Contribution to the knowledge of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) in Colombia: New records of species and plant hosts with morphological notes

A total of 281 species of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) have been recorded in Colombia, South America. New information on Colombian scale insect diversity is presented based on the morphological examination of slide-mounted specimens preserved in museums and newly collected material during field collecting surveys in the Atlantic and Pacific coasts (including Valle del Cauca) of Colombia. Specimens were prepared for microscopy and identified using a morphological approach. Eight species are recorded for the first time in Colombia: Phalacrococcus howertoni Hodges & Hodgson, 2010 (Coccidae); Aspidiella hartii (Cockerell, 1895), Diaspis bromeliae (Kerner, 1778), Lepidosaphes tokionis (Kuwana, 1902), Pseudoparlatoria chiapensis Wolff, 2001 (Diaspididae); Comstockiella sabalis (Comstock, 1883) (Halimococcidae); Lecanodiaspis prosopidis (Maskell, 1895) (Lecanodiaspididae) and Phenacoccus tucumanus Granara de Willink, 1983 (Pseudococcidae). Taxonomic keys for scale species known from Colombia are provided for those genera which are newly recorded for the country. Additionally, new host records were found for 35 species previously recorded for Colombia: Pseudococcidae (11 spp.), Coccidae (11 spp.), Diaspididae (7 spp.), Aclerdidae (1 sp.), Eriococcidae (1 sp.), Monophlebidae (1 sp.), Ortheziidae (1 sp.), Putoidae (1 sp.) and Rhizoecidae (1 sp.).