Especificidade alimentar: em busca de um caráter taxonômico para a diferenciação de duas espécies crípticas de cochonilhas do gênero Planococcus (Hemíptera: Pseudococcidae)

Abstract

fEEding spEcificitY: sEarching a taxonomic charactEr for thE diffErEntiation of tWo crYptic spEciEs of mEalYbugs of thE gEnus PLANOCOCUS (hEmiptEra: psEudococcidaE) abstract-The aim of this study was to investigate a possible host specificity of two cryptic species of mealybugs of the genus Planococcus, reflected in its development in fruits of cocoa, coffee and citrus. The mealybugs Planococcus minor were obtained from cocoa fruits (Theobroma cacao L. cv. Comum) and citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri, from coffee seedlings (Coffea arabica cv. Mundo Novo) and citrus fruits (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck cv. Bahia). Both species were reared on pumpkins (Cucurbita maxima L.) under laboratory conditions. Coffee fruit clusters were kept into a Petri dish containing a 5 mm-agar layer sealed with PVC film. On citrus and cocoa fruits the insects were confined inside a clip-cage attached to the fruit.The tests were carried out in environmental chambers at 25 ± 1°C, 70 ± 10% RH and 12 hours photophase using 30 replications. For mealybugs from coffee, the coffee substrate provided the greatest female nymphal period (20.8 days) and longevity (31.7 days). For females from cocoa, the lowest nymphal period (21.1 days) and longevity (25.0 days) were promoted by cocoa substrate. For those from citrus, cocoa substrate promoted the lowest nymphal period (18.4 days) and the substrate citrus promoted the greatest longevity (32.0 days). The highest mortality (50%) occurred in nymphs derived from cocoa and citrus fruits, rearing in coffee and cocoa, and the smallest were derived from coffee fruits, regardless of the substrate on which they were rearing. The results did not show a clear host specificity despite of the mealybug P. minor showed a closer association with the cocoa and eventually coffee which would explain its greater frequency in cacao. On the other hand, the citrus mealybug, P. citri, did not show any specificity for the three tested hosts. index terms: Planococcus citri, Planococcus minor, host specificity, biology.1

A survey of mealybugs infesting South-Brazilian wine vineyards

“…pest (Santa-Cecília et al, 2002, 2009) and is occasionally found in citrus Citrus sp. (Corrêa et al, 2005;Sousa et al, 2012) and vineyards Daane et al, 2012). Pl.…”

Interaction between mealybugs (Pseudococcidae) and coffee plants

“…In C. arabica, several researches on the development and reproduction of these insects were carried out in Brazil (Correa et al, 2011;Santa-Cecília et al, 2009;Oliveira, 2013;Sousa et al, 2012;Costa et al, 2016). Different periods of development and reproduction of both mealybug species in these coffee plants are found in these literature but laboratory results are difficult to compare due to different experimental conditions, manipulation and above all, the host plant and the plant organ used.…”

Insectos escama (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) en raíces de café de Norte de Santander y Valle del Cauca, Colombia y descripción de una nueva especie

“…A nivel mundial, los insectos escama constituyen un importante grupo de plagas del café (Coffea spp.) (James 1935;Le Pelley 1973;Watson y Cox 1990;Culik et al 2006;Barrera 2008;Sousa et al 2012). En Colombia, desde 1930 se consideran el segundo grupo más importante de insectos plaga en este cultivo (Federación Nacional de Cafeteros 1932), destacándose Puto antioquensis (Murillo, 1931) (Putoidae) y Planococcus citri (Risso, 1813) (Pseudococcidae).…”