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Title: REDESCRIPTION OF PARACOCCUS MARGINATUS WILLIAMS AND GRANARA DE WILLINK (HEMIPTERA: COCCOIDEA; PSEUDOCOCCIDAE) INCLUDING DESCRIPTIONS OF THE IMMATURE STAGES AND ADULT MALE.

Author
item Miller, Douglass
item Miller, Gary

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/23/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Mealybugs are agricultural pests that feed on many of the world's important crops, trees, and ornamental plants. The papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus Williams and Granara de Willink, represents one of those pests that has recently been introduced into the U.S. This paper provides descriptions, illustrations, and keys for identifying P. marginatus. Also included are tables of comparison for selected other pests species of mealybugs. This research is important for scientists working on the biological control of this newly introduced U.S. pest, for survey entomologists tracking the spread of the species, and for U.S. port identifiers.

Technical Abstract: The papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus Williams and Granara de Willink, was recently collected in Florida and poses a substantial threat to U.S. agriculture. Before any control program can be initiated, proper identification of all stages of this pest is critical. This work includes descriptions, illustrations, and keys for all stages of this species. Tables of comparison for adult females are given for P. marginatus and other species of Paracoccus and between different stages P. marginatus and other commonly encountered mealybug species in Florida and the Caribbean.