Australian mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae): resurrection of the genus Australiputo Williams and description of a new genus and species on Pomaderris (Rhamnaceae)

Abstract

Taxonomic treatments for two genera of Australian native mealybugs (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae) are presented. The genus Australiputo Williams, 1985 stat. rev. is resurrected from synonymy with Ceroputo Šulc, 1898, from which it is morphologically and biogeographically distinct. This action limits Ceroputo to the Holarctic. The two species of Australiputo revert to Australiputo casuarinae (Maskell, 1893) stat. rev. and A. eucalypti Williams, 1985 stat. rev. A new species in a new genus of mealybugs found on wild plants and horticultural plantings of several Pomaderris species (Rhamnaceae) from the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales is described as Glabracoccus pomaderris gen. n. and sp. n. (subfamily Pseudococcinae). The adult female and first-instar nymph of G. pomaderris are illustrated and the possible relationships of Glabracoccus to other mealybug genera are discussed. Show more