Parasitoids of Comstockiella sabalis (Homoptera: Diaspididae) in Florida and Description of a New Species of the Genus Coccobius (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae)

Authors

  • Gregory A. Evans
  • Paolo A. Pedata

Abstract

Coccobius donatellae Pedata and Evans, spec. nov. is described and illustrated from specimens reared from Comstockiella sabalis (Comstock) on palmetto palm (Sabal palmetto) in Florida. Coccobius donatellae is the most common parasitoid that attacks this host in Florida and is believed to be the same species reported in the literature as “Physcus sp.” that was introduced into Bermuda from Florida in the 1920ís. Evidence suggests that earlier reports of Encarsia portoricensis (Howard) as a parasitoid of the palmetto scale are based on erroneous identifications of what were probably Coccobius donatellae males. Recent collections in Florida confirm Aphytis diaspidis (Howard), reported previously as Aphytis fuscipennis, and Encarsia citrina (Craw) as parasitoids of C. sabalis. Intraspecific variation occurring in C. donatellae and in Coccobius testaceus (Masi), is discussed.

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Published

1997-09-01

Issue

Vol. 80, No. 3 (September 1997)

Section

Literature Review Articles

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