(Hemiptera: Diaspididae)
Issue No. 437
a Leivasi armored scale (Suggested Common Name)
Muhammad Z. Ahmed and Doug Miller
December, 2017
Introduction
Melanaspis leivasi Costa Lima (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) is known from Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico and Panama (Lepage and Giannotti 1943; Deitz and Davidson 1986), and is not known to occur in the United States. There are two species of Melanaspis, obscure scale, M. obscura (Comstock), and gloomy scale, M. tenebricosa (Comstock), which are considered to be serious pests of landscape trees in Florida. We therefore consider M. leivasi to have the potential to be a pest of concern in Florida.
The first sample was received on August 2, 2017, collected by Mark Aubry (USDA) from Ficus aurea Nutt., commonly known as the Florida strangler fig (or simply strangler fig), from Palm Beach, Florida and it was initially identified as Melanaspis sp. pending examination of additional material. Aubry sent more samples from the same host on September 27, 2017, and they were all confirmed as M. leivasi. The samples were also sent for further confirmation to Dr. Greg Evans (USDA-APHIS), Dr. Scott Schneider (USDA-SEL), and Dr. Ian Stocks (USDA-APHIS).
There are eight species of Melanaspis identified from Florida in the FDACS-DPI database (M. bromiliae (Leonardi), M. coccolobae Ferris, M. deklei Deitz and Davidson, M. mimosa (Comstock), M. obscura (Comstock), M. odontoglossi (Cockerell), M. smilacis (Comstock), and M. tenebricosa (Comstock)). In addition, there are several historic slides identified as Melanaspis species but none of those upon further review are a match for M. leivasi.
Overall, armored scales are the most diverse group of scale insects in Florida, with over 130 species (FDACS-DPI Database). They feed on the contents of cells beneath the surfaces of leaves and bark, and use wax and their waste to form protective covers (Rosen 1990). This cover can be removed to reveal the soft-bodied insect feeding beneath it (Fig. 1–2). Once female armored scales begin to feed on a host plant, they remain immobile for the rest of their lives. Even after death, the armored scale cover may remain on the plant for several years.