Valid Names Results

Melanaspis leivasi (Costa Lima, 1924) (Diaspididae: Melanaspis)

Nomenclatural History

• Aonidiella leivas Costa Lima 1924a: 197. Type data: BRAZIL: Rio Grando do Sul, Pelotas, on Ficus sp.. Holotype, female, accepted valid name
• Aspidiotus (Aonidiella) leivasi (Costa Lima, 1924); McKenzie 1938: 3. change of combination requiring emendation of specific epithet for agreement in gender
• Melanaspis calcarata Ferris 1941d: 349. Type data: MEXICO: State of Guerrero, near Acapulco, La Providencia, on Bursera (= Elaphrium) sp.. Holotype, female, by original designation junior synonym (discovered by Borchs1966, 349). Illustr.
• Melanaspis leivasi (Costa Lima, 1924); Costa Lima 1942: 289. change of combination

Common Names

Ecological Associates

Hosts:

Families: 4 | Genera: 4

Geographic Distribution

Keys

• WeiScNo2021: pp.17-23 ( Adult (F) ) [Aspidiotini from Panama]
• DeitzDa1986: pp.12-15 ( Adult (F) ) [North America]
• Ferris1942: pp.36 ( Adult (F) ) [North America]

Remarks

• Systematics: Melanaspis leivasi is the only species in the genus that has the combination of several large projections anterior to lobe four and a basal sclerosis attached to the median lobes. It is similar to M. tenebricosa, but differs by having (characters of M. tenebricosa are given in parentheses): four or five paraphyses in the third space (two or three paraphyses); constriction in body margin anterior to abdominal segment three (without a constriction); body of adult female 1.6 to 2.5 mm long (0.5 to 1.5 mm long); and, anal opening in posterior third of pygidium (posterior fifth of pygidium). (Ahmed & Miller, 2017)
• Structure: Scale of the type common to the genus (Ferris, 1941d). The adult female is large (up to 2.5 mm). The dorsal scale cover is strongly convex, brown externally, black internally; the ventral cover has a white layer on top of a black layer that is directly attached to the host. The body of the adult female is cream yellow when newly matured, but in older females, the thorax and head are light purple. The crawlers are round to oval, cream yellow with large light purple or pink areas. (Ahmed & Miller, 2017)
• Biology: Occurring on the bark (Ferris, 1941d).
• Economic Importance: At low levels of infestation, armored scales rarely damage their host plants. Armored scale feeding can reduce plant photosynthesis and growth, and often leads to yellowing of leaves, premature leaf drop, branch dieback and gradual plant death. (Ahmed & Miller, 2017)
• General Remarks: Description and illustration of adult female by Ferris (1941d), Lepage & Giannotti (1943) and by Deitz & Davidson (1986).

Illustrations

Citations