A review of non‐native scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccoidea) of Australia and the challenges in maintaining current and accurate pest lists

Mark K. Schutze; Michael Gorton; Penny J. Gullan; Desley J. Tree; Ting‐Kui Qin; Peter S. Gillespie; Helen F. Nahrung

doi:10.1111/aen.70057

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A review of non‐native scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccoidea) of Australia and the challenges in maintaining current and accurate pest lists

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A review of non‐native scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccoidea) of Australia and the challenges in maintaining current and accurate pest lists

Mark K. Schutze, Michael Gorton, Penny J. Gullan, Desley J. Tree, Ting‐Kui Qin, Peter S. Gillespie and Helen F. Nahrung

Austral Entomology, Vol.65(1), pp.1-28

2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/aen.70057

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Abstract

Asterolecaniidae

biosecurity

Cerococcidae

Coccidae

Diaspididae

invasive alien species

Monophlebidae

Ortheziidae

Pseudococcidae

Rhizoecidae

Over 870 species of scale insects, also called coccoids (infraorder Coccomorpha), have been recorded from Australia. Here, we systematically review literature, databases and collections to provide a revised assessment of non‐native species to Australia, for which we confirm those species that are introduced and extant in Australia (including deliberate introductions and new detections), species previously reported as introduced that we consider extirpated from Australia or the result of dubious records and some previously considered introduced that are possibly native to Australia. Of the 15 new and recent species records for Australia, 14 are considered established in the environment, while one is known only from a controlled nursery environment and not considered established. Despite available resources, it is impossible to unequivocally determine the status of some taxa in terms of whether they are indigenous to Australia or have been introduced by humans. We report new records that may be either introductions or possibly native species, and we discuss taxonomic uncertainty affecting records of species, such as for the mealybug Vryburgia trionymoides. Nevertheless, this checklist will be of utility to biosecurity practitioners and taxonomists in providing the most authoritative list of introduced coccoids to Australia that now represent approximately 17% of all coccoid species known to be present. This list will, however, require ongoing maintenance to remain current.

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Title: A review of non‐native scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccoidea) of Australia and the challenges in maintaining current and accurate pest lists
Authors: Mark K. Schutze (Corresponding Author) - Department of Primary Industries
Michael Gorton - Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Penny J. Gullan - Australian National University
Desley J. Tree - New South Wales Department of Primary Industries
Ting‐Kui Qin - Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Peter S. Gillespie - New South Wales Department of Primary Industries
Helen F. Nahrung - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Forest Research Institute
Publication details: Austral Entomology, Vol.65(1), pp.1-28
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Date published: 2026
DOI: 10.1111/aen.70057
ISSN: 2052-1758
Copyright note: © 2026 The Author(s). Austral Entomology published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australian Entomological Society. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.
Data Availability: The data that support the findings of this study are available in the Supporting Information of this article.
Organisation Unit: Forest Industries Research Centre
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991210048102621
Output Type: Journal article

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