First Report of Philephedra tuberculosa (Hemiptera: Coccidae) in the United States Virgin Islands

Abstract

We report for the first time the presence of Philephedra tuberculosa Nakahara and Gill (Hemiptera: Coccidae) on St. Croix island in the United States Virgin Islands. Philephedra tuberculosa occurs in Central and northern South America (Nakahara & Gill 1985), and was first reported in south Florida in 1981 (Pena et al. 1987). Infestations of this scale have been observed on more than 50 plant species, which include papaya, Citrus spp., and Annona spp. (Nakahara & Gill 1985). On occasion, P. tuberculosa infestations have resulted in serious losses to nurserymen in south Florida (Pena et al. 1984). The biology and natural enemies of P. tuberculosa have been reported by Pena et al. (1987). Our first observation of P. tuberculosa was a small isolated infestation on 8 papaya, Carica papaya L. (Brassicales: Caricaceae), less than 50 cm in height in late Jul 2006 in a field planting of 230 papaya at the Agricultural Experiment Station compound at the University of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix campus (Fig. 1). The infestation initially attacked the apical meristem region of newly transplanted papaya, but was later observed in aggregated clusters on most of the younger leaves, on or near leaf veins, with more than twice as many specimens on underside as upperside of leaves. A few specimens were also observed on fruits. The infestation was effectively controlled with Malathion (PBI/Gordon Corporation, Kan-