Mesohomotoma hibisci (Froggatt, 1901)

Martoni, Francesco & Brown, Samuel D. J., 2018, An annotated checklist of the Cook Islands psyllids with keys to the species and two new records (Hemiptera, Psylloidea), ZooKeys 811, pp. 91-108 : 91

Mesohomotoma hibisci (Froggatt, 1901) Figures 21, 28

Tyora hibisci Froggatt, 1901: 287.

Udamostigma hibisci (Froggatt); Enderlein 1910: 138.

Mesohomotoma hibisci (Froggatt); Crawford 1925: 32.

Distribution.

Reported on the Cook Islands by Hodkinson (1983). Known from Rarotonga and Mangaia. Other locations include: Australia ( Hollis 2004), Africa [Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Madagascar, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe ( Yana et al. 2015; Burckhardt and Van Harten 2006)], Asia [Chagos archipelago, China, India, Japan, Malaya, Malaysia, Mauritius, Philippines, Ryukyu Islands, Singapore, Yemen ( Hodkinson 1983, Hodkinson 1986, Burckhardt and Van Harten 2006, Percy 2017)], Pacific Islands [Bismarck Archipelago, Caroline Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia (Australs, Societies, Marquesas), Gilbert Islands, New Caledonia, Palau, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu ( Hodkinson 1983)].

Host plant.

Hibiscus species, especially H. tiliaceus L. ( Malvaceae ).

Common name.

Hibiscus (woolly) psyllid ( David Hockings 2013).

Remarks.

the genus Mesohomotoma Kuwayama was reviewed by Hollis (1987). The species included in the genus have a lot of variation between populations, and subtle differences between species. Although Hollis (1987) suspected all nominal taxa may represent a single species, he did not formally synonymise them, recommending that further research into their biology and hostplants be undertaken to further investigate species boundaries in the genus. This species breeds in the tips of Hibiscus tiliaceus branches. The nymphs produce filamentous exudates, which forms a woolly coating on the leaves and stem of the plant (Figure 21). Mesohomotoma hibisci is considered a pest ( David Hockings 2013).