Planococcus litchi Cox

Family

Pseudococcidae

Field characters

No available information

Validation characters

Dorsomedial and mediolateral cerarii abundant on dorsum, more than 4 including several on thorax; cerarian setae with filamentous tips; dorsal oral-collar tubular ducts usually present, but uncommon, rarely absent; clusters of oral collars laterad of anterior spiracle and midcoxa; 18 pairs of cerarii; translucent pores present on hind coxa and tibia; circulus present; anal-bar present.

Comparison

Planococcus litchi is similar to P. angkorensis (Takahashi) and they may represent extremes of the same species. They are similar by possessing a series of dorsal cerarii other than those on the body margin. Planococcus litchi can be distinguished (characters in parentheses are those of P. angkorensis) by having most dorsal setae as large as marginal cerarian setae (smaller than marginal cerarian setae). Planococcus litchi is also similar to P. dioscoreae Williams and P. dorsospinosus Ezzat & McConnell by possessing a series of dorsal cerarii other than those on the body margin. Planococcus litchi can be distinguished (characters in parentheses are those of P. dioscoreae and P. dorsospinosus) by having more than 4 of these cerarii comprising 2 conical setae and several basal pores some of which on thorax (fewer than 4, none on thorax).

U.S. quarantine notes

This species was intercepted at U. S. ports-of-entry 20 times between 1995 and 2012, with specimens originating from Cambodia, China, The Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. We also have examined specimens taken in quarantine from Hong Kong (Litchi); The Philippines (Litchi); Thailand (Dimocarpus, Eriobotrya, Garcinia, Litchi, Nephilum); Vietnam (Dimocapus, rambutan). ScaleNet lists hosts in Annonaceae, Rosaceae and . It is most commonly intercepted on lichee and rambutan (Nephelium, Sapindaceae-Soapberry family). ScaleNet distribution records for P. litchi include Brunei, Hong Kong, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam in the Oriental and China and Japan in the Palaearctic zoogeographic region.

Several species of Planococcus other than P. citri (Risso), P. ficus (Signoret), P. halli Ezzat & McConnell, P. kraunhiae (Kuwana), P. lilacinus (Cockerell), P. litchi and P. minor (Maskell) have been taken at U. S. ports-of-entry including: P. angkorensis (Takahashi) (China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, The Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam, on many tropical plants); P. dendrobi Ezzat and McConnell (India, The Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, on Cypripedium, Dendrobium, Phalaenopsis, Saccolobium and Vanda); P. hosnyi Ezzat and McConnell (South Africa, on orchid); P. hospitus De Lotto (Uganda, on Cyrtorchis); P. japonicus Cox (Japan and The Philippines, on Carpinus, Fatsia, Lansium, Malus, Rhododendron and Vitis); P. kenyae (LePelley) (Nigeria, Sierra Leone, on Ficus and Cola); P. mali Ezzat and McConnell (New Zealand, on Malus and Olearia); P. orchidi Cox (Liberia, on orchids); and P. philippinensis Ezzat and McConnell (The Philippines, on Aerides, Cymbidium, Dendrobium, Eria, Phalaenopsis, Spathoglottis and Vanda).

Important references

Cox1989; Willia2004a

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