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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #418788
Research Project: Systematics of Acari and Hemiptera: Plant Pests, Predators, and Disease Vectors

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: New species of Coccidella Hambleton and Rhizoecus Kunckel d'Herculais from South America (Hemiptera Rhizoecidae)

Author
item Schneider, Scott
item LAPOLLA, JOHN - Towson University

Submitted to: Zootaxa
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/28/2024
Publication Date: 12/17/2024
Citation: Schneider, S.A., Lapolla, J.S. 2024. New species of Coccidella Hambleton and Rhizoecus Kunckel d'Herculais from South America (Hemiptera Rhizoecidae). Zootaxa. 5555(1):125-133. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5555.1.9.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5555.1.9

Interpretive Summary: Root mealybugs are an understudied group of scale insects, though they often impact agriculture. The group is relatively understudied due to their subterranean habit, but many species feed on important crops including banana, coffee, cacao, and grapevine, and their populations are often protected from natural enemies by associated ants. This study describes 2 new species of root mealybugs gathered from the nests of ants; it expands our knowledge about infrequently encountered root mealybugs with potential agricultural significance and provides an updated guide to their identification. Furthermore, it provides insights into the evolution of obligatory relationships between scale insects and ants, which has significance to agricultural research and to basic scientific research on mutualisms. The results will be useful to systematists and regulatory agencies.

Technical Abstract: Two new species of root mealybugs from South America are described and illustrated based on the morphology of adult females Coccidella advena Schneider LaPolla new sp. from Peru and Rhizoecus peripotaro Schneider LaPolla new sp. from Guyana and Peru. Both species were collected along with colonies of Acropyga ants but only R. peripotaro was found to be trophobiotic; C. advena was ignored by attendant ants and is considered free-living. A guide to aid in identification is provided for each species.