Salacia crassifolia (Celastraceae) as a host of armored scale insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae): two new reports and expansion of occurrence in Brazil.

Abstract

Salacia crassifolia (Mart. Ex Schult.) G. Don. (Celastraceae) is a species native to the Brazilian Cerrado that has fruits highly appreciated by local fauna and population. Recent studies show that this species has a rich biodiversity of armored scale insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) associated with its leaves, with the first reports of occurrence recording the species Pseudoparlatoria argentata Hempel and Melanaspis aristotelesi Lepage and Giannott. In this work, two new unpublished records are presented, Dinaspis paulistana Lepage and Vinculaspis montei (Lepage), expanding the knowledge of scale insects that use their leaves as their main source of food. The two scale insects were found in two areas, D. paulistana, in Alto Paraíso de Goiás, State of Goiás, Brazil and V. montei in Altiplano Leste, municipality of Brasília, Federal District, Brazil. Additionally, P. argentata and M. aristotelesi were also found in Altiplano Leste, Distrito Federal. This work brings unprecedented illustrations and descriptions of armored scale insects and a dichotomous identification key for the species Vinculaspis that occur in Brazil. This is the first report of D. paulistana and V. montei feeding on S. crassifolia and the first report of their occurrence in Central Brazil.