A Survey on the Diversity of Armored Scale Insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) of Zamorano, Honduras

Abstract

Scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) are considered important plant pests having a major impact around the world. The armored scales (Diaspididae) has the most species and causes significant crop damage in agricultural and ornamental production. The purpose of this study is to explore the diversity of armored scale insects found in the Escuela Agricola Panamericana, Zamorano, an area and a group greatly understudied. Samples were collected through non-random sampling, focused on crops and ornamentals of importance such as mango, citrus, and cycads. The collected material was slide mounted, identified, and explored for their importance and impact for the campus. Seven species distributed in six genera were indentified: Aulacaspis tubercularis Newstead, A. yasumatsui Takagi, Hemiberlesia lataniae Signoret, Lepidosaphes gloverii Packard, Pseudaonidia trilobitiformis Green Selenaspidus articulatus Morgan, and Unaspis citri Comstock. Lepidosaphes gloverii, , S. articulatus, and U. citri were all found in citrus fruit trees and are key potential pests for this crop. Aulacaspis yasumatsui is an invasive species of high importance for cycads. It is fundamental to continue monitoring the diversity in order to implement practical pest management controls and reduce phytosanitary risks that can be imposed by invasive species.