Valid Names Results

Marchalina hellenica (Gennadius, 1883) (Marchalinidae: Marchalina)

Nomenclatural History

• Monophlebus hellenicus Gennadius 1883: 32. Type data: GREECE: Attica, on Pinus halepensis.. Syntypes, female, accepted valid name Notes: Depository of type material unknown.
• Dactylopius caricus Gennadius 1883: 51. Type data: TURKEY: Mylassa, on Pinus laricio var. tauricus.. Syntypes, immature, junior synonym (discovered by BenDovMa2005, 294).
• Pseudococcus caricus (Gennadius, 1883); Fernald 1903b: 99. change of combination
• Marchalina hellenica (Gennadius, 1883); Vayssière 1923a: 427. change of combination
• Marchalina hellenica; Schmutterer, Kloft & Lüdicke 1957: 422. subsequent use Notes: Incorrect citation of "Germ." as author.
• Marchalina caucasica Hadzibejli 1969: 612. Type data: REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA: Caucasus, Bakuryani, on Picea engelmanni.. Syntypes, female, male, and first instar, Type depository: St. Petersburg: Zoological Museum, Academy of Science, Russia; junior synonym (discovered by Jashen1999, 43). Illustr.
• Marchallina hellenica; Pellizzari, Porcelli, Seljak & Kozar 2011: 292. misspelling of genus name

Common Names

• Giant pine scale KondoGu2022a
• Cocciniglia greca del pino KondoGu2022a
• cochinilla gigante del pino KondoGu2022a
• pine scale KondoGu2022a

Ecological Associates

Hosts:

Families: 1 | Genera: 4

Foes:

Families: 12 | Genera: 28

Geographic Distribution

Keys

• TangHa1995: pp.171, 616 ( Adult (F) ) [Palearctic region]
• Borchs1950b: pp.41 ( Adult (F) ) [USSR]

Remarks

• Systematics: The type material of Dactylopius caricus Gennadius, 1883 (a junior synonym of this species), is lost (Ben-Dov & Matile-Ferrero, 2005). Marchalina caucasica has been synonymised with M. hellenicai by Jashenko. 1999, however, Hodgson and Gounari (2006) consider M. hellenica and M. caucasica to be two separate species. This assertion is based on differences in host trees, life history and morphological traits. While adult females and 3rd instar female crawlers of M. caucasica and M. hellenica appear to be identical, potential significant differences can be seen in the 2nd instars and apterous adult males of both species. 15 Greek populations of M. hellenica belonged to two COI mtDNA haplotypes. The predominant haplotype in Greece is identical to the single haplotype from four sites in Turkey, while the second haplotype was only present in three sites of northern Greece (Thessaloniki, Makriyalos, and Lefkada). (Eleftheriadou, et al., 2023)
• Structure: Adult female pale yellow to cream-yellow, mealybug-like, body up to 13 mm long; antennae and legs well developed, dark brownish yellow; mouthparts not visible. Mature adult females produce large amounts of a white, cottony wax that gives infested trees a characteristic appearance. First- and second-instar nymphs are small (1–4 mm long), whereas third-instar nymphs may reach nearly 6 mm long; all immature stages are cream-yellow and secrete white cottony filaments, but usually are hidden beneath or in crevices of bark on branches. Male apterous, rare. (Kondo & Gullan in T. Kondo & G.W. Watson, 2022) Males, females, and 3rd-instar nymphs of M. hellenica were encountered at the same time of the year (January to late March) for two consecutive years (2021 and 2022), although males were found in low numbers compared to females, similarly to other coccids, which produce a sex ratio of 5%:95% (males:females). Male adults were encountered in Thessaloniki, where the second M. hellenica haplotype was present (GPS-HT2), indicating that males have a genetic effect on this population. (Eleftheriadou, et al., 2023)
• Biology: Develops one annual generation in Greece (Nicolopoulos, 1965) and in Turkey (Bodenheimer, 1953a). Bodenheimer (1953a) reported that males were not recorded in Turkey and reproduction is parthenogenetic. On the other hand, Nicolopoulos (1965) recorded and photographed adult males from Greece. In Georgia one generation develops in two years (Hadzibejli, 1969). The life-cycle of M. hellenica includes three immature instars in the female (all with well developed legs and antennae) and four immature instars (two larval and two nymphal) in the alate male. (Gavrilov-Zimin, 2018)
• Economic Importance: A scale insect of great significance to apiculture in Greece and Turkey (Nicolopoulos, 1965; Santas, 1989). In Turkey, the pine honey is mostly produced from honeydew of M. hellenica and 85 % of this yield has been exported to the EU countries. (Ünal, et al., 2016) Reported to damage Pinus pinea trees in Ischia Island, Naples Province, Italy (Marotta & Priore, 1994). The scale poses a significant threat to Australia’s soft wood industry because there are currently no effective control options for this invasive pest. Eradication by destruction of infested trees was successful in South Australia but not in Victoria due to widespread infestations (over 4300 trees infested in the south east suburbs of Melbourne). (Avtzis, et al., 2020) In regions recently invaded by the insect such as Australia and Croatia, where its natural enemies are absent, the impacts on Aleppo pine as well as other host conifers can be exacerbated. (Fotelli, et al., 2020)
• General Remarks: Description and illustration of adult female, 3rd instar female nymph, 2nd instar nymph, 1st instar nymph, male prepupa, male pupa and apterous adult male by Hodgson & Gounari (2006). Decsription and illustration of adult male (apterous) by Hodgson & Foldi (2006). Description and illustration of adult female by Morrison (1923), Vayssière (1923), Ferris (1925) and by Hadzibejli (1969) (as M. caucasica). Description and illustration of nymphs by Morrison (1923), Vayssière (1926) and by Hadzibejli (1969).

  Although, in the past, M. hellenica was thought to infest Picea sp. in Russia, Armenia, and Georgia, it was later determined that the scale-insect species encountered in these countries was Marchalina caucasica Hadzibeyli (Hemiptera: Marchalinidae) (Eleftheriadou, et al., 2023)

Illustrations

Citations