coffea canephora, which are new host records for these mealybugs.

New record of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) as pests of papaya in Brazil

The occurrence of Coccus hesperidum L., 1758 and Aonidiella comperei McKenzie, 1937 was registered for the first time on papaya in the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil. Also A. comperei and Selenaspidus articulatus (Morgan, 1889) were registered on papaya in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. This is the first record of A. comperei and S. articulatus on papaya in Brazil, and the first record of S. articulatus on papaya in the world.

New species of Rhinoleucophenga, a potential predator of pineapple mealybugs

The objective of this work was to describe a new species of Rhinoleucophenga (Diptera: Drosophilidae). Rhinoleucophenga capixabensis sp. nov. is described based on specimens collected from pineapple (Ananas comosus var. comosus) infested with Dysmicoccus brevipes (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil. Distinguishing characters of R. capixabensis sp. nov. include hyaline wings, a strong seta on the second antennal segment, body length of about 2-3 mm, uniformly dark brown scutellum, one pair of strong prescutellar setae, ventral epandrial lobes with about 17-18 teeth, and female cerci with approximately 20 long setae.

Collembola (Arthropoda: Hexapoda) communities in the soil of papaya orchards managed with conventional and integrated production in Espírito Santo, Brazil

Collembola have significant influences on soil microorganisms and fertility but information on these ecologically important arthropods is lacking, especially in agricultural and tropical environments. This research was conducted to identify Collembola species present in the soil of papaya orchards in Espirito Santo, Brazil, and to compare the effect of conventional and integrated production on Collembola in this Neotropical environment. Soil samples (4.8 cm diameter, 10 cm deep) were collected in February, May, August and November 2003, from papaya orchards managed with conventional production (including pesticide application based on little or no pest monitoring or consideration of environmental impact) and integrated production (including selective pesticide application only when necessary based on regular pest monitoring) in one experimental site with three treatments (conventional; integrated with drip irrigation; integrated with microsprinkler irrigation) and four commercial orchards (two with conventional and two with integrated production). Berlese-Tullgren funnels were used to extract Collembola from the soil samples. Averaged over the sampling dates, collembolan densities of the orchards ranged from 14023 to 56001 Collembola per m2. In the experimental site, the species Willemia brevispina, Folsomina cf. onychiurina, Folsomides cf. centralis, Folsomides parvulus, Cyphoderus cf. similis, and Neelus cf. minimus were more abundant with integrated versus conventional production. However, this difference was not apparent in commercial orchards sampled. Results indicate that relatively high populations and diverse communities of Collembola occur in the soil of papaya orchards in Espirito Santo but no collembolan species were found to be consistent biological indicators of conventional or integrated production. The species Acherontiella colotlipana, Willemia brevispina, Brachystomella agrosa, Friesea sublimis, Pseudostachia sp.1, Mesaphorura amazonica, Arlea sp.1, Salina sp.1, and Sphaeridia cf. pumilis are new records for the state of Espirito Santo, and Acherontiella colotlipana and Friesea sublimes, are new records for Brazil.

Taxonomy and biology of the mealybug genus Plotococcus Miller & Denno (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in Brazil, with descriptions of two new species.

Two new species of Brazilian mealybugs, Plotococcus capixaba Kondo sp. n. and Plotococcus hambletoni Kondo sp. n. (Pseudococcidae), are described and illustrated. Plotococcus capixaba is a newly recognized pest from the leaves of the jaboticaba tree, Myrciaria jaboticaba (Vell.) O. Berg (Myrtaceae), from Espirito Santo and from Leandra erinacea Cogn. (Melastomataceae) from Sao Paulo. Plotococcus hambletoni was collected in Sao Paulo on a myrtaceous plant. A revised key to the species of Plotococcus Miller & Denno, and a key to the different growth stages of P. capixaba are provided. All female instars are described for P. capixaba, but only the adult female is known for P. hambletoni. The biology of Plotococcus is discussed, with emphasis on P. capixaba.

Scale Insect (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) Pests of Papaya (Carica papaya) in Brazil

ABSTRACT Scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) are widely distributed sap-feeding insects that damage a wide variety of plants, and reduce the productivity and commercial value of many crops, including fruits such as papaya (Carica papaya). These pests cause direct and indirect damage to papaya and other plants, and some species of this group are of quarantine importance and, thus, affect export and import of papaya fruit. To determine which species of scale insects commonly occur on papaya in Brazil, a survey of the scale insects on this crop was conducted over four years in commercial orchards located in the principal production regions of papaya in this country. Six species of scale insects were collected: Aonidiella comperei McKenzie, Coccus hesperidum L., Dysmicoccus grassii (Leonardi), Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley, a Pseudococcus species, and Selenaspidus articulatus (Morgan). The armored scale A. comperei often causes severe damage to the crop and was the most common and widely distributed scale insect species found on papaya in Brazil in this study. This is the first report of A. comperei on papaya in the States of Bahia, Ceará, Minas Gerais, and Paraíba, and of Co. hesperidum on papaya in Bahia, Ceará, and Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Information on the geographic distribution of scale insects that have been recorded on papaya worldwide and in Brazil is summarized.

First record of Trialeurodes variabilis (Quaintance) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) on Carica papaya L. in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil

Surveys were conducted to identify whitefly pests of papaya in the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil. The whitefly species Trialeurodes variabilis (Quaintance) is reported for the first time in the state, where it was found on papaya at six locations in Sooretama and Linhares municipalities in October to December 2002 and June 2003.

The invasive gall wasp Quadrastichus erythrinae (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in South America: is classical biological control needed?

The invasive gall wasp Quadrastichus erythrinae, a pest of Erythrina plants, is recorded for the first time in South America in Espírito Santo, Brazil. Research on Q. erythrinae and its potential natural enemies in this region is required to determine the need for classical biological control of this invasive pest.