Species Phenacoccus graminicola Leonardi, 1908

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• Phenacoccus graminicola Leonardi, G. 1908. Seconda contribuzione alla conoscenza della cocciniglie Italiane. Bollettino del Laboratorio di Entomologia Agraria 'Filippo Silvestri', Portici 3: 150-191 [160].

  Type data:

   Lectotype DEZAP 1 adult ♀, ITALY: Catanzaro Sala (Calabria).

  Subsequent designation references:

  Marotta, S. 1992. [Research on pseudococcids (Homoptera: Coccoidea) from central Italy.] Ricerche su pseudococcidi (Homoptera: Coccoidea) dell'Italia centro-meridionale. Bollettino del Laboratorio di Entomologia Agraria 'Filippo Silvestri', Portici 47: 63-111 [85].
• Phenacoccus graminosus McKenzie, H.L. 1960. Taxonomic study of California mealybugs with descriptions of new species (Homoptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae). Hilgardia 29: 681-770 [717].

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Tranfaglia, A. 1976. Studi sugli Homoptera Coccoidea. IV. Su alcune Cocciniglie nuove o poco conosciute per l'Italia (Coccidae, Eriococcidae, Pseudococcidae). Bollettino del Laboratorio di Entomologia Agraria 'Filippo Silvestri', Portici 33: 128-143 [137] (synonymy of Phenacoccus graminosus McKenzie, 1960)

Distribution

States

Queensland, South Australia, Victoria

Ecological Descriptors

Sap-feeder.

ID Keys

(Marotta, S., Russo, A. & Matile-Ferrero, D., 1997) [438] (female; world); (Williams, D.J., 1987) [338] (female; North and South America); (Williams, D.J., 1985) [266] (female; Australia); (De Lotto, G., 1974) [111] (female; South Africa); (McKenzie, H.L., 1967) [215] (female; U.S.A., California); (McKenzie, H.L., 1964) [239] (female; North America); (McKenzie, H.L., 1961) [27] (female; North America); (McKenzie, H.L., 1960) [714] (female; North America); (Leonardi, G., 1920) [377] (female; Italy)

GENERAL

Good description and illustration of the adult female given by McKenzie, H.L. 1967. Mealybugs of California with taxonomy, biology, and control of North American species (Homoptera: Cooccoidea: Pseudococcidae). Berkeley : Univ. Calif. Press 526 pp., Williams, D.J. 1985. Australian Mealybugs. London : British Museum (Natural History) 431 pp. and by Cox, J.M. 1987. Pseudococcidae (Insecta: Hemiptera). In, Duval, C.T. (ed). Fauna of New Zealand. Wellington, New Zealand : DSIR Science Information Publishing Centre Vol. 11 229 pp..

BIOLOGY

This species is usually found on grasses, but frequently the adult females move onto adjacent trees to oviposit.

ECONOMIC AND CONTROL

Although this species does not appear to cause any damage, its presence under the calyxes of apples and pears grown for export has caused concern in Australia and New Zealand (see Ward, A. 1966. Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in Hawke's Bay orchards. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 9: 452–454).

Common Name References

McKenzie, H.L. 1960. Taxonomic study of California mealybugs with descriptions of new species (Homoptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae). Hilgardia 29: 681-770 (cited also by ) (Ryegrass Mealybug)

History of changes