Crypticerya genistae (Hempel)

Family

Monophlebidae

Field characters

Body yellow, legs and antennae black, covered by thick layer of white wax, arranged in tufts or ribbons; body margin with 18-20 tufts, longest on anterior and posterior ends of body; ovisac attached to body of female, striated and truncated (Unruh & Gullan 2008b). Occurring on foliage or branches of host.

Validation characters

3 cicatrices posterior of vulva, all about the same length; 3 pairs of abdominal spiracles; marginal setae elongate, up to 350µ; ovisac band with numerous filamentous setae, without separate setal base; ovisac wide, with band of 7 or 8 pores comprising width of band in area between posterior coxae; predominant pore in ovisac band with 3 loculi in center and 8 or 9 loculi in outer ring; some of dorsomedial setae conspicuously large; large open center pores absent; antennae 10- or 11-segmented. Other characters: Thoracic and abdominal spiracles simple, without pores in atrium; anal opening simple with sclerotized rim internally.

Comparison

Crypticerya genistae is similar to Icerya pulchra by having 3 pairs of abdominal spiracles; 3 cicatrices near vulva; and lacking open center pores. Crypticerya genistae differs (characters of I. pulchra are given in parentheses) by having medial cicatrix about same length as lateral cicatrices (medial cicatrix longer than lateral cicatrices); largest pores in ovisac band predominantly with 3 locular centers (4 or normally 5); ovisac band wide, comprising 7 or 8 pores in width in area between porsterior coxae (narrow, comprising 3 or 4 pores); setae in ovisac band numerous, without distinct setal base (uncommon, with distinct setal base); some of dorsomedial setae on thorax conspicuously larger than other setae (dorsal setae similar in size).

U.S. quarantine notes

This species was intercepted 22 times at U. S. ports-of-entry between 1995 and 2012, with specimens originating from Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, and U.S. Virgin Islands. We have examined specimens taken in quarantine from Mexico (Lysiloma). ScaleNet lists hosts in 18 plant families. ScaleNet distribution records for C. genistae include The United States of America (Florida) in the Nearctic zoogeographic region, and Brazil (Espírito Santo, São Paulo) and Guadeloupe in the Neotropical region. It is most commonly collected on composites (Asteraceae) and legumes (Fabaceae). Four species of Crypticerya other than C. rosae (Riley & Howard) and C. genistae have been intercepted at a U. S. port-of-entry including: C. littoralis (Cockerell) (Mexico, on Carica, Chamaedorea, and Persea; Guatemala, on Chamaedorea); C. montserratensis Riley & Howard (Colombia, on orchid; Dominican Republic, on Annona; Guatemala and Mexico, on Chamaedorea); C. similis Morrison (El Salvador, on Laelia); and C. zeteki (Cockerell) (El Salvador, on orchid).

Important references

KondoUn2009; UnruhGu2008b; Hodges2008

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