| Aleurodicus cocois | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hemiptera |
| Suborder: | Sternorrhyncha |
| Family: | Aleyrodidae |
| Genus: | Aleurodicus |
| Species: | A. cocois |
| Binomial name | |
| Aleurodicus cocois (John Curtis, 1846) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Aleurodicus cocois, commonly known as the coconut whitefly, is a species of whitefly in the family Aleyrodidae; it feeds on coconut and other palm trees in South America and the Caribbean region. [1]
This species was first described in 1846 by the English entomologist John Curtis. He named it Aleyrodes cocois, but it was later transferred to the new genus Aleurodicus by the English entomologist John William Douglas. He had erected the genus to accommodate Aleurodicus anonae, so when it was determined that A. anonae was a junior synonym of A. cocois, the latter became the type species of the genus. In other parts of the world, there are certain other species of whitefly that attack coconut palms, which are known locally as "coconut whitefly"; these include Aleurodicus destructor and Aleurodicus dispersus in tropical southern Asia and Australasia, and Aleurodicus pulvinatus and A. dispersus in the Neotropics. [1]
The eggs are laid on the undersides of leaves in small batches in a spiral pattern 2 cm (1 in) or more across, close to wax patches secreted by the female. The first instar larvae are "crawlers" but stay in the vicinity of the spiral. The second, third and fourth instars are immobile and feed by sucking sap from the leaf; they secrete wax and develop a marginal fringe of white waxy strands. After pupation, the adult insects have yellowish-orange bodies and translucent wings. They also secrete powdery wax, giving them a mealy appearance and turning the wings white. They mate and disperse to other locations. [1]
Aleurodicus cocois is found in the West Indies, Mexico, Venezuela, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Brazil and Peru. It is a serious pest of coconut palm and cashew, and also infests ornamental palms, oil palm, rubber tree, Ficus , plantain, avocado and black pepper. [1]
It has been found that some clones of dwarf cashew are more susceptible to attack by A. cocois than are others; the most resistant clones have a greater number of glandular trichomes on their leaves, and contain a higher proportion of phenols in their leaves. [2] Predators of A. cocois include the lady beetles Clitostethus dispar , Nephaspis oculatus , [1] and Cryptognatha nodiceps . [3]
After a hurricane struck Barbados in 1831, the planting of imported coconut palms accidentally introduced A. cocois but not its natural enemies, and the whitefly attacked virtually every tree on the island and devastated production. [1]
Hemiptera is an order of insects, commonly called true bugs, comprising over 80,000 species within groups such as the cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, assassin bugs, bed bugs, and shield bugs. They range in size from 1 mm (0.04 in) to around 15 cm (6 in), and share a common arrangement of piercing-sucking mouthparts. The name "true bugs" is often limited to the suborder Heteroptera.
Whiteflies are Hemipterans that typically feed on the undersides of plant leaves. They comprise the family Aleyrodidae, the only family in the superfamily Aleyrodoidea. More than 1550 species have been described.
Scale insects are small insects of the order Hemiptera, suborder Sternorrhyncha. Of dramatically variable appearance and extreme sexual dimorphism, they comprise the infraorder Coccomorpha which is considered a more convenient grouping than the superfamily Coccoidea due to taxonomic uncertainties. Adult females typically have soft bodies and no limbs, and are concealed underneath domed scales, extruding quantities of wax for protection. Some species are hermaphroditic, with a combined ovotestis instead of separate ovaries and testes. Males, in the species where they occur, have legs and sometimes wings, and resemble small flies. Scale insects are herbivores, piercing plant tissues with their mouthparts and remaining in one place, feeding on sap. The excess fluid they imbibe is secreted as honeydew on which sooty mold tends to grow. The insects often have a mutualistic relationship with ants, which feed on the honeydew and protect them from predators. There are about 8,000 described species.
The silverleaf whitefly is one of several species of whitefly that are currently important agricultural pests. A review in 2011 concluded that the silverleaf whitefly is actually a species complex containing at least 40 morphologically indistinguishable species.
Trialeurodes vaporariorum, commonly known as the glasshouse whitefly or greenhouse whitefly, is an insect that inhabits the world's temperate regions. Like various other whiteflies, it is a primary insect pest of many fruit, vegetable and ornamental crops. It is frequently found in glasshouses (greenhouses), polytunnels, and other protected horticultural environments. Adults are 1–2 mm in length, with yellowish bodies and four wax-coated wings held near parallel to the leaf surface.
Indian cassava mosaic virus(ICMV) is a plant pathogenic virus of the family Geminiviridae. It affects cassava (Manihot esculenta) in India and certain other countries. It is considered to be an invasive species.
The cabbage whitefly is a species of whitefly from the Aleyrodidae family. It has a global distribution.
Aleurocanthus woglumi is a species of whitefly in the family Aleyrodidae. It is a pest of citrus crops, and is commonly known as the citrus blackfly because of its slate-blue colour. It originated in Asia, but has spread to other parts of the world. The parasitic wasps, Encarsia perplexa and Amitus hesperidum can help control the pest.
Pemphigus spyrothecae, or the poplar spiral gall aphid, is a social insect which exhibits apparent altruistic behaviors. The aphids form galls and act as colony defenders, at times sacrificing their own lives to do so. It has been shown that colony defense is more likely in habitats that are difficult to obtain and can hold a large number of individuals. These gall locations are crucial because plants have a short window in which a gall can be produced. Thus, it is important for there to be a defense system that enables the aphids to retain their galls. The need for defense arises when the gall is opened up to allow winged aphid migrants to leave and to release any waste. The process of repairing the holes can take up to 10 days; during this time, the gall is susceptible to intruding predators.
The Coconut black headed caterpillar, is a species of moth found in throughout East Asian countries including Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, as well as Indonesia. It is considered a pest of coconut palm trees, causing considerable damage to the trees, and reducing the plant's yield significantly and can be a major problem where coconuts contribute to the economy. The species exists on coconut palms through its life stages from larval to moth, and utilizes the tree fronds as a main source of nutrition. Various methods of control have been explored, yet the primary control method is the administration of pesticides directly to the root of the coconut palms.
Planococcus citri, commonly known as the citrus mealybug, is a species of mealybugs native to Asia. It has been introduced to the rest of the world, including Europe, the Americas, and Oceania, as an agricultural pest. It is associated with citrus, but it attacks a wide range of crop plants, ornamental plants, and wild flora.
Aleurodicus dispersus, the spiralling whitefly, is a species of small, white sap-sucking insect, a true bug in the order Hemiptera. It originated in Central America and the Caribbean region and has spread to many of the world's tropical and subtropical regions, where it has become a major pest of agricultural crops.
Aspidiotus destructor, the coconut scale, is a species of armoured scale insect in the family Diaspididae, found in many tropical and subtropical parts of the world. It is a serious pest of coconut and banana, and attacks a range of other fruiting trees and ornamental plants.
Cryptognatha nodiceps, known generally as the coconut scale predator or sugarcane scale predator, is a species of lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae; it is found in the Caribbean region, North America, and Oceania, having been introduced to various countries in an attempt to provide biological pest control of the coconut scale.
Aleurotrachelus atratus better known as the palm-infesting whitefly is an invasive species that affects coconut palms. Originally, this species was only prevalent in Brazil and was known to feed on coconuts native to this country. Now, the species has migrated to the tropics and subtropics and is invasive in many other countries. Aleurotrachelus is one of the largest genus, containing 74 species.
Axinoscymnus puttarudriahi, is a species of lady beetle native to India and Sri Lanka.
Pseudaspidimerus trinotatus, is a species of lady beetle found in India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.
Pseudaspidimerus flaviceps, is a species of lady beetle native to India, and Sri Lanka.
Pseudaspidimerus mauliki, is a species of lady beetle native to India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Java.
Chilocorus subindicus, is a species of lady beetle found in India, Sri Lanka and Maldives.
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