Diaspis, Costa, 1828

Lázaro-Castellanos, Carlos, González-Hernández, Héctor, Nápoles, Jesús Romero-, Ortega-Arenas, Laura D., Equihua-Martínez, Armando & Ochoa-Ascencio, Salvador, 2023, Armored scale insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) associated with avocados (Persea americana) in México’s main production areas, with keys for identification and natural enemies, Zootaxa 5357 (2), pp. 241-269 : 254-255

Diaspis near coccois (Lichtenstein)

Field diagnosis. On avocado fruits, adult female scale cover opaque white to slightly brown, whereas on leaves it is transparent or semi-transparent; in both cases it is circular and flat or slightly convex, about 1.5 mm in diameter, with yellow subcentral exuviae. In life, adult female body creamy white or yellow, membranous, slightly rounded, about 1.0 mm long, with an obvious notch between median lobes. In immature males the waxy cover is cottony white; males are found in large groups or individually, usually close to females.

Discussion. This apparently undescribed species is very close to D. coccois because the slide-mounted adult female lacks lateral prothoracic protrusions and submedial dorsal micropores on segments VI and VII of the pygidium. It has perivulvar pores clustered in 5 groups; the anterior group contains 0‒12 (usually 8) pores; the anterolateral pore groups each contain 8‒19 pores, and the posterolateral groups each contain 7‒15 pores.According to Soria et al. (2000), D. coccois in Spain has perivulvar pores numbering 10, 20, and 15 in each of the respective groups, while Boratynski (1968) gives numbers of 0‒12 in the anterior group, 9‒12 in each anterolateral group, and 9‒17 in each posterolateral group. Boratynski’s (1968) description seems to resemble our material; however, it is still doubtful that it is D. coccois , since both the above study descriptions were of specimens obtained from coconut palms. For this reason, we decided to determine this species as Diaspis near coccois , pending authoritative identification by expert taxonomists.

Habits on the hosts. Diaspis near coccois was collected on leaves, branches, and fruits; however, it was observed to be predominant on leaves, where it occurs singly or in groups covering large areas of the adaxial and/or abaxial surfaces. It can also coexist with other species of armored scales such as Ac. albopicta , Ac. scutiformis , Chr. dictyospermi , Da. aguacatae , H. diffinis , H. lataniae , H. rapax , L. pinnaeformis and P. parlatorioides .

Hosts. The scale has been collected previously on Mexican and Hass avocados in México (González Hernández & Atkinson 1984). In our study it was found associated with the following varieties of avocado: Fuerte, Hass, Granón, Vitacalli, Padua, Kila, Mexicano 1 and Mexicano 2.

Distribution. In México, Diaspis near coccois has been found associated with avocado in Texcoco, State of México; Tianguismanalco, Puebla, and several municipalities of Michoacán (González Hernández &Atkinson 1984, González-Hernández, pers. comm., 2019). In the present work, it was recorded in the following states and orchards: State of México: Cochisquila 2, La Casita, Santa Ana, Lindero, San José, M1Texcoco, M2Texcoco, M3Texcoco, M4Texcoco, M5Texcoco and M6Texcoco; Morelos: Metepec 1, Xolosuchitl 1, Xolosuchitl 3, San Miguel, Isla Chica 1, M10Mor, Santa Cruz Axopilco, Paluca 1 and Tlalnepantla 1; Puebla: La Aguacatera, Acapulco, Amexatl 1, El Arco, El Carmen and La Cuesta; Guanajuato: M1Gto; Jalisco: La Loma; and Querétaro: La Estancia.

Natural enemies. In previous works, no natural enemies of this species were recorded. In the present study we obtained a total of 66 parasitoid individuals, belonging to the following families: Aphelinidae : Aphytis holoxanthus (5F, 5M), Aph. lepidosaphes (11F, 5M), Aph. proclia (1F), Coccobius juliae (4F, 2M), Cocc. mexicanus 1F), and Encarsia titillata (1F, 4M); Eulophidae : Emersonella sp. (18F, 5M); Encyrtidae : Metaphycus sp. 3 (1F); Signiphoridae : Signiphora fax (1M), S. flavella (1F) and S. merceti (1F).