Further spread of Aulacaspis yasumatsui, a scale pest of Cycads
Concerns have recently been raised by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) about the spread of Aulacaspis yasumatsui (Homoptera: Diaspididae – EPPO Alert List) which threatens cycad collections in Europe and Florida (US). Cycads are internationally protected plants in the framework of CITES Convention. It is reported that the pest is spreading to wild cycad populations. In addition to countries already mentioned in the EPPO Alert List, A. yasumatsui is reported to occur in the following countries in Asia (Singapore, Vietnam), Caribbean (Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands) and Oceania (Guam).
Sources
Hodgson, C. & Martin, J.H. (2001) Three noteworthy scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) from Hong Kong and Singapore, including Cribropulvinaria tailungensis, new genus and species (Coccidae), and the status of the cycad-feeding Aulacaspis yasumatsui (Diaspididae). Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 49: 227-250.
International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC) E-Bulletin of February 2005.
http://www.iucn.org./themes/ssc/
CABI (2000) Distribution maps of plant pests. Aulacaspis yasumatsui, no. 610, Wallingford, United Kingdom.