Parasitoids of the invasive cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera, Pseudococcidae), in Iraq
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera, Pseudococcidae) is an invasive mealybug globally, having originated in North America. During routine rearing of this pest in a plant nursery in Karbala, Iraq in June 2023, three species of parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera, Chalcicoidea) emerged from the mealybug colonies, or were extracted as pupae from parasitised mealybugs. They were identified using both morphology and DNA sequencing as Aenasius arizonensis (Girault), Cheiloneurus nankingensis Li and Zu (Encyrtidae), and Marietta pictus (André) (Aphelinidae). The latter two species represent new country records for Iraq. All three species are diagnosed and illustrated below, with summaries of their distributions and biology. The importance of having databases available of barcodes and other diagnostic sequence data is emphasised in the context of biological control programmes.
Source: BioControl
Institutions: University of Kerbala, Natural History Museum, Akdeniz University
Language: English
Topic: Research on scale insects
Subfield: Insect Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,590
Award: G5459595971
OpenAlex ID: W4405218696