Paracoccus burnerae (Brain)

Family

Pseudococcidae

Common name

Oleander mealybug

Field characters

Body elongate oval; gray; body covered by layer of mealy wax but allowing body segmentation to be visible; cottony ovisac present ventrally, about same length as body of female; with 17 pairs of lateral filaments, all about same length except posterior pair, 2 times longer than others, about 1/3^rd length of body. Occurring on foliage of citrus host.

Validation characters

Oral-rim tubular ducts absent ventrally; dorsal oral rims restricted to marginal areas, except a few primarily in medial areas of thorax and abdomen; translucent pores on hind coxa, femur, and tibia; 17 pairs of cerarii; clusters of oral-collar tubular ducts present laterad of anterior spiracle and mid-coxae; multilocular pores on segments IV-VIII, absent from thorax and head; circulus present; anal bar present.

Comparison

Paracoccus burnerae is unique among the species of Paracoccus treated in this key by having 17 pairs of cerarii; restricted distribution of dorsal oral-rim tubular ducts; absence of ventral oral rims; clusters of oral-collar tubular ducts laterad of anterior spiracles and midcoxae.

U.S. quarantine notes

This species was intercepted at U. S. ports-of-entry 115 times between 1995 and 2012, with specimens originating from Australia, China, India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. We also have examined specimens taken in quarantine from Madagascar (Pachypodium). ScaleNet lists hosts in 21 plant families. It is most commonly intercepted on citrus. ScaleNet distribution records for Pburnerae include Central and Southern Africa, as well as India in the Oriental zoogeographic region. Several species of Paracoccus other than P. brunerae, P. ferrisi Ezzat & McConnell, P. herreni Williams & Granara de Willink, P. interceptus Lit, P. lycopersici Ezzat & McConnell, P. marginatus Williams & Granara de Willink, P. mexicanus Ezzat & McConnell and P. solani Ezzat & McConnell have been intercepted at U. S. ports-of-entry including: P. hamoni Williams and Granara de Willink (Mexico, on Cephalocereus); P. circuliprivis Ezzat and McConnell (Mexico, on Thomsoniella); P. invectus Williams (Thailand and India, on orchids, including Dendrobium); and P. reductus Ferris (Mexico, on Yucca).

Important references

EzzatMc1956; DeLott1958a, 1967, Willia2004a.

Scalenet catalog and citation list

Click here for a Catalog.