Vitivirus
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Phenacoccus aceris
apple mealybug, maple mealybug
Phenacoccus aceris, commonly known as the apple mealybug or maple mealybug, is a widespread polyphagous mealybug species in the family Pseudococcidae. Native to Europe, it has become established across the Holarctic region including North America and Asia. The species is a significant agricultural and horticultural pest, feeding on phloem sap of numerous host plants including apple, maple, grapevine, ash, and prickly ash. Recent molecular and morphological studies have revealed that P. aceris represents a species complex containing multiple cryptic species, with taxonomic confusion arising from co-occurring putative species that cannot be reliably separated by host-plant associations alone. The species is also an important vector of grapevine viruses, transmitting six ampeloviruses and two vitiviruses.