Chrysomphalus dictyospermi (Morgan, 1889)

Mifsud, David, Mazzeo, Gaetana, Russo, Agatino & Watson, Gillian W., 2014, The scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) of the Maltese Archipelago, Zootaxa 3866 (4), pp. 499-525 : 508

Chrysomphalus dictyospermi (Morgan, 1889)

Borg (1919; 1922a: 78) wrote that “this scale has been introduced in Malta from Catania (Sicily) in 1911 on rosebushes and other ornamental plants, and in three or four years it has spread with marvellous rapidity to most groves and gardens in the island”. Borg (1922a: 242) said that it was often troublesome to pear cultivation. Borg (1932) stated that it was especially injurious to lemon trees and roses, often killing them, and that it was also frequent on Gozo. Saliba (1963) recorded this species as common on citrus and occasional on pear.

Material examined: MALTA, Mosta, 12.iii.1994, 2 ♀♀ on Citrus sinensis, SC ; Marsa, Għammieri, 13.iii.1994, 5 ♀♀ on C. sinensis and C. auranti, DM ; Vittoriosa, 16.ii.2012, 5 ♀♀ on Ficus benjamina, CM.