Valid Names Results

Acutaspis albopicta (Cockerell, 1898) (Diaspididae: Acutaspis)

Nomenclatural History

• Aspidiotus (Chrysomphalus) albopictus Cockerell 1898j: 433. Type data: MEXICO: Cuernavaca, on leaves of orange; collected December 8, 1897.. Syntypes, female, Type depository: Washington: United States National Entomological Collection, U.S. National Museum of Natural History, District of Columbia, USA; accepted valid name
• Aspidiotus albopictus leonis Townsend & Cockerell 1898: 179. Type data: MEXICO: Nuevo Leon, Linares, on leaves of orange. Syntypes, female, Type depository: Washington: United States National Entomological Collection, U.S. National Museum of Natural History, District of Columbia, USA; junior synonym (discovered by Ferris1941e, 45).
• Aspidiotus koebelei Townsend & Cockerell 1898: 179. Type data: MEXICO: Oaxaca State, Oaxaca, on leaves of orange.. Syntypes, female, Type depository: Washington: United States National Entomological Collection, U.S. National Museum of Natural History, District of Columbia, USA; junior synonym (discovered by Ferris1941e, 44).
• Chrysomphalus albopictus (Cockerell, 1898); Cockerell 1899a: 396. change of combination
• Chrysomphalus albopictus leonis (Townsend & Cockerell, 1898); Cockerell 1899a: 396. change of combination
• Chrysomphalus koebelei (Townsend & Cockerell, 1898); Cockerell 1899a: 396. change of combination
• Aspidiotus albopictus Cockerell, 1898; Cockerell 1905: 46. change of combination
• Aspidiotus leonis Townsend & Cockerell, 1898; McKenzie 1939: 53. change of combination and rank
• Acutaspis albopicta (Cockerell, 1898); Ferris 1941d: 329. change of combination requiring emendation of specific epithet for agreement in gender

Common Names

• albopicta scale McKenz1956

Ecological Associates

Hosts:

Families: 13 | Genera: 16

Foes:

Families: 3 | Genera: 4

Geographic Distribution

Keys

• LazaroGoRo2023: pp.247-248 ( Adult (F) ) [Armored scale species on avocado in central Mexico]
• WeiScNo2021: pp.17-23 ( Adult (F) ) [Aspidiotini from Panama]
• EvansWaMi2009: pp.63-67 ( Adult (F) ) [Diaspididae species found on avocado]
• McKenz1956: pp.23 ( Adult (F) ) [U.S.A.: California]
• Ferris1942: pp.29 ( Adult (F) ) [North America]
• Cocker1905: pp.45-46 ( Adult (F) ) [Mexico]

Remarks

• Systematics: Acutaspis albopicta/i> can be confused with Ac. scutiformis because of the similar color and shape of the scale cover; morphologically, in slide mounts, these species can be differentiated by the relative sizes of the paraphyses on L2. In Ac. albopicta, the paraphysis on the external angle of L2 is almost twice the size of that on the internal angle, whereas in Ac. scutiformis these two paraphyses are almost the same size or the external paraphysis is only slightly larger than the internal one. (Lazaro, et al., 2023)
• Structure: Scale of the female of the type common to the genus, circular or slightly oval, dark brown; that of the male similar (Ferris, 1941d). Adult female scale cover circular to slightly oval, flat, or slightly convex, and rigid, 1.2‒1.5 mm in diameter, with subcentral exuviae; cover usually dark brown but sometimes gray or grayish white, mainly in immatures. Adult female body pyriform with acute posterior end, white to creamy white in life, about 1.2 mm long. (Lazaro, et al., 2023)
• Biology: Occurring on the leaves of the host (Ferris, 1941d). On branches, leaves and fruits of Avocado trees (Persea americana). It has been found on the avocado varieties Fuerte, Hass and Hass-Méndez.(Lazaro, et al., 2023)
• Economic Importance: McKenzie (1956: 37) recorded this species from some Californian nurseries, and assumed that it has been established in California. However, Gill (1997: 40) and Gillian Watson (2007, in personal communication to Yair Ben-Dov) informed that this species has never been found in California since 1960, and has never become established in this State. Subsequent to a review conducted by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2007, which concluded that these armored scale insects posed a low risk of establishment, the California Department of Food and Agriculture was forced to issue a Pest Exclusion Advisory notifying inspectors at border stations that they could no longer reject commercial shipments of avocados because of the presence of armored scale (Morse et al. 2009). Since that time, Mexican Hass avocados infested with exotic scales have been allowed free access into California, with no requirements for disinfestation treatments.Morse et al (2009) presented abundant evidence that shipments of Mexican Hass avocados were infested with a number of armored scale species, including Acustaspis albopicta (Cockerell).Pheromone-baited traps can now be used for monitoring for the establishment of this scale in California and for monitoring its spread, phenology, and population densities should it become established. (Milar, et al., 2012)
• General Remarks: Description and illustration of adult female by Ferris (1941d), McKenzie (1956) and by Gill (1997).

Illustrations

Citations

• BenDovGe2003: catalog, 39-41
• Borchs1966: catalog, 354
• Cocker1898j: description, distribution, host, taxonomy, 433-434
• Cocker1899a: taxonomy, 396
• Cocker1899d: distribution, host, 170
• Cocker1899n: distribution, host, 26
• Cocker1905: taxonomy, 46
• CoronaRuMo1997: distribution, host, 38-41
• DicksoFl1955: distribution, host, 614-615
• DooleySm2013: catalog, 11
• EvansWaMi2009: taxonomy, 63-67
• Fernal1903b: 285-286,291
• Ferris1941d: description, distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 330
• Ferris1941e: taxonomy, 40,44,45
• Ferris1942: taxonomy, 29
• FrancoCoLu2021: reproduction, 253
• Gill1997: distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 40,41
• JansenAl2023: dispersal, host, 24
• KondoWa2022a: distribution, host, list, 13
• LazaroGoRo2023: diagnosis, distribution, host, key, natural enemies, 247, 248
• Leonar1900: distribution, host, taxonomy, 342
• Lindin1957: taxonomy, 544
• Lindin1957: taxonomy, 545
• MacGil1921: description, distribution, host, taxonomy, 415,418
• McDani1968: distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 204-205
• McKenz1939: taxonomy, 53-54
• McKenz1956: description, distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 36-37
• MillarChMc2012: biological control, chemistry, distribution, economic importance, 497-504
• Nakaha1982: distribution, host, 3
• NormarOkMo2019: distribution, host, phylogeny, 11, S2
• PetersHaMo2020s1: DNA, distribution, host,
• RosenDe1979: biological control, distribution, host, 248-249
• RugmanMoSt2009: economic importance, molecular data, taxonomy, 1948-1953
• SchneiFiNo2019: key, taxonomy, 92
• SchneiOkNo2018: phylogeny,
• StocksEv2017: host, 491
• TownseCo1898: description, distribution, host, taxonomy, 179
• VasqueDeCo2002: distribution, host, 331
• WeiScNo2021: key, 21
• Willia1985a: catalog, taxonomy, 232,235
• Willia2017a: catalog, list of species, 217, 225
• YustCe1956: distribution, host, 425-442
• ZouChMi2013: biological control, chemistry, economic importance, 134-136