Thesis (M.S.)--Auburn University, 2008. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 124).

No description available.

Morphological studies in the past have been almost exclusively confined to the description and illustration of adult females. Morphological studies of Diaspididae were further restricted to the pygidial area. This study is an attempt to provide complete descriptions, illustrations, and measurements for morphological characters for all life stages of C. americana Johnson and C. kosztarabi Takagi and Kawai. The majority of the specimens were obtained from weekly collections of local infestations on the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University campus. Freshly collected scale insect samples were mounted in both Hoyer's medium and Canada balsam for microscopic study. The biologies of the two species in Blacksburg, Virginia were studied using weekly collections. Both species were bivoltine. C. americana overwintered mainly in the egg stage; the first brood hatched about April 20, and the second brood about July 25, in 1972. C. kosztarabi overwintered as fertilized females. Eggs were laid in early spring hatching about May 28 in 1973, and the eggs of the second generation began hatching about August 10, in 1972. Dimorphic males of both species were collected. C. americana males exhibited apterous and brachypterous conditions. C. kosztarabi males were either apterous or pterous. Several species of hymenopterous parasites were reared from each species. / Master of Science

Submitted by MAIARA ALEXANDRE CRUZ (maiara_agronomia@hotmail.com) on 2018-04-16T14:10:46Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertaçao_Maiara_Alexandre_Cruz.pdf: 2216345 bytes, checksum: c797b70103395ccc0e6fb5cc74a155ef (MD5) DISSERTAÇÃO COMPLETA repositorio.docx: 2205488 bytes, checksum: 87334bbb24da1f49c2f7403a20b4b5ea (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Alexandra Maria Donadon Lusser Segali null (alexmar@fcav.unesp.br) on 2018-04-16T18:24:58Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 cruz_ma_me_jabo.pdf: 2216345 bytes, checksum: c797b70103395ccc0e6fb5cc74a155ef (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-04-16T18:24:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 cruz_ma_me_jabo.pdf: 2216345 bytes, checksum: c797b70103395ccc0e6fb5cc74a155ef (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-02-28 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / RESUMO – A agricultura é de suma importância para o desenvolvimento do Brasil. O estado de São Paulo, com significativa produção e produtividade de diversas culturas, é o maior produtor de cana-de-açúcar e citros, e o terceiro em café. No entanto, grandes perdas econômicas e ambientais ocorrem pelo uso indiscriminado de agrotóxicos para controlar insetos-praga, incluindo cochonilhas. Informações sobre insetos benéficos atualmente presentes nas regiões produtoras são fundamentais para o manejo integrado de pragas. Este estudo teve como objetivo fazer um levantamento de inimigos naturais associados a espécies de cochonilhas consideradas pragas, primárias ou secundárias, para as culturas de cana-de-açúcar, citros e café no estado de São Paulo, relacionando à origem de cada espécie; especificidade a presa; e as possíveis adaptações a predação ou parasitismo em relação às características morfológicas macroscópicas das cochonilhas. O levantamento de inimigos naturais associados com dez espécies de cocóideos frequentemente associados a estas plantas foi realizado em 15 municípios, situados nas mesorregiões de São José do Rio Preto, Ribeirão Preto, Araraquara e Campinas. As coletas foram realizadas entre agosto de 2016 e agosto de 2017, de maneira aleatória, em áreas urbana e rural. Nesse período, foram coletadas 52 espécies de inimigos naturais. Para cochonilhas da cana-de-açúcar, todas as associações são novos relatos para o estado de São Paulo; e, Anagyrus saccharicola Timberlake, 1932 e Mariola flava Noyes, 1980 (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) sâo registrados pela primeira vez para o para o país. Entre as cochonilhas que frequentemente infestam citros e café, e seus respectivos inimigos nturais. 21 novas associações foram registradas. Dentre os predadores obtidos, Pseudoazya nana (Marshall, 1912) (Coleoptera: Coccinelidae), e, os parasitoides Arrhenophagus chionaspidis Aurivillius, 1888, Coccidoxenoides perminutus Girault, 1915 (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), Coccophagus basalis Compere, 1939 (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), são registrados pela primeira vez para o estado de São Paulo. Para o Brasil são registrados: Coccophagus flavifrons Howard, 1885 e Coccophagus rusti Compere, 1928 ((Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). / ABSTRAT– Agriculture is of great importance for the development of Brazil. The state of São Paulo, with significant production and productivity of several crops, is the largest producer of sugarcane and citrus, and the third in coffee. However, major economic and environmental losses occur through the indiscriminate use of pesticides to control pest insects, including scale insects. Information on beneficial insects currently present in producing regions is essential for integrated pest management. The objective of this study was to survey natural enemies associated with scale insects species considered as primary or secondary pests for sugarcane, citrus and coffee crops in the state of São Paulo, relating to the origin of each species; specificity prey; and the possible adaptations to predation or parasitism in relation to the macroscopic morphological characteristics of scale insects. The survey of natural enemies associated with ten coccoid species frequently associated with these plantations was carried out in 15 municipalities located in the mesoregions of São José do Rio Preto, Ribeirão Preto, Araraquara and Campinas, in the main sugarcane producing regions, citrus and state coffee. The collections were carried out between August 2016 and August 2017, in a random manner, in urban and rural areas. During this period, 52 species of natural enemies were collected. For sugarcane scale insects, all associations are new reports for the state of São Paulo; and, Anagyrus saccharicola Timberlake, 1932 and Mariola flava Noyes, 1980 (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) are recorded for the first time to the country. Among the scale insects that frequently infest citrus and coffee, and their respective nemes. 21 new associations were registered. Among the predators obtained, Pseudoazya nana (Marshall, 1912) (Coleoptera: Coccinelidae), and the parasitoids Arrhenophagus chionaspidis Aurivillius, 1888, Coccidoxenoides perminutus Girault, 1915 (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), Coccophagus basalis Compere, 1939 (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), are registered for the first time to the state of São Paulo. For Brazil are recorded: Coccophagus flavifrons Howard, 1885 and Coccophagus rusti Compere, 1928 ((Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae).

Argentina es el país olivícola más importante del continente Americano, tanto en cantidad de plantas como producción anual obtenida, siendo una actividad asociada a la región oeste y noroeste del país. El olivo constituye el principal cultivo de importancia económica de la región y tiene como plagas re-emergentes a especies de Diaspididos y Coccidos. Actualmente las cochinillas, afectan la calidad de los productos y subproductos del olivo. Comercialmente el daño más significativo es en frutos, siendo éstos descartados para aceitunas en conserva y derivándolos para aceite, los cuales pueden resultar rancios. El objetivo del trabajo fue generar y actualizar el conocimiento sobre las especies de cochinillas que afectan al cultivo del olivo en las principales provincias olivícolas (Catamarca y La Rioja), su variación en el tiempo, especie de mayor importancia y la presencia/ausencia de enemigos naturales en los dos sistemas de producción (STP y SI) existente. Los monitoreos se realizaron en fincas con Sistemas Tradicional de Producción (STP) en la provincia de La Rioja y con Sistemas Intensivos (SI) en la provincia de Catamarca. Los mismos se ejecutaron desde Diciembre de 2007 hasta Diciembre de 2009. En este estudio se registraron siete especies de cochinillas: Parlatoria oleae, Aonidiella aurantii, Aspidiotus nerii, Acutaspis paulista, Pseudischnaspis bowreyi, Hemiberlesia rapax (Diaspididae), y Saissetia oleae (Coccidae). De las especies encontradas Duplaspidiotus koehleri resulto ser una nueva cita para olivo. Parlatoria oleae fue la más importante por su gran abundancia poblacional, su presencia en campo se observo durante todo el año, con dos picos poblacionales máximos en primavera y verano. Además se conoció que sobre esta cochinilla actúa un complejo de enemigos naturales formado por tres especies de parasitoides: Aphytis maculicornis y Coccobius sp. (Aphelinidae) y Signiphora flavopalliata (Signiphoridae); dos especies aún no descriptas de predadores coccinélidos (pertenecientes a los géneros Coccidophilus y Microweisea), un crisópido (Chrysoperla argentina) y un ácaro predador (Acaridae).

Armored scale insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) are among the most invasive insects in the world. They have unusual genetic systems, including diverse types of paternal genome elimination (PGE) and parthenogenesis. Intimate relationships with their host plants and bacterial endosymbionts make them potentially important subjects for the study of co- evolution. Also, in some groups, the adult female never sheds the second instars cuticle, and remains within its confines, a habit referred to as the pupillarial habit. Here we expand upon recent phylogenetic work (Morse and Normark 2006) by analyzing a partitioned dataset including armored scale and endoysmbiont DNA from one hundred and twenty three species of armored scales, represented by two hundred and fifty-four samples. Included were fragments of the nuclear protein-coding gene Elongation Factor 1α (EF1α), the D2 and D3 expansion segments of the large subunit ribosomal RNA gene 28S, and a region of mitochondrial DNA encompassing the 3' portion of cytochrome oxidase I (COI), and the 5' portion of cytochrome oxidase II (COII). Ribosomal 16S from the primary bacterial endosymbiont Uzinura diaspidicola was amplified as well. Two versions of our dataset were analyzed due to concerns over the possible effects of missing data. The first version (the full dataset) contained all 254 taxa, with every taxon having at least both the 28S and EF1α fragments. The second version (the core dataset) had only the 113 taxa for which all four fragments were available. Maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian analyses were run on both versions of the dataset, as well as individually for each fragment. We find that our results were consistent across methods, and between the two versions of the dataset. It appears that including missing data had little effect on topology. Our results mirror that of the classic taxonomy, however we reconstruct a general lack of monophyly at the subfamily, tribal, and subtribal levels. Within the two major subfamilies, we reconstruct that the same developmental pathway has evolved independently. We reconstruct independent replacements of the pupillarial habit with the scale cover, followed by independent origins of early PGE. In each case there appears to be increased diversity in clades associated with the scale cover and early PGE. In light of this apparent increase we propose a new adaptive scenario under which early PGE may have evolved – the removal of male-killing paternal chromosomes. We also reconstruct the ancestor to the armored scales to Australasian in origins, and to have an ancestral diet breath that includes members of the Rosids and/or Monocot plant groups.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Horticulture)) -- University of Western Sydney, 2002. / "A thesis submitted to the University of Western Sydney for the fulfillment of study for a degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Horticulture" "Principal supervisor: Robert Spooner-Hart, co-supervisor: Andrew Beattie, co-supervisor: Alfie Meats" Bibliography : leaves 231-265.

Ph.D. (Zoology) / Scale insects, plant pests of quarantine importance, with specialised anatomy and unresolved phylogenetic relationships, are responsible for major economic losses to South Africa and its trading partners. These losses may reach critical levels if the pests are not timely identified and controlled. They are currently identified based on published keys of adult females, a process that takes three days to two weeks depending on the family and the life stage of interception. In addition, agricultural commodities are often contaminated with different life stages, males or damaged specimen of these pests, making identification difficult or impossible. As a result, shipments of agricultural produce are often rejected and trade disrupted. Furthermore, pest invasions do not only occur by importation via formal channels. At times pests cross boarders as contaminants of undeclared material and may again spread on their own as they naturally expand their range. This expansion may be negatively or positively influenced by other factors such as climate change. Resolving the challenges associated with identification, phylogenetic relationships and the limited knowledge of the effects of climate change on distribution range of scale insects are the main goals of this study. Specifically (i) the development of a rapid method of species identification, (ii) the relationship between and within three major scale insect families the Coccoidea, Diaspididae and Pseudococcidae and (iii) the effect of climate change on the future distribution range of scale insects in South Africa were explored...

A subset of 199 Melissotarsus insularis and 130 Diaspididae specimens were analyzed to 1) determine the species status of M. insularis and 2) to explore the relative intimacy of the relationship between M. insularis and Diaspididae. An analysis of molecular variance and the observed lack of association between clades and distinct habitats on the M. insularis phylogeny suggested that while M. insularis exhibits isolation by distance, it does not apparently diversify by habitat. When cryptic COI pseudogenes were accounted for, the majority of the genetic diversity exhibited by M. insularis was limited to a divergence of 3% or less suggesting that M. insularis represents a single, albeit broadly distributed, species. A cophylogenetic reconstruction of the relationship between M. insularis and Diaspididae yielded 14 “cospeciation” events but was not significant unlike reconstructions of host-parasite relationships. Analyses of reduced datasets suggested that incomplete taxon sampling may significantly affect cophylogenetic reconstruction results. / National Science Foundation (grants No. DEB-0072713, DEB-0344731 to BLF and DEB-0842395 to BLF and MAS), a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery Grant to MAS and a Leaders Opportunity Fund grant from the Canada Foundation for Innovation to MAS