First record of Pulvinaria urbicola Cockerell (Hemiptera: Coccidae), a potentially damaging scale insect, on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean
Date
2014
Authors
Neumann, Gabor
O'Dowd, Dennis J.
Gullan, Penny J
Green, Peter T.
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Publisher
Korean Society of Applied Entomology
Abstract
Pulvinaria urbicola Cockerell, a pulvinariine soft scale (Hemiptera: Coccidae), is a broad host-plant generalist, produces honeydew and is commonly tended by ants, including the invasive yellow crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes Smith and big-headed ant Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius). Pu. urbicola is implicated in dieback of forest dominated by Pisonia grandis (Nyctaginaceae) on many Indo-Pacific islands. Here we report detection of Pu. urbicola on Christmas Island (Indian Ocean), describe the potential impacts of the association of this trophobiont with introduced ants, and briefly outline biosecurity and management issues. On Christmas Island, Pu. urbicola represents a threat to stands of Pi. grandis, potentially threatens the dominant forest tree Pi. umbellifera, and could exacerbate supercolony formation and impacts of the yellow crazy ant.
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Keywords
Keywords: Anoplolepis gracilipes; Ant-scale mutualism; Biological control; Invasive species; Pisonia; Pulvinaria urbicola
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Source
Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology
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Journal article
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Restricted until
2037-12-31
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