The status of Lindingaspis rossi Maskell 1989 (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) from its unwanted introduction in Croatia to date

Abstract

Lindingaspis rossi Maskell 1989 (Hemiptera, Diaspididae) is distributed worldwide and in several countries in the Mediterranean. In Croatia, the pest was first time recorded in the town of Sutivan on Brač island in 2014. However, there is a lack of information for the Mediterranean area regarding the pest's invasiveness and its economic impact on traditional crops. Surveillance activities that were conducted from 2015-2021 show that the pest is well established on the northwest part of Brač island. A total of 20 species belonging to 14 plant families were confirmed as host plants in the invaded area. The preferred host plants are Phoenix canariensis L. and Olea europaea L. and together, they account for over 65% of the total infestations followed by Hedera helix L., B. capitata M.B., Punica granatum L., Laurus nobilis L., Buxus sempervirens L., Feijoa sellowiana O.B., Parthenocissus quinquefolia L., Trachycarpus fortunei H.H.W., Euonymus japonicus T. Ficus carica L., Vitis vinifera L., Pistacia terebinthus L., Morus alba L., Rubus fruticosus L., Juglans regia L., Syringa vulgaris L., Citrus limon L., and Rosa sp. The spread of L. rossi from its initial outbreak in 2014 to the nearby coastal towns of Mirca and Supetar, along the same coastal road, suggests that human activity significantly contributes to its distribution. The current status of L. rossi in Croatia is established in a restricted area of Brač island.

Keywords

• black araucaria scale
• brač island
• host plants
• restricted area