Studies on the Biology of Hypogeococcus pungens sensu 5 stricto (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in Argentina to Aid the Identification of the Mealybug Pest of Cactaceae in Puerto Rico

AGUIRRE, MB; SARACHO BOTTERO A; LOGARZO, G; CLAPS, LE; HASSON, E; DIAZ-SOLTERO, H; TRIAPITSYN, S

JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE

UNIV ARIZONA

Lugar: Arizona; Año: 2016 vol. 16 p. 1 - 7

1536-2442

Hypogeococcus pungens Granara de Willink, sensu stricto, is a serious pest of cacti in Puerto Rico threatingmany Caribbean islands. A classical biological control program for H. pungens was initiated for Puerto Rico in2010 with a survey for natural enemies of H. pungens in its native range of Argentina. Biological differenceswere observed between populations of H. pungens sampled on Amaranthaceae and Cactaceae. Molecular stud-ies suggested that H. pungens populations from different host plant families are likely a complex of species.Our objective was to study the biology of H. pungens sensu stricto on specimens collected in the same localityand host plant as the holotype [Tucuman Province, Argentina; Alternanthera pungens Kunth (Amaranthaceae)].We were interested in the reproductive biology of females, longevity and survival of adults, the effect of temper-ature on the development, and nymph performance (survival and development) on five Cactaceae species. Wefound that H. pungens s.s. showed marked biological differences from the populations collected on Cactaceaeand exported to Australia for the biological control of the cactus Harrisia spp. The main differences were thepresence of deuterotoky parthenogenesis and the fact that H. pungens did not attack Cactaceae in thelaboratory. Our results provide biological evidence that H. pungens is a species complex. We propose that thepopulation introduced to Australia is neither Hypogeococcus festerianus Lizer y Trelles nor H. pungens, but anundescribed species with three circuli, and that the Hypogeococcus pest of cacti in Puerto Rico is notH. pungens.