Cryptochetum iceryae
(Williston, 1888)
cottony cushion scale parasite, cottony cushion scale parasitoid
Cryptochetum iceryae is a parasitic in the , to Australia. It was deliberately to California in the 1880s as a agent against the (Icerya purchasi), a major pest of citrus . The has since been introduced to Israel and South America for similar purposes. In 2019, it was discovered in the United for the first time, identified in the wildlife garden at the Museum in London.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Cryptochetum iceryae: //ˌkɹɪp.toʊˈkiː.təm ˌaɪ.sɪˈɹaɪ.iː//
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Images
Distribution
to Australia. to California, USA in the 1880s; subsequently established in Israel and South America. First recorded in the United in 2019 ( Museum wildlife garden, London).
Host Associations
- Icerya purchasi - Primary ; larval development occurs within bodies
Behavior
Females one to four inside second-, third-instar, or female . hatch and feed within the body, eventually killing it.
Ecological Role
agent; of , a significant agricultural pest of citrus and other .
Human Relevance
Used in programs against since the 1880s. Part of one of the most successful documented cases of , alongside the vedalia (Rodolia cardinalis).
Similar Taxa
- Rodolia cardinalisBoth are agents of ; Cryptochetum is a , Rodolia is a predatory
- Other Cryptochetidae members share lifestyle within , but and geographic distribution differ