A faunistic survey of mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) occurring on coffee (Coffea arabica L.) and cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) agroecosystems in the Dominican Republic

During the summer of 2010, a country-wide survey was conducted in the Dominican Republic to collect mealybugs (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae) occurring on coffee (Coffea arabica L.) and cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) agroecosystems; the goal was to collect and identify the mealybug fauna and assess their status as pest, and confirm the presence or absence of Planococcus lilacinus (Cockerell), an important invasive threat to the USA and other countries in the Western Hemisphere. A total of 131 locations in 19 of 31 provinces were surveyed, resulting in more than 1500 specimens of 10 species. One hundred eighty two possible host species in 58 plant families were examined. The mealybugs collected were identified as Dysmicoccus boninsis (Kuwana), D. brevipes (Cockerell), D. neobrevipes Beardsley, Ferrisia virgata (Cockerell), Hypogeococcus pungens Granara de Willink, Paracoccus marginatus Williams & Granara de Willink, Planococcus citri (Risso), Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi Gimpel & Miller, Puto barberi (Cockerell), and Saccharicoccus sacchari (Cockerell). There was no evidence of P. lilacinus; and the most prevalent and widely distributed were P. citri and P. barberi. All species found had previously been reported, except H. pungens, a new country record. Thirty plant species representing 22 plant families served as hosts, including coffee and cacao (cocoa).