Valid Names Results
Melanaspis obscura (Comstock, 1881) (Diaspididae: Melanaspis)Nomenclatural History
- Aspidiotus obscurus Comstock 1881a: 303. Type data: USA: Washington, D.C., on the bark of the limbs of willow oak, Quercus phellos.. Lectotype, female, by subsequent designation (DeitzDa1986,58). Type depository: Washington: United States National Entomological Collection, U.S. National Museum of Natural History, District of Columbia, USA; accepted valid name Illustr.
- Aspidiotus (Melanaspis) obscurus Comstock, 1881; Cockerell 1897i: 21. change of combination
- Chrysomphalus obscurus (Comstock, 1881); Leonardi 1897: 286. change of combination
- Melanaspis obscura (Comstock, 1881); Lindinger 1911: 356. change of combination requiring emendation of specific epithet for agreement in gender
- Aspidiotus jaboticabae Hempel 1918: 206. Type data: BRAZIL: State of Sao Paolo, S. Manuel, on Eugenia jaboticabae.. Holotype, female, by original designation (Wolff2014,4). junior synonym
- Targionia jaboticabae (Hempel, 1918); Lepage & Giannotti 1943: 337. change of combination
- Chrysomphalus (Melanaspis) obscurus (Comstock, 1881); Merrill 1953: 38. change of combination
- Melanaspis jaboticabae (Hempel, 1918); Borchsenius 1966: 349. change of combination
- Melanaspis obscura (Comstock, 1881); Borchsenius 1966: 350. revived combination (previously published)
Common Names
- obscure scale Comsto1881a Dekle1965c McKenz1956 Merril1953 MerrilCh1923
- escama oscura del roble GunawaWaKo2022
- kermès sombre GunawaWaKo2022
Ecological Associates
Hosts:
Families: 12 | Genera: 18
- Adoxaceae
- Viburnum arboreum | Merril1953
- Viburnum obovatum | Koszta1996
- Anacardiaceae
- Spondias purpurea | MerrilCh1923
- Cornaceae
- Cornus | Ferris1941d Koszta1996 McKenz1956
- Fabaceae
- Prosopis | Ferris1941d Koszta1996 McDani1970 McKenz1956
- Fagaceae
- Castanea | DeitzDa1986 Ferris1941d Koszta1996 McKenz1956
- Castanea pumila | DeitzDa1986
- Fagus | Koszta1996
- Fagus grandifolia | DeitzDa1986
- Quercus | BesheaTiHo1973 DeitzDa1986 Dekle1965c McKenz1956
- Quercus alba | BesheaTiHo1973 DeitzDa1986
- Quercus bicolor | DeitzDa1986
- Quercus chapmanii | NormarOkMo2019
- Quercus coccinea | DeitzDa1986 McKenz1956
- Quercus falcata | DeitzDa1986
- Quercus laurifolia | BesheaTiHo1973 TippinBe1970
- Quercus macrocarpa | DeitzDa1986
- Quercus marilandica | DeitzDa1986
- Quercus michauxii | DeitzDa1986
- Quercus nigra | DeitzDa1986
- Quercus palustris | DeitzDa1986 HendriWi1992
- Quercus phellos | Comsto1881a DeitzDa1986 McKenz1956
- Quercus prinoides | DeitzDa1986
- Quercus robur | DeitzDa1986
- Quercus rubra | DeitzDa1986
- Quercus shumardii | NormarOkMo2019
- Quercus stellata | BesheaTiHo1973 DeitzDa1986
- Quercus velutina | DeitzDa1986 Hunter1899 DeitzDa1986 | (= Quercus tinctoria),
- Quercus virginiana | BesheaTiHo1973 DeitzDa1986 McDani1970
- Juglandaceae
- Carya | DeitzDa1986 Ferris1941d Koszta1996 | (= Hicoria)
- Carya illinoinensis | Ferris1941d McKenz1956 | (= Hicoria pecan)
- Carya laciniosa | DeitzDa1986
- Carya ovata | DeitzDa1986
- Juglans | Ferris1941d Koszta1996 McDani1970 McKenz1956
- Myrtaceae
- Plinia cauliflora | ClapsWoGo2001 Hempel1918 Lepage1938 LepageGi1943 | (= Eugenia jaboticaba)
- Oleaceae
- Fraxinus americana | DeitzDa1986
- Olea europaea | Wolff2014
- Rosaceae
- Prunus reverchonii | McKenz1956
- Sapindaceae
- Acer | TippinBe1970
- Sapindus | Koszta1996
- Ulmaceae
- Planera aquatica | Koszta1996
- Ulmus | DeitzDa1986 Koszta1996
- Ulmus procera | DeitzDa1986
- Vitaceae
- Vitis | Koszta1996 McKenz1956
Foes:
Families: 8 | Genera: 16
- Aphelinidae
- Ablerus clisiocampae | Gordh1979
- Ablerus perspeciosus | GunawaWaKo2022
- Aphytis | GunawaWaKo2022
- Coccobius varicornis | Gordh1979 | )= Physcus varicornis)
- Coccophagoides fuscipennis | Gordh1979
- Diaspiniphagus fuscipennis | GunawaWaKo2022
- Encarsia aurantii | PolaszAbHu1999
- Encarsia berlesei | Gordh1979 | (=Prospaltella berlesei)
- Encarsia fasciata | GunawaWaKo2022
- Marietta pulchella | GunawaWaKo2022
- Encyrtidae
- Metaphycus | GunawaWaKo2022
- Hemisarcoptidae
- Hemisarcoptes malus | GersonOcHo1990
- Miridae
- Corticoris signatus | GunawaWaKo2022
- Myiomma cixiiforme | GunawaWaKo2022
- Mymaridae
- Anagrus | GunawaWaKo2022
- Myriangiales
- Myriangium duriaei | EvansPr1990
- Nectriaceae
- Nectria aurantiicola | EvansPr1990
- Nectria flammea | EvansPr1990
- Signiphoridae
- Signiphora bennetti | GunawaWaKo2022
- Signiphora ehleri | GunawaWaKo2022
- Thysanus ater | Woolle1990
Geographic Distribution
Countries: 4
- Brazil
- Rio Grande do Sul | EfromRoWo2019
- Sao Paulo | ClapsWoGo2001 Hempel1918 Lepage1938 LepageGi1943
- Canada | Nakaha1982
- Ontario | GunawaWaKo2022
- Japan | Kawai1977 Kawai1980
- Honshu | GunawaWaKo2022
- United States
- Alabama | DeitzDa1986 HendriWi1992
- Arkansas | DeitzDa1986
- California | McKenz1956
- Connecticut | DeitzDa1986
- Delaware | Nakaha1982
- District of Columbia | Comsto1881a DeitzDa1986
- Florida | Dekle1965c MerrilCh1923 Wilson1917
- Georgia | BesheaTiHo1973 DeitzDa1986 TippinBe1970
- Illinois | DeitzDa1986
- Indiana | DeitzDa1986
- Iowa | DeitzDa1986
- Kansas | DeitzDa1986 Hunter1899
- Kentucky | DeitzDa1986
- Louisiana | DeitzDa1986
- Maryland | DeitzDa1986
- Mississippi | DeitzDa1986 Herric1911
- Missouri | DeitzDa1986 Hollin1923
- New Jersey | DeitzDa1986
- New York | Nakaha1982
- North Carolina | DeitzDa1986
- Ohio | DeitzDa1986
- Oklahoma | DeitzDa1986
- Pennsylvania | DeitzDa1986 Stimme1980a
- South Carolina | DeitzDa1986
- Tennessee | DeitzDa1986
- Texas | DeitzDa1986 Ferris1941d McDani1970
- Virginia | BesheaTiHo1973 DeitzDa1986
- West Virginia | DeitzDa1986
Keys
- WolffEfDa2018: pp.5-7 ( Adult (F) ) [Secies recorded on Olea europaea in Brazil]
- MillerDa2005: pp.29-34 ( Adult (F) ) [Field Key to Economic Armored Scales]
- Gill1997: pp.194 ( Adult (F) ) [Species of California]
- Koszta1996: pp.533 ( Adult (F) ) [Northeastern North America]
- DeitzDa1986: pp.12-15 ( Adult (F) ) [North America]
- Kawai1980: pp.206 ( Adult (F) ) [Japan]
- McDani1970: pp.411-412 ( Adult (F) ) [U.S.A.: Texas]
- McKenz1956: pp.26 ( Adult (F) ) [U.S.A.: California]
- Britto1923: pp.376 ( Adult (F) ) [U.S.A.: Connecticut]
- Hollin1923: pp.29 ( Adult (F) ) [U.S.A.: Missouri]
- Lawson1917: pp.210 ( Adult (F) ) [U.S.A.: Kansas]
- DietzMo1916a: pp.307 ( Adult (F) ) [U.S.A.: Indiana]
- Comsto1883: pp.55-57 ( Adult (F) ) [North America]
Remarks
- Systematics: Genbank accession numbers: KF887360, KF887388, KF887362, KF887390, KF887363, KF887364, KF887365, KF887391, KF887401, KF88740, KF887382, KF887411, KF887412 and KF887392. (Campbell, et al., 2014) Melanaspis obscura differs from M. bromiliae and M. tenebricosa by possessing perivulvar pores. In the USA there are 4 Melanaspis species with perivulvar pores but only M. obscura is commonly found on oaks (Gunawardana et al. 2022).
- Structure: The female junior synonym, Melanaspis jaboticabae is circular to sub-circular in outline; hard, opaque and variable, some being more convex than others; colour dark brown to black; with the inner surface lined with a white secretion (Hempel, 1918). Female scale irregular in outline, but nearly circular, 3 mm in diameter; very dark gray; slightly convex; exuviae between center and one side, their position is indicated by a nipple-like prominence, which is marked with a white dot and concentric ring of the same color; ventral scale consists of a delicate film of white secretion, and the lower half of the exuviae attached to the bark (Comstock, 1881a). Scale cover of immature male more elongate, smaller than that of adult female, with black exuviae subterminal. Body of adult female pale and pinkish. Males common, winged (Gunawardana et al. 2022).
- Biology: Occurring on the bark of the host, with no special tendency to be hidden in cracks or under the bark (Ferris, 1941d). Develops one generation a year in Alabama, USA (Hendricks & Williams (1992), Maryland, USA (Stoetzel & Davidson, 1971), Ohio, USA (Kosztarab, 1963) and Louisiana (Baker, 1933).
- Economic Importance: Description and illustration of adult female by Hempel (1918) and by Lepage & Giannotti (1943). obscure scale is a serious pest of oaks, Quercus spp. in eastern states of USA (Gill, 1997; Hendricks & Williams, 1992), of shade trees in Maryland, USA (Stoetzel & Davidson, 1971), and of pecan in southern USA (Osburn & Pierce, 1963).
- General Remarks: Description and illustration of adult female, Melanaspis jaboticabae, by Ferris (1941d), McKenzie (1956), Deitz & Davidson (1986), Kosztarab (1996) and by Gill (1997). Colour photograph by Gill (1997) and Gunawardana et al. (2022).
Illustrations
Citations
- AhmedMi2017: distribution, 1
- AhmedMi2017: distribution, 1
- AndersWuGr2010: molecular data, 992-1003
- Baker1933: control, distribution, economic importance, host, life history, 1-19
- BenDovGe2003: catalog, taxonomy, 618
- BenDovGe2003: catalog, 627-630
- Berger1942a: biological control, distribution, host, 26-29
- Berger1942a: biological control, distribution, host, life history, 26-29
- BesheaTiHo1973: distribution, host, 7
- Borchs1966: catalog, taxonomy, 349
- Borchs1966: catalog, 350
- Bray1974: description, distribution, host, life history, 1-33
- Britto1923: description, distribution, host, taxonomy, 376-377
- BugajNJuKa2021: distribution, host, list, 300
- CampbeLaHu2014: DNA, genebank, phylogeny, 531, 532, 534
- ChuaWo1990: distribution, economic importance, host, 550
- ClapsWoGo2001: distribution, host, 252
- Cocker1896b: distribution, 334
- Cocker1897i: description, distribution, host, taxonomy, 21
- Comsto1881a: description, distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 303-304
- Comsto1883: taxonomy, 64
- DanzigPe1998: catalog, 304-305
- DarlinJo1984: biological control, distribution, host, 555
- DavidsMi1990: distribution, economic importance, host, 603-632
- DavidsRa1999: control, economic importance, 1
- DeSant1940: biological control, 29-44
- DeitzDa1986: description, distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 58-59
- Dekle1965c: description, distribution, host, taxonomy, 90
- Dekle1976: description, distribution, economic importance, host, taxonomy, 111
- DietzMo1916a: description, distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 308-310
- DooleySm2013: catalog, 12
- DowellGiJe2016: distribution, 116
- Ebelin1949: control, distribution, host, life history,
- EfromRoWo2019: distribution, host, 126
- Ehler1992: biological control, distribution, host, 26-40
- Ehler1995: biological control, distribution, economic importance, host, life history, 779-795
- Ehler1995a: biological control, distribution, 83-91
- Ehler1996: biological control, distribution, host, 337-342
- Ehler1997: biological control, distribution, economic importance, host, 29-32
- Ehler2005: biological control, distribution, host, 739-749
- EvansPr1990: biological control, 3-17
- FDACSB1982: distribution, host, 5-11
- Felt1924: control, distribution, economic importance, host, life history,
- Fernal1903b: 291
- Ferris1937c: illustration, taxonomy, 51,83
- Ferris1941d: description, distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 361
- Ferris1941e: taxonomy, 44
- Ferris1941e: taxonomy, 46
- Ferris1942: taxonomy, 446:36
- Ferris1943: taxonomy, 64
- Fleury1934a: distribution, 278-289
- GersonOcHo1990: biological control, 77-97
- Gill1997: description, distribution, economic importance, host, illustration, taxonomy, 195,198,200
- Gordh1979: biological control, 907,908,912
- GullanMiCo2005: structure, taxonomy, 165,182-189
- Hempel1918: description, distribution, host, taxonomy, 206-208
- HendriWi1992: distribution, economic importance, host, life history, 452-457
- Herric1911: description, distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 11,32,67
- Hewitt1943: distribution, host, 266-274
- HodgesBr2004: ecology, host, life history, 611-622
- Hollin1923: description, distribution, host, taxonomy, 30-31
- Hunter1899: distribution, host, taxonomy, 7
- Kawai1977: distribution, economic importance, host, 157
- Kawai1980: description, distribution, host, taxonomy, 206-207
- KondoWa2022a: distribution, host, list, 18
- Koszta1996: biological control, description, distribution, economic importance, host, illustration, life history, taxonomy, 535-536
- Lawson1917: description, distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 211-213
- Leonar1897: taxonomy, 286
- Leonar1899: description, distribution, host, taxonomy, 199-200,205
- Lepage1938: catalog, taxonomy, 395
- LepageGi1943: description, distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 337-339
- Lindin1911: taxonomy, 356
- Lindin1957: taxonomy, 550
- Lizery1917b: taxonomy, 243
- Lobdel1937: taxonomy, 78
- Lord1922: distribution, host, 1
- Lyle1947: control, distribution, host, 1-8
- Mackie1934: distribution, host, 396
- Mackie1934a: distribution, host, 268-269
- Mackie1936: distribution, host, 455
- Mackie1943: distribution, host, 1-10
- MazzeoPeMa2023: phylogeny, 7
- McClur1990a: distribution, ecology, host, taxonomy, 165-168
- McDani1970: distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 418-420
- McKenz1939: taxonomy, 54
- McKenz1956: description, distribution, host, taxonomy, 26,77
- Merril1953: description, distribution, host, taxonomy, 38
- MerrilCh1923: description, distribution, economic importance, host, taxonomy, 225
- Miller1999: chemical control, 14
- MillerDa1990: distribution, economic importance, host, 303
- MillerDa2005: description, distribution, economic importance, host, illustration, taxonomy, 281-283
- MillerDe2018: history, 7
- MullenScNo2016: DNA sequencing, genetics, phylogeny, 209
- Nakaha1982: distribution, host, 56
- NormarOkMo2019: distribution, host, phylogeny, 26, S2, S6
- OsburnPi1963: chemical control, distribution, host, 1
- PayneMaKe1979: distribution, economic importance, host, 1-43
- Pierce1938: chemical control, 722-724
- PolaszAbHu1999: biological control, distribution, host, 131-163
- PotterJeGo1989: biological control, distribution, ecology, host, life history, 551-555
- RauppHoSa2001: chemical control, distribution, host, 203-214
- Robiso1990: anatomy, structure, 213-214
- RugmanAnMo2010: molecular data, phylogenetics, taxonomy, 30-38
- Ryan1946: distribution, host, 124-125
- Ryan1946: distribution, 125
- Sander1904a: description, distribution, host, illustration, taxonomy, 70,72
- SchmutKlLu1957: distribution, economic importance, host, 492
- SchneiFiNo2019: key, taxonomy, 93
- SchneiOkNo2018: phylogeny,
- Sikes1931: chemical control, 1-40
- Staffo1915: structure, taxonomy, 69
- Stimme1980a: control, description, distribution, economic importance, host, life history, 11-12
- StoetzDa1971: distribution, host, life history, taxonomy, 45-50
- StoetzDa1973: distribution, host, life history, taxonomy, 308-311
- StoetzDa1974: life history, taxonomy, 138-140
- TippinBe1970: distribution, host, 10
- WaltmaRaWi2016: distribution, 231
- Watson2001: list, 177
- WheeleHe1978: biological control, distribution, host, 607-614
- Willia2017a: catalog, list of species, 225, 228
- Wilson1917: description, distribution, host, taxonomy, 43
- Wolff2014: distribution, host, 3
- WolffEfDa2018: key, 6
- Woolle1990: biological control, 167-176
- Zahrad1990a: description, distribution, host, 653
