Aleurothrixus

Quaintance & Baker, 1914

woolly whiteflies

Aleurothrixus is a of ( ) containing approximately 20 described . The most economically significant species is A. floccosus (), a major pest of citrus and other across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Several species in the genus have been documented as agricultural pests, with extensive research focused on their using .

Eretmocerus 2023 08 20 12 28 52 3162 iN 181548945 by Alandmanson. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Aleurothrixus: /ˌæl.jʊ.roʊˈθraɪ.kəs/

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Identification

Members of Aleurothrixus can be distinguished from other by characteristics of the , including the presence of submarginal and an uninterrupted submarginal fold at the vasiform orifice. The genus is characterized by woolly, waxy secretions produced by , which gives the to the most notorious , A. floccosus.

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Habitat

in this are found in tropical and subtropical environments, primarily associated with the foliage of . They occupy the of plants, with nymphal typically highest on middle and lower canopy leaves while and concentrate on upper canopy foliage.

Distribution

The has a pantropical distribution. A. floccosus has been recorded across Europe (Mediterranean region), Africa, Asia, North America (Mexico, southern USA), Central America and Caribbean, South America, and Oceania. Other such as A. chivelensis have more restricted ranges (e.g., Mexico).

Seasonality

Where studied, A. floccosus exhibits year-round activity in suitable climates. In Greece, were captured from May through mid-December, with winter consisting primarily of third and fourth . In Chile's Atacama Desert, all were present throughout the year.

Diet

Phloem-feeding . A. floccosus feeds on multiple plants including Citrus , coffee (Coffea spp.), mango (Mangifera indica), guava (Psidium guajava), banana (Musa paradisiaca), and aubergine (Solanum melongena). Host associations for other species in the are less documented.

Host Associations

Citrus - primary Major for A. floccosus
Coffea - Documented for A. floccosus
Mangifera indica - Documented for A. floccosus
Psidium guajava - Documented for A. floccosus
Musa paradisiaca - Documented for A. floccosus
Solanum melongena - Documented for A. floccosus

Life Cycle

development with , four nymphal , and stages. In A. floccosus, all developmental stages can be present simultaneously throughout the year in favorable climates. Puparial cases remain attached to leaves.

Behavior

are and feed on phloem sap, producing conspicuous woolly secretions. are mobile and disperse to new plants. show stratified distribution within .

Ecological Role

that can reach pest on cultivated plants. Serve as for diverse including in (Cales noacki, Eretmocerus spp., Encarsia spp.) and (Amitus spiniferus). such as Signiphora spp. also attack these parasitoids.

Human Relevance

Several are significant agricultural pests, particularly A. floccosus (), which causes direct damage to citrus, coffee, and other through sap feeding and secretion leading to growth. Extensive programs have been implemented using , notably Cales noacki.

Similar Taxa

BemisiaBoth are with ; Aleurothrixus distinguished by woolly secretions and puparial characters including submarginal and uninterrupted submarginal fold at vasiform orifice
TrialeurodesBoth with agricultural ; Aleurothrixus produces more conspicuous woolly and has distinct puparial