Taxonomy of Ceroplastes rubens Maskell with description of a related new species (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Coccidae) from reunion, including DNA polymorphism analysis.
Ben-Dov Y., Matile-Ferrero D., Gafny R.
Author Affiliation: Department of Entomology, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 36 : 423-433
Abstract : A new species Ceroplastes reunionensis is described from Réunion, where it was found heavily infesting Mangifera indica, Persea americana and several ornamental plants. The closely related species, C. rubens Maskell is redescribed from topotypic material collected in Queensland, Australia. These two species differ from each other in the wax test colour, body colour, morphological, biological and molecular characters (RAPD). Inter- and intraspecific variation of several morphological characters of both species is discussed. Ceroplastes vinsonii Signoret, 1872, is regarded as a nomen oblitum, and therefore becomes a new synonym of Ceroplastes floridensis Comstock, 1881.