Pulvinariella mesembryanthemi (Vallot)

Matsunaga, Janis N., Howarth, Francis G. & Kumashiro, Bernarr R., 2019, New State Records and Additions to the Alien Terrestrial Arthropod Fauna in the Hawaiian Islands, Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society 51 (1), pp. 1-71 : 8

Pulvinariella mesembryanthemi (Vallot)

NEW STATE RECORD

Heavily infested samples of what was called “akulikuli” by the collector, were brought to the attention of UH-CTAHR, and further handed on to HDOA for identification. A tentative identification and further confirmation by G.A. Evans concluded that this was the ice plant scale, Pulvinariella mesembryanthemi (Vallot) . After some confusion of the initial plant from which it was collected, it was discovered that the host was actually Lampranthus roseus , mini ice plant, and not one of the native akulikuli species ( Sesuvium portulacastrum ). Within several months, Maui and Oahu infestations were also detected, suggesting that P. mesembryanthemi has been present in Hawaii for some time. Interestingly, an infestation detected in Kona was found in the Kona International Airport’s landscaping, while the Oahu infestation was also found near the Honolulu International Airport , in the Mapunapuna roadside landscaped areas. It is highly likely that the iceplant scale was spread via nursery stock used for these landscaped areas.

Recorded host plants of the ice plant scale include Carpobrotus spp. , Disphyma spp. , Mesembryanthemum spp. (Aizoaceae) ; Atriplex vesicaria and Lampranthus spp. (Chenopodiaceae) ( García Morales et al. 2016 ). In addition, according to Qin and Gullan (1992), S. portulacastrum is a possible host plant in Australia .

Collection records: HAWAII, Kamuela, I.2012 , ex. Lampranthus roseus , coll. S. Keith, det. G.A. Evans, 26.IV.2012.

MAUI, Wailuku , 28.VIII.2012, ex. Lampranthus sp. coll. M. Fukada, M. Lee & C. Young, det. B. Kumashiro, 12.IX.2012.

OAHU, Mapunapuna, 19.VII.2012, ex. Carpobrotus sp. coll. M. Lee & C. Young, det. B. Kumashiro, 24.VII.2012. Vouchers at HDOA .