Report of new invasive scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea), Crypticerya multicicatrices Kondo and Unruh (Monophlebidae) and Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) (Pseudococcidae), on the islands of San Andres and Providencia, Colombia, with an updated taxonomic key to iceryine scale insects of South America

The multicicatrices fluted scale, Crypticerya multicicatrices Kondo and Unruh (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Monophlebidae) is reported from the islands of San Andres and Providencia, Colombia, as a recent invasive species. This scale insect is polyphagous, and attacks numerous plants of economic importance such as avocado, breadfruit, mango, papaya and tropical ornamental plants. A compiled list of 95 host plant species of C. multicicatrices is given. A diagnosis of the adult female of C. multicicatrices and a revised taxonomic key to the species of the tribe Iceryini (Hemiptera: Monophlebidae) known from South America is provided. The pink hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae), also is reported for the first time from the island of San Andres, where it is found commonly on Hibiscus spp. and Malvaviscus arboreus Cav. The need for the implementation of a classical biological control program in the archipelago in order to control invasive scale insect pests is discussed.Se reporta la cochinilla acanalada Crypticerya multicicatrices Kondo and Unruh (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Monophlebidae) en la Isla de San Andrés, Colombia, como una reciente especie invasora. Este insecto escama es polífago y ataca numerosas plantas de importancia económica como el aguacate, árbol del pan, coco, mango, papaya y plantas tropicales ornamentales. Se provee una lista de 95 plantas hospederas de C. multicicatrices. Se provee una diagnosis de la hembra adulta de C. multicicatrices y se incluye una clave taxonómica revisada para las especies actualmente incluidas en la tribu Iceryini (Hemiptera: Monophlebidae) de Sur América. Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae) también se reporta por primera vez para la isla de San Andrés, donde se encuentra comúnmente sobre Hibiscus spp. y Malvaviscus arboreus Cav. Se discute la necesidad de implementar un programa de control biológico clásico en el archipiélago para el control de insectos escama plagas invasores

Supervision of research students: three papers

The three papers were presented at a workshop for thesis supervisors on Supervising Research Students. Held on 13 March 1996 the workshop was organised jointly by the Centre for Educational Development and Academic Methods and the Graduate School. Papers: 1. Prof. Hank Nelson: A short thesis on supervision. 2. Prof P.J. Gullan: Supervision of Research Students in Biological Sciences. 3. David Atkins: Supervision: A Student Perspective

WHY THE TAXON HOMOPTERA DOES NOT EXIST

WHY THE TAXON HOMOPTERA DOES NOT EXIST Many researchers still use the name Homoptera for the higher taxon of any member of the Sternorrhyncha (Aleyrodoidea, Aphidoidea, Coccoidea and Psylloidea) or Auchenorrhyncha (Cercopoidea, Cicadoidea, Cicadelloidea and Fulgoroidea), or to refer collectively to the Sternorrhyncha plus Auchenorrhyncha. Recent work based on morphological and molecular studies provide phylogenetic evidence that the Homoptera is paraphyletic and therefore its use should be abandoned. Key words: honeydew, ant-attended, sap-sucking, carnivory

Relationships among felt scale insects (Hemiptera:Coccoidea:Eriococcidae) of southern beech, Nothofagus (Nothofagaceae), with the first descriptions of Australian species of the Nothofagus -feeding genus Madarococcus Hoy

Species of southern beech (Nothofagus) have been studied extensively because of their importance in understanding southern hemisphere biogeography. Nothofagus species support a diverse assemblage of insect herbivores, including more than 30 described species of felt scales (Eriococcidae). We reconstructed the phylogeny of the Nothofagus-feeding felt scales with nucleotide sequence data and morphology. All but one of the exclusively Nothofagus-feeding species included in the analyses were recovered as a monophyletic group. This clade comprised the genera Chilechiton Hodgson & Miller, Chilecoccus Miller & González, Intecticoccus Kondo, Madarococcus Hoy (except for M. totorae Hoy), Sisyrococcus Hoy and several species of the genus Eriococcus Targioni Tozzetti. The genera Eriococcus and Madarococcus were not recovered as monophyletic. Here we revise Madarococcus. We expand the concept of the genus, provide a key to the adult females of the 31 species of Madarococcus and, for each named species, provide revised synonymies and any new collection or taxonomic information. We recognise the genus from Australia for the first time and describe the adult females of six new Australian species: Madarococcus cunninghamii Hardy & Gullan, sp. nov.; M. meander Hardy & Gullan, sp. nov.; M. megaventris Hardy & Gullan, sp. nov.; M. moorei Hardy & Gullan, sp. nov.; M. occultus Hardy & Gullan, sp. nov., and M. osculus Hardy & Gullan, sp. nov. We also describe the first-instar nymphs of M. cunninghamii, sp. nov., M. meander, sp. nov. and M. moorei, sp. nov. We transfer 17 species into Madarococcus from Eriococcus: M. argentifagi (Hoy), comb. nov.; M. cavellii (Maskell), comb. nov.; M. chilensis (Miller & González), comb. nov.; M. detectus (Hoy), comb. nov.; M. eurythrix (Miller & González), comb. nov.; M. fagicorticis (Maskell), comb. nov.; M. hispidus (Hoy), comb. nov.; M. latilobatus (Hoy), comb. nov.; M. maskelli, (Hoy), comb. nov.; M. montifagi (Hoy), comb. nov.; M. navarinoensis (Miller & González), comb. nov.; M. nelsonensis (Hoy), comb. nov.; M. nothofagi (Hoy), comb. nov.; M. podocarpi (Hoy), comb. nov.; M. raithbyi (Maskell), comb. nov.; M. rotundus (Hoy), comb. nov. and M. rubrifagi (Hoy), comb. nov. We transfer two species from Sisyrococcus into Madarococcus: M. intermedius (Maskell), comb. nov. and M. papillosus (Hoy), comb. nov. One species, M. totarae (Maskell), is excluded from Madarococcus, but cannot at present be placed in another genus and is listed as 'M.' totarae incertae sedis. We report the first collection of an eriococcid, M. osculus, sp. nov., on the deciduous beech, Nothofagus gunnii. With respect to biogeography, the results of our phylogenetic analysis are congruent with those obtained from recent analysis of Nothofagus; Australian and New Zealand species of Madarococcus form a monophyletic group to the exclusion of the South American species, suggesting that long-distance dispersal has played an important role in shaping the distributions of both the Nothofagus-feeding felt scales and their hosts

COMPARATIVE MORPHOLOGY OF THE ANAL TUBERCLE AND ASSOCIATED STRUCTURES OF SOME LAC INSECTS (HEMIPTERA: COCCOIDEA: KERRIIDAE)

COMPARATIVE MORPHOLOGY OF THE ANAL TUBERCLE AND ASSOCIATED STRUCTURES OF SOME LAC INSECTS (HEMIPTERA: COCCOIDEA: KERRIIDAE) Specimens of Austrotachardia acaciae (Maskell), Austrotachardia sp. ex Cassinia spp., Kerria lacca (Kerr) and Paratachardina decorella (Maskell) were examined under the scanning electron microscope (SEM). SEM images were compared with observations under the light microscope. The anal tubercles and associated structures of each species are described and compared. The presence of what appears to be vestiges of an anal cleft in Paratachardina is interpreted as suggesting the possible evolution of the lac insects from a lecanoid ancestor that possessed an anal cleft. The results provide an easier interpretation of these characters under the light microscope. Key words: morphology, pre-anal plate, supra-anal plate, tubular plate, anal fringe, anal ring, anal collar, anal ring wax-pores, anal tube, perisetal micropores, homology, Coccidae, Pseudococcidae, Acacia, Callitris, Australia, Thailand

ARE THE ENLARGED DUCTS OF ERIOCOCCUS (HEMIPTERA: COCCOIDEA: ERIOCOCCIDAE) PLESIOMORPHIC?

ARE THE ENLARGED DUCTS OF ERIOCOCCUS (HEMIPTERA: COCCOIDEA: ERIOCOCCIDAE) PLESIOMORPHIC? Borchsenius (1948) separated the genus Eriococcus Targioni-Tozzetti (Eriococcidae) from Acanthococcus Signoret and Gossyparia Signoret on the basis of the occurrence of enlarged ducts in the adult female of the type-species, E. buxi (Fonscolombe). Enlarged ducts are found also in another Palaearctic species, a Chilean eriococcid and several Australian species of Eriococcus. The enlarged ducts of Eriococcus are similar in appearance and distribution to the large oral rim ducts of Ferrisia Fullaway (Pseudococcidae) and the dorsal tubercle ducts of Ceronema Maskell and some species of Pulvinaria Targioni-Tozzetti (Coccidae). It is argued that the enlarged ducts in taxa from each of these three families are homologous and therefore may be plesiomorphic for the Eriococcidae. If so, the possession of enlarged ducts is not of itself sufficient to justify the separation of Eriococcus as defined by Borchsenius. Key words: macrotubular ducts, microtubular ducts, Aclerdidae, Cerococcidae, Coccidae, Kermesidae, Lecanodiaspididae, Putoidae, Acanthococcus aceris, Ceronema banksii, C. dryandrae, Eriococcus buxi, E. eucalypti, E. williamsi, Exallococcus laureliae, Ferrisia virgata, Greenisca, Kaweckia, Lagosinia strachani, Pulvinaria dodonaeae, Rhizococcus, phylogeny, morphology, wax