Notes on the scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) of Colombia

Scale insects (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccomorpha) are sap-sucking insects comprised of 55 families (20 extinct) and more than 8,000 extant species worldwide. Currently, in Colombia (South America), 275 species in 13 scale insect families have been recorded, which are known to feed on more than 40 plant families. Eighty-one (81) species were originally described from specimens collected in Colombia. The major scale insect families are the Diaspididae (with 32% of recorded species), followed by Pseudococcidae (26%), Coccidae (17%), Rhizoecidae (10%), and other minor families (15%). Over 100 species have been recorded in Colombia attacking economic-important crops. Some known scale insect pests include the following: Eurhizococcus colombianus (Margarodidae) on roots of Rubus glaucus; Toumeyella coffeae (Coccidae) and Puto barberi (Putoidae) on roots of Coffea spp.; Cryptinglisia corpoica and C. ica (Coccidae) on Rosemarinus officinalis; Pulvinaria caballeroramosae on Ficus soatensis; Bombacoccus aguacatae (Coccidae) and Laurencella colombiana (Monophlebidae) on Persea americana; Crypticerya genistae on Capsicum sp., and C. multicicatrices (Monophlebidae), on palms, leguminous trees and many species of fruit trees; Pseudococcus elisae and P. landoi on Musa spp.; Ferrisia williamsi on Theobroma cacao; Dysmicoccus boninsis and Saccharicoccus sacchari on Saccharum officinarum; Dysmicoccus brevipes (Pseudococcidae) on Ananas comosus; Aonidiella comperei, A. orientalis and Unaspis citri on Citrus spp.; and Pseudoparlatoria bennetti (Diaspididae) on Elaeis guineensis. The major scale insect collections are housed at the Colección Taxonómica Nacional de Insectos “Luis María Murillo” (CTNI) of the Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria - Agrosavia and Museo Entomológico Universidad Nacional Agronomía Bogotá–UNAB.