Scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) associated with arabica coffee and geographical distribution in the neotropical region

ABSTRACT Coffee is one of the most important Brazilian agricultural commodities exported, and Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo States are the main coffee producers. Scale insects are important coffee pests, and 73 species of Cerococcidae (3), Coccidae (18), Diaspididae (6), Eriococcidae (1), Ortheziidae (3), Pseudococcidae (21), Putoidae (2) and Rhizoecidae (19) have been associated with roots, branches, leaves, flowers and fruits of Arabica coffee in the Neotropics. Eight species were found associated with Arabica coffee in Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo States in this study, and Coccidae was the most frequent family. Coccus alpinus, Cc. celatus, Cc. lizeri, Cc. viridis, and Saissetia coffeae (Coccidae) were found in both states; Alecanochiton marquesi, Pseudaonidia trilobitiformis (Diaspididae), and Dysmicoccus texensis (Pseudococcidae) were only found in Minas Gerais. Alecanochiton marquesi and P. trilobitiformis are first reported in Minas Gerais, and Cc. alpinus in Espírito Santo, on Arabica coffee. All scale insect species were associated with coffee leaves and branches, except D. texensis, associated with coffee roots. Fourty seven scale insect species have been found occurring in Brazilian Arabica coffee, and in Espírito Santo (28) and Minas Gerais (23). Widespread and geographical distribution of each species found are discussed.

Sobre a nomenclatura das espécies de cochonilhas-farinhentas do cafeeiro nos Estados de Minas Gerais e Espírito Santo / About the nomenclature of coffee mealybug species in Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo States, Brazil

Root coffee (Coffea arabica L.) mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) collected in Boa Esperança, southern Minas Gerais State, were identified as Dysmicoccus texensis (Tinsley) (= bispinosus Beardsley) and these from aerial part collected in Castelo, State of the Espírito Santo, as Planococcus minor (Maskell). However, Brazilian literature mentions other mealybug species of coffee tree as Pseudococcus cryptus Hempel in roots and Planococcus citri (Risso) in the aerial part. Therefore, more than one mealybug species may be occurring in the roots as in aerial part of coffee trees, and the survey and taxonomic studies are necessary before setting a control program, specially biological control.

Cochonilhas-farinhentas (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) das raízes do cafeeiro (Coffea arabica L.) coletadas em Boa Esperança, Estado de Minas Gerais, foram identificadas como Dysmicoccus texensis (Tinsley) (= bispinosus Beardsley) e da parte aérea dos cafeeiros em Castelo, Estado do Espírito Santo, como Planococcus minor (Maskell). Porém, na literatura brasileira são citadas outras espécies de pseudococcídeos em cafeeiros, Pseudococcus cryptus Hempel nas raízes e Planococcus citri (Risso) na parte aérea. Assim, é possível que mais de uma espécie de cochonilhas-farinhentas possam estar ocorrendo nas raízes e na parte aérea dos cafeeiros, tornando os levantamentos e estudos taxonômicos necessários para o estabelecimento de programas de controle, sobretudo o biológico.