The Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of
Aleurocanthus
spp., a well-de
fi
ned insect
genus of the white
fl
y family Aleyrodidae (Arthropoda: Hemiptera). Dif
fi
culties within the taxonomy of
the genus give doubt about the ability to accurately identify some members to species level.
Nevertheless, the genus is thought to currently include about ninety species mainly reported from
tropical and subtropical areas. The genus is listed in Council Directive 2000/29/EC and is regulated on
Citrus, Fortunella
and
Poncirus
. Several
Aleurocanthu
s species are highly polyphagous;
Aleurocanthu
s
spiniferus
has hosts in 38 plant families;
Aleurocanthu
s
woglumi
has more than 300 hosts including
Pyrus
,
Rosa
and
Vitis vinifera
as well as
Citrus
.
A. spiniferus
is present in the EU in restricted areas of
Italy and Greece, where it is under of
fi
cial control. No other
Aleurocanthus
spp. are known to occur in
the EU. Host plants for planting, excluding seeds, and cut
fl
owers or branches are the main pathways
for entry. Outside of the EU, the genus can be found in regions that have climate types which also
occur within the EU, suggesting establishment is possible.
Aleurocanthus
spp. can be signi
fi
cant pests
of crops that are also grown in the EU. Phytosanitary measures are available to reduce the likelihood
of entry into the EU, e.g. sourcing host plants for planting from pest free areas. As a genus
Aleurocanthus
does satisfy all the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess and required by
risk managers to give it consideration as a Union quarantine pest.
Aleurocanthus
does not meet all of
the criteria to allow it consideration by risk managers as a Union regulated non-quarantine pest
(RNQP). Speci
fi
cally,
Aleurocanthus
is not widespread in the EU