An account of cassava mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) with a description of a new species

Abstract

Abstract The literature on the history and biology of the cassava mealybug in Africa Phenacoccus manihoti Matile-Ferrero is reviewed, and reports on the search for natural enemies of this species in the Neotropics for biological control purposes are summarised. Further records of the distribution of P manihoti in Africa are presented. A new closely-related species of Phenacoccus, P. herreni sp. n., which causes distortion to cassava in the Neotropical Region is described, and a key is provided to separate it from P. manihoti and from a similar species from the Neotropical Region, P. surinamensis Green, which apparently does not occur on cassava. P. surinamensis is redescribed and illustrated.