Valid Names Results

Rhizaspidiotus donacis (Leonardi, 1920) (Diaspididae: Rhizaspidiotus)

Nomenclatural History

• Targionia donacis Leonardi 1920: 108. Type data: CROATIA: Dalmazia, Lacroma, on Arundo donax.. Syntypes, female, Type depository: Portici: Dipartimento de Entomologia e Zoologia Agraria di Portici, Universita di Napoli Federico II, Italy; accepted valid name Notes: Incorrect citation of Lindinger as author. Illustr.
• Targionia donacis; Gómez-Menor Ortega 1937: 127. subsequent use Notes: Incorrect citation of "Lindinger" as author.
• Rhizaspidiotus donacis (Leonardi, 1920); Ferris 1943a: 99. change of combination
• Rhizapidiotus donacis; Braman, et al. 2021: 1. misspelling of genus name

Common Names

Ecological Associates

Hosts:

Families: 1 | Genera: 2

Foes:

Families: 2 | Genera: 2

Geographic Distribution

Keys

• Danzig1993: pp.228 ( Adult (F) ) [Palearctic]
• Lupo1957: pp.67 ( Adult (F) ) [Italy]
• Balach1951: pp.651 ( Adult (F) ) [Mediterranean]
• Leonar1920: pp.104-105 ( Adult (F) ) [Italy]

Remarks

• Systematics: GenBank accession numbers DQ145357 and DQ145469 were previously determined to be Leucaspis pusilla, but the specimen cannot be identified based on morphology, so it is currently "undet. sp." and based on the DNA sequence is likely Rhizaspidiotus donacis. (Normark, et al., 2019)
• Structure: Illustration of female and male scale cover by Leonardi (1920). Female scale almost circular, about 2 mm in diameter; with the margin wavy in various forms; slightly convex; larval exuviae, yellow, placed at top of scale; nymphal exuviae black; scale colour black grey; surface of scale rugose; scale robust and fragile; ventral vellum complete, robust. Male scale oval elongated, margin parallel-sided; larval exuviae yellow; ventral vellum well developed; 0.9-0.95 mm long (Leonardi, 1920).
• Biology: Occurring beneath the leaf sheaths, especially at the nodes (Ferris, 1943a).Crawlers walked at an average velocity of 0.47 mm per second. Crawlers seemed to be capable of traveling as far as 20 m which is the maximum height of an A. donax stem. (Villarreal, et al, 2021)
• Economic Importance: The armored scale Rhizaspidiotus donacis (Leornardi) was evaluated (see Goolsby et al. 2009) as a potential biological control agent of the invasive reed grass Arundo donax in North America, and concluded that the scale R. Donacis appears to be specific to the genus Arundo and is unlikely to harm native or cultivated plants in the Americas. In December 2010, the arundo scale was permitted for release in the U.S. and Mexico where A. donax is invasive. An adventive form was found in at least one southern California watershed in 2018 after introduction as a bio-control agent for Arundo donax. (Braman, et al., 2021)
• General Remarks: Description and illustration of adult female by Ferris (1943a) and by Balachowsky (1951).

Illustrations

Citations