Valid Names Results

Aulacaspis elettaria Joshi & Nafeesa, 2023 (Diaspididae: Aulacaspis)

Nomenclatural History

• Aulacaspis elettaria Joshi & Nafeesa 2023: 244. Type data: INDIA: Kerala, Kochera, Idukki, on Elettaria cardamomum (L.), 4/6/2022, by M. Nafeesa. Holotype, female, by original designation Type depository: Bengaluru (Bangalore): National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Bangalore, Karnataka, India; accepted valid name Notes: Paratypes: Adult females from INDIA, Kerala, Idukki district: 11 ♀♀, Kurisumala, 22.XII.2021, Nafeesa, M. leg. [ICAR/NBAIR/DIASPI/Aulacaspis/221221–01–11]; 4 ♀♀, Nettithozhu, 23.XII.2021, Nafeesa, M. leg. [ICAR/NBAIR/DIASPI/Aulacaspis/231221–12–15]; 13 ♀♀, Kochera, 26.I.2022, Nafeesa, M. leg. [ICAR/NBAIR/DIASPI/Aulacaspis/250122–16–28] Illustr.

Common Names

Ecological Associates

Hosts:

Families: 1 | Genera: 1

Foes:

Families: 2 | Genera: 1

Associates:

Families: 1 | Genera: 1

Geographic Distribution

Keys

• JoshiMoMe2023: pp.244-245 ( Adult (F) ) [Indian species of Aulacaspis]

Remarks

• Systematics: Aulacaspis elettaria is similar in body shape and the structure of the pygidial lobes to Aulacaspis 65FCH-Be described by Takagi (2012), collected on Beilschmiedia erythrophloia Hayata (Lauraceae) from Taiwan, but can be distinguished by the following characteristics of the adult female (character states of Aulacaspis 65FCHBe are given in parentheses): (i) abdominal segment I without any macroducts (with 2 macroducts); (ii) perivulvar pores numbering 26–44 in anteromedial group, 32–58 in each posterolateral and 32–51 in each anterolateral group (much fewer: 14 in anteromedial group, 27 in each anterolateral and 30 in each posterolateral group); and (iv) posterior spiracles each associated with 20–42 pores in a compact group encircling spiracular peritreme (far fewer pores in a compact group situated anterior to peritreme). (Joshi, et al., 2023)
• Structure: Adult female scale cover flat, circular to oval, bright opaque white on margins, slightly transparent in median area, with coloured body of female visible through it; scale cover with concentric opaque fine white lines; exuviae marginal or submarginal, pale yellowish brown. Bodies of immature stages and teneral adult female yellow, but adult female turning orange-brown as it matures.(Joshi, et al., 2023) First-instar nymph bright yellow with transparent appendages and black eyes. Male scale cover elongate, parallel-sided with three longitudinal ridges (tricarinate), felted, white; exuviae marginal, pale yellowish brown. (Joshi, et al., 2023)
• Biology: Infestations were mainly observed on tillers of Indian cardamom, just beneath the older leaf sheaths, on the panicles and seed capsules. (Joshi, et al., 2023)
• Economic Importance: 88.7% of the total area under cardamom cultivation in Idukki district is under the variety Njallani, on which A. elettaria was recorded. The scales were observed mainly on plants growing in the border rows and less shady parts of the field, on the tillers, just beneath the older leaf sheaths. In heavily infested fields, about 70% of the plants and more than 30% of the tillers were infested. (Joshi, et al., 2023)
• General Remarks: Detailed description, photographs and illustration in Joshi et al., 2023.

Illustrations

Citations