Record of Crypticerya genistae (Hempel) (Hemiptera: Monophlebidae) in Tumbes, Peru

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Crypticerya Cockerell, 1895 is a genus of Coccomorpha, its distribution occurs mainly in the New World including numerous pest species. The common name "channeled mealybugs" is due to the fact that the ovisacs, in the species that produce them, have longitudinal channels or grooves. In the present study, Crypticerya genistae (Hempel) (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Monophlebidae) is reported for the Tumbes region for the first time. The specimens were collected from a young Charán tree Libidibia glabrata [formerly Caesalpinia paipai]: Family Fabaceae) located in the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the Universidad Nacional de Tumbes, although it has also been found in a herbaceous plant of the genus Neptunia of the same family in green areas of the city and in the edible species Cajanus Cajan. C. genistae appears to prefer shrubs and herbaceous plants. The report for Tumbes is significant, since it extends the distribution range of this species, which would imply a change in its ecology and adaptive behavior. Its presence in crops such as C. cajan, a plant of nutritional importance, suggests a potential phytosanitary risk. for local agriculture. The identification of this species in urban areas and in different plant hosts highlights the need for pest monitoring and management in the region, particularly in agricultural and urban ecosystems. It is recommended to carry out more extensive monitoring studies in other areas of Tumbes to determine the real extent of the distribution of C. genistae and its impact on different ecosystems.