Lepidosaphes beckii explained
Lepidosaphes beckii also known as purple scale, mussel scale, citrus mussel scale, orange scale, comma scale and mussel purple scale is a scale insect that is a pest of Citrus trees. The small insects attach themselves to leaves, fruits and small branches and cause injury by sucking the tree's sap.[1]
The specific name beckii is in honour of historian Richard Beck.
Description
Lepidosaphes beckii was originally described under the name Coccus beckii by English entomologist Edward Newman from a fruit imported to Great Britain. Newman's original description reads as follows:
The adult female citrus mussel scale is up to three millimetres long.[2]
Host plants
These are usually Citrus host plant species[1] such as sweet orange Citrus × sinensis.
Predators
Predators of Lepidosaphes beckii include chalcid wasps from families Aphelinidae, Encyrtidae and Signiphoridae:[3]
- Aphelinidae: Aphytis chrysomphali, Aphytis diaspidis, Aphytis holoxanthus, Aphytis lepidosaphes, Aphytis mytilaspidis, Encarsia citrina, Encarsia lounsburyi, Eretmocerus corni and Pteroptrix chinensis[3]
- Encyrtidae: Adelencyrtus inglisiae, Metaphycus flavus and Ooencyrtus sp.[3]
- Signiphoridae: Signiphora flavopalliata and Signiphora merceti[3]
References
This article incorporates public domain text from the reference
External links
Notes and References
- http://www.inra.fr/hyppz/RAVAGEUR/6mytbec.htm Citrus mussel scale
- Watson G. W. "Lepidosaphes beckii - Description" . Arthropods of Economic Importance - Diaspididae of the World, accessed 22 January 2012.
- http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/research/projects/chalcidoids/database/namedHost.dsml?HOSGENUS=Mytilococcus&HOSSPECIES=beckii&&listPageURL=hosts.dsml%3FVALAUTHOR%3D%2528Howard%2529%26VALGENUS%3DAphytis%26VALDATE%3D1881%26beginIndex%3D100%26VALSPECIES%3Ddiaspidis "search for Mytilococcus beckii"
