Valid Names Results
Rhizoecus dianthi Green, 1926 (Rhizoecidae: Rhizoecus)Nomenclatural History
- Rhizoecus dianthi Green 1926a: 175. Type data: ENGLAND: Wisley, on Dianthus sp.. Lectotype, female, by subsequent designation (WilliaNa1980,337). Type depository: London: The Natural History Museum, England, UK; accepted valid name Illustr.
- Morrisonella dianthi (Green, 1926); Hambleton 1946: 23. change of combination Notes: The genus name was a homonym of Morrisonella Bartsch (a gastropod), and changed to Coccidella. See the note on the revived combination of Rhizoecus dianthi below.
- Coccidella dianthi (Green, 1926); Hambleton 1946a: 177. change of combination
- Rhizoecus dianthi Green, 1926; Ferris 1953a. revived combination (previously published) Notes: Hambleton erected the genus Morrisonella but soon discovered that it was a homonym of Morrisonella Bartsch (a gastropod), so he proposed the new name Coccidella. However, in 1953, Ferris synonymized that genus with Rhizoecus, creating the combination Rhizoecus dianthi.
- Rhizoecus eluminatus McKenzie 1960: 747. Type data: U.S.A.: California, Humboldt County, Bayside, on Gloxinia sp.. Holotype, female, Type depository: Davis: The Bohart Museum of Entomology, University of California, California, USA; junior synonym (discovered by Hamble1976, 45). Illustr.
- Rhizoecus pritchardi McKenzie 1960: 749. Type data: U.S.A.: California, San Mateo County, Colma, on Adiantum sp.. Holotype, female, Type depository: Davis: The Bohart Museum of Entomology, University of California, California, USA; junior synonym (discovered by WilliaNa1980, 336).
- Rhizoecus cyperalis; McKenzie 1967: 383. misidentification (discovered by Hamble1976, 21).
Common Names
- Pritchard mealybug McKenz1960
- blind mealybug McKenz1967
- pritchard mealybug McKenz1960
Ecological Associates
Hosts:
Families: 21 | Genera: 34
- Aizoaceae
- Disphyma crassifolium | BenDov1994 KozarzRe1975
- Asparagaceae
- Agave striata | JansenAl2023
- Agave titanota | JansenAl2023
- Chlorophytum capense | BenDov1994 KozarzRe1975
- Chlorophytum comosum | BenDov1994 KozarzRe1975
- Yucca aloifolia | BenDov1994 KozarzRe1975
- Asphodelaceae
- Aloe humilis | BenDov1994 Zahrad1965
- Asteraceae
- Achillea ageratifolia | BenDov1994 McKenz1960
- Chrysanthemum | BenDov1994 McKenz1960
- Gynura | JansenAl2023
- Senecio articulatus | BenDov1994 Zahrad1965
- Cactaceae
- Austrocylindropuntia subulata | JansenAl2023 | (=Opuntia subulata)
- Cereus | JansenAl2023
- Chamaecereus silvestrii | JansenAl2023
- Caryophyllaceae
- Dianthus barbatus | BenDov1994 Green1926a
- Dianthus plumarius | BenDov1994 Green1926a
- Crassulaceae
- Aeonium praegeri | BenDov1994 KozarzRe1975
- Ericaceae
- Arctostaphylos | BenDov1994 McKenz1960
- Euphorbiaceae
- Euphorbia | JansenAl2023
- Fabaceae
- Acacia longifolia | DziedzMa1999
- Geraniaceae
- Pelargonium | BenDov1994 Willia1962
- Pelargonium betulinum | CaballKaRa2026
- Pelargonium bicolor | CaballKaRa2026
- Pelargonium capitatum | CaballKaRa2026
- Pelargonium englerianum | CaballKaRa2026
- Pelargonium graveolens | CaballKaRa2026 CaballKaRa2026
- Pelargonium grossularioides | CaballKaRa2026
- Pelargonium hermanniifolium | CaballKaRa2026
- Pelargonium inquinans | CaballKaRa2026
- Pelargonium magenteum | CaballKaRa2026
- Pelargonium myrrhifolium | CaballKaRa2026
- Pelargonium odoratissimum | BenDov1994 KozarzRe1975
- Pelargonium papilionaceum | CaballKaRa2026
- Pelargonium pseudoglutinosum | CaballKaRa2026
- Pelargonium pulverulentum | CaballKaRa2026
- Pelargonium quercifolium | BenDov1994 KozarzRe1975
- Gesneriaceae
- Gloxinia | BenDov1994
- Nautilocalyx | JansenAl2023
- Saintpaulia | Marott1995
- Saintpaulia ionantha | BenDov1994 Cox1987
- Sinningia speciosa | BenDov1994 Hamble1976
- Streptocarpus | JansenAl2023
- Lamiaceae
- Salvia greggii | CaballKaRa2026
- Moraceae
- Ficus | JansenAl2023
- Polygalaceae
- Polygala crotalarioides | BenDov1994 Hamble1976 McKenz1960 | (= Polygala capitata)
- Pteridaceae
- Adiantum | BenDov1994 McKenz1960 Willia1962
- Rosaceae
- Fragaria vesca | JansenAl2023
- Geum coccineum | BenDov1994 Hamble1976 McKenz1960 | (= Geum borisii)
- Rubiaceae
- Ixora | JansenAl2023
- Solanaceae
- Solanum | BenDov1994 KozarzRe1975
- Withania somnifera | BenDov1994 KozarzRe1975
- Verbenaceae
- Lantana | BenDov1994 Hamble1976
- Zygophyllaceae
- Balanites aegyptiaca | CaballKaRa2026
Geographic Distribution
Countries: 14
- Australia
- Victoria | BenDov1994 Willia1985
- Canada | BenDov1994 Hamble1976
- Canary Islands | JansenAl2023
- Czech Republic | BenDov1994 Zahrad1965 Zahrad1990
- Denmark | BenDov1994 KozarzRe1975
- France | GermaiMaPi2002 MatileGePi2004
- Germany | CaballKaRa2026
- Italy | MazzeoLoPe2014
- Sicily | Marott1995
- Netherlands | KozarKo2007
- New Zealand | BenDov1994 Cox1987
- Poland | DziedzMa1999
- Russia
- Moscow Oblast | DanzigGa2009
- St. Petersburg (=Leningrad) Oblast | DanzigGaTr2008
- United Kingdom
- England | BenDov1994 Green1926a
- United States
- California | BenDov1994 McKenz1960 McKenz1967
- Florida | BenDov1994 Hamble1973
- Illinois | BenDov1994 Hamble1976
- Maryland | BenDov1994 Hamble1976
- Massachusetts | BenDov1994 Hamble1976
- New York | BenDov1994 Hamble1976
- Pennsylvania | BenDov1994 Hamble1976
Keys
- CaballKaRa2026: pp.117 ( Adult (F) ) [Rhizoecidae species recorded in Germany]
- MazzeoPeMa2023: pp.7-8 ( Adult (F) ) [Rhizoecidae recorded or intercepted in Italy]
- JansenWe2015: pp.12, 16 ( Adult (F) ) [Subterranean mealybugs of The Netherlands]
- Hodgso2012: pp.49-50 ( Adult (M) ) [Key to the adult males of Rhizoecinae seen during this study:]
- DanzigGa2009: pp.243 ( Adult (F) ) [Russia]
- KozarKo2007: pp.132-137 ( Adult (F) ) [world]
- Jansen2003: pp.300 ( Adult (F) ) [Netherlands]
- Marott1995: pp.120 ( Adult (F) ) [Italy]
- Tang1992: pp.54 ( Adult (F) ) [China]
- Willia1987a: pp.192 ( Adult (F) ) [Australia]
- Willia1985: pp.353 ( Adult (F) ) [Australia]
- Willia1985i: pp.624 ( Adult (F) ) [species of Rhizoecus on Saintpaulia spp.]
- Hamble1979: pp.148 ( Adult (F) ) [U.S.A., Florida]
- Cox1978: pp.624 ( Adult (F) ) [New Zealand]
- Hamble1976: pp.8 ( Adult (F) ) [World]
- Hamble1973: pp.64 ( Adult (F) ) [U.S.A., Florida]
- McKenz1967: pp.372 ( Adult (F) ) [U.S.A., California]
- McKenz1962: pp.673 ( Adult (F) ) [North America]
- Willia1962: pp.41 ( Adult (F) ) []
- McKenz1961: pp.42 ( Adult (F) ) [North America]
- McKenz1960: pp.743 ( Adult (F) ) [North America]
- Hamble1946: pp.17 ( Adult (F) ) [World]
Remarks
- Systematics: Rh. dianthi and probably Rh. coffeae males are brachypterous. Rhizoecus dianthi and Rh. nemoralis both have multilocular disc pores and a similar number and distribution of tritubular ducts; however,Rh. dianthi lacks tubular ducts. The molecular topology also indicates that these two species are closely related, with a genetic interspecific distance of 5.5%. (Caballero, et al., 2026)
- Structure: Adult female body oval-elongated, 1.4 ± 0.3 (1.1–1.9) mm long and 0.8 ± 0.2 (0.5–1.1) mm wide. Antenna with six segments. (Caballero, et al., 2026)
- Biology: Occurring on the roots of its host plants. In California it develops up to six generations per year. Females are ovoviviparous and reproduce parthenogenetically (McKenzie, 1967; Snetsinger, 1966).
- Economic Importance: A serious pest of African violet in greenhouses in California (Snetsinger, 1966). A major pest of greenhouse plants in Europe (Zahradník, 1990).
- General Remarks: Description and illustration of adult female by Green (1926a), Williams (1962), McKenzie (1960, 1967), Cox (1978, 1987), Zahradník (1990), Kozár & Konczné Benedicty (2007) and by Danzig & Gavrilov (2009). Colour photograph of the adult female by McKenzie (1967) and by Matile-Ferrero et al. (2004).
Illustrations
Citations
- BenDov1994: catalog, 451-452
- BugajNJuKa2021: distribution, host, list, 315
- CaballKaRa2026: description, distribution, host, key, taxonomy, 92, 116, 120-122, 117
- Cox1978: description, distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 631, 635-636
- Cox1987: description, distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 86-87, 210
- DanzigGa2009: description, distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 225-226
- DanzigGaTr2008: distribution, host, 600-603
- DeviSuSu2024: phylogenetics,
- DowellGiJe2016: distribution, 120
- DziedzMa1999: distribution, host, 16-17
- FoldiGe2018: distribution, list, 13
- Gavril2018: reproduction, 226
- GermaiMaPi2002: distribution, host, 256
- Green1926a: description, distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 175-177
- Hamble1946: distribution, host, taxonomy, 23-24
- Hamble1946a: taxonomy, 177
- Hamble1976: description, distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 45-46, 83-84
- Hodgso2012: description, illustration, structure, taxonomy, 24-26
- Hodgso2020: illustration, male, morphology, 18, 26
- Jansen2003: key, taxonomy, 300
- JansenAl2023: dispersal, host, 31,36
- JansenWe2015: distribution, key, 16
- KondoWa2022a: distribution, host, list, 25
- KozarKo2007: description, distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 196-199
- KozarzRe1975: distribution, host, 14
- KozarzRe1977: distribution, host, 377-378
- LagowsGo2020: distribution, 71
- MalumpHa2012: distribution, host, 195
- MalumpSa2014: distribution, 23
- Marott1995: distribution, host, taxonomy, 118-119
- MatileGePi2004: distribution, host, 35-37
- MazzeoLoPe2014: distribution, 58
- MazzeoPeMa2023: key, 8
- McKenz1960: description, distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 746-749
- McKenz1967: description, distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 387, 388, 400-402
- RamosPCaKo2014: economic importance, 27
- SchneiPo2026: distribution, economic importance, list, 30
- Snetsi1966: economic importance, life history, 1077-1078
- Tang1992: description, distribution, host, taxonomy, 58-59
- VonEll2025: distribution, 36
- Willia1962: description, distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 43-45
- Willia1985: distribution, host, taxonomy, 353
- Willia2017a: catalog, list of species, 251
- WilliaMa2012: distribution, 85, 87
- WilliaNa1980: distribution, host, taxonomy, 336-337
- Zahrad1965: distribution, host, taxonomy, 304-305
- Zahrad1990: description, distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 41-44
