Beardsley Jr., J.W. 2001 Nipaecoccus nipae (Maskell) and two apparently undescribed sibling species (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae).. Entomologica, Bari 33(1999): 49-57.

Keywords:

  • biology
  • description
  • diagnosis
  • illustration
  • taxonomy
  • Notes: [Special Issue: Proceedings of the ISSIS VIII International Symposium on Scale Insect Studies held at Wye College (U.K.), Aug. 31st - Sept. 6th, 1998.] This paper argues that there are at least two species belonging to the Nipaecoccus nipae-species complex in Hawaii, one with white wax and the other with buff wax. These two species differ in a number of features but perhaps the most important is that the encyrtid parasitoid Pseudaphycus utilis Timberlake is only known to parasitize the white-wax species. A brief history of the two species (and another in Florida) is outlined, followed by a discussion of the morphological reasons for believing them separate. The problems of nomenclature are then outlined and it is concluded that the buff-wax species is Nipaecoccus nipae (Maskell) and that N. pseudonipae (Cockerell) is a synonym. The two other species (i.e. the white-wax species from Hawaii and the species from Florida) are then described as Nipaecoccus paranipae, n. sp. and Nipaecoccus floridensis, n.sp. respectively.