| Abstract: | New data on four related species of root mealybugs of the genus Rhizoecus, from east and southeast Asia, are presented in order to aid identification. One of these, R. carolinensis Beardsley, described from the Caroline Is., is now known to occur in Papua New Guinea and Sabah, East Malaysia. R. saintpauliae Williams, described from Thailand, also occurs in Hawaii and the Philippine Is. R. hibisci Kawai and Takagi, described from Japan, is now known from Hawaii. It has been intercepted in recent years at quarantine inspection in the USA and also in the Netherlands on plants from various localities in east Asia. A new species, R. bacorum sp. nov., is described from Sri Lanka. These species are probably polyphagous and are potential pests to horticulture, causing damage to potted plants if they become established in greenhouses. A key to all four species is presented. |
