Coccobius azumai Tachikawa

Coccobius azumai Tachikawa, 1988: 67–71 . Holotype ♀, JAPAN: Okinawa, ex Hemiberlesia pitysophila Takagi on pine, (ELEU).

Coccobius azumai Tachikawa: Huang 1994: 156–158.

Hosts

Diaspididiae: Hemiberlesia pitysophila (Tachikawa,1988); Aphelinidae: Coccobius azumai (hyperparasitoid males, Ding et al. 1995); also as parasitoids of Marietta carnesi (Xie et al. 1997) .

Distribution

China (Guangdong, introduced from Japan in 1986–1989; Fujian, introduced from Japan in 2002); Japan (Tachikawa 1988).

Comments

Coccobius azumai was first discovered by a Chinese research group in Okinawa, Japan, in July 1986, as an important parasitoid of Hemiberlesia pitysophila ( Hemiptera: Diaspididae) on pine. Hemiberlesia pitysophila did not cause economic damage to pine plantations in Okinawa because it was kept under natural control by the Coccobius parasitoids. Since 1982, H. pitysophila has invaded Guangdong Province, becoming a serious pest of pine trees ( Pinus spp.). Coccobius azumai was therefore introduced into Guangdong province from Okinawa in late 1986, and reintroduced several times. Coccobius azumai became rapidly established, exerting good control of the pine scale, and was also introduced into Fujian province from Okinawa, Japan in May 2002. During 2002–2005, the parasitoid was naturally mass-reared in pine plantations and successfully released into other areas of Fujian province.