Lindinger, 1905
Diagnosis
Scale cover of adult female in life dark brown to blackish, subcircular, about 1.4 mm long, flat or somewhat convex, with a white, waxy extension to one side and rather large, yellow-brown exuviae subcentral to the circular part of the scale PAPSEL1.jpg . Scale cover of male elongate oval, about 1.0 mm long, flat, similar in colour and texture to that of female, with a subterminal exuviae (Ferris, 1937; Balachowsky, 1953) PAPSL.jpg .
Prosoma of slide-mounted adult female becoming sclerotized with maturity; body pyriform, with two-bar ducts; fringed plates extending as far forward as abdominal segment 2; submarginal duct tubercles absent from each side of the cephalothorax and the first abdominal segment; eyespot small, rounded and inconspicuous; and membranous derm pockets absent PAPSS.jpg . Pygidium with three pairs of rounded unilibulate lobes, fourth and fifth lobes present as sclerotized points; 3 plates present between lobes 3 and 4 on each side; perivulvar pores absent PAPSP.jpg .
McKenzie, 1945, gives a detailed morphological description, illustrations and a key to the many species of Parlatoria.
Host range
Parlatoria pseudaspidiotus has been recorded from hosts belonging to three plant families: Orchidaceae, Euphorbiaceae and Anacardiaceae (Borchsenius, 1966). Orchids are favoured hosts. Hosts include species of: Aerides, Caryopteris, Cymbidium, Dendrobium, Euphorbia, Mangifera indica, Orchidaceae, Plumeria, Trichoglottis and Vanda.
Affected plant stages: vegetative growing, flowering and fruiting stages
Affected plant parts: probably leaves, possibly stems
Biology and ecology
The biology and ecology of P. pseudaspidiotus have not been studied. Crawlers are the primary dispersal stage and move to new areas of the plant or are dispersed by wind or animal contact. Mortality due to abiotic factors is high in this stage. Dispersal of sessile adults and eggs occurs through human transport of infested plant material.
Economic impact
Balachowsky, 1953, described P. pseudoaspidiotus as damaging on orchids cultivated under glass.
Detection and inspection methods
Examine the leaves and stems of orchids and the other host-plants listed above, for dark brown to blackish, subcircular, flat or somewhat convex scale covers, each with a white, waxy extension to one side and rather large, yellow-brown exuviae subcentral to the circular part of the scale.
Phytosanitary risk
The trade in live orchid flowers and plants presents a risk of introduction of P. pseudaspidiotus to other countries, where it might threaten businesses growing orchids under glass.
Natural enemies
The natural enemies of P. pseudaspidiotus have not been studied.
Distribution
See Parlatoria pseudaspidiotus distribution.
Microscopic examination of slide-mounted adult females is required for authoritative identification to species.
Comments
The area of origin of Parlatoria pseudaspidiotus is uncertain; it is a tropicopolitan species that inhabits some temperate areas under glass (Balachowsky, 1953; Williams and Watson, 1988). In spite of the records published by Nakahara, 1982, and Danzig and Pellizzari, 1998, P. pseudaspidiotus is not established in the United Kingdom (C.P. Malumphy, Central Science Laboratory, UK, pers. comm.). It has not been recorded from Australia, and there are only a few records from Africa and Europe.
Europe
Germany: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982; Danzig and Pellizzari, 1998)
Italy: under glass (Longo et al., 1995)
Asia
China
Yunnan: present, no further details (Tao, 1999)
India: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Tamil Nadu: The Natural History Museum collection, London, UK
Indonesia: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Japan: present, no further details (Kawai, 1980; Nakahara, 1982)
Malaysia: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Myanmar: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Pakistan: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Philippines: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Singapore: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982; Danzig and Pellizzari, 1998)
South-East Asia: present, no further details (Danzig and Pellizzari, 1998)
Sri Lanka: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Thailand: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Vietnam: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Africa
Sudan: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982; The Natural History Museum collection, London, UK)
Western Hemisphere
Barbados: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Central America: present, no further details (Danzig and Pellizzari, 1998)
Colombia: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Costa Rica: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Guyana: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Jamaica: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Panama: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Puerto Rico: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Suriname: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Trinidad: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
USA
Colorado: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
District of Colombia: under glass (Nakahara, 1982)
Florida: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Hawaii: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1981)
Tennessee: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Oceania
Bonin Is: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Guam: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Papua New Guinea: present (Williams and Watson, 1988)
Pohnpei: present, no further details (Nakahara, 1982)
Tahiti: present, no further details (Williams and Watson, 1988)
Western Samoa: present (Williams and Watson, 1988)