Page 26 - Volume 3, Issue 1, January 2010
Basic HTML Version
© Benaki Phytopathological Institute
Hellenic Plant Protection Journal
3:
25-27, 2010
SHORT COMMUNICATION
First record of
Acizzia jamatonica
(Kuwayama) (Hemiptera:
Psyllidae) in Greece
B. Pásztor
1
, D. Rédei
2
and G. Vétek
1
Summary
In August 2009,
Albizia julibrissin
trees were found to be in a remarkably bad condition in
the centre of Thessaloniki, Greece. After observing the foliage thoroughly, specimens of a psyllid spe-
cies feeding on the lower surface of the leaves were found in high numbers. The pest has been iden-
tified as
Acizzia jamatonica
(Kuwayama). The psyllid is native to East Asia, but has recently been intro-
duced to Europe. The species is new to the fauna of Greece. The morphology, biology and distribu-
tion of
A. jamatonica
together with the damage caused and the major aspects of control are briefly
discussed.
Additional keywords
:
Acizzia jamatonica, Albizia julibrissin,
Psyllidae
serving the foliage thoroughly, specimens
of a psyllid species feeding on the lower sur-
face of the leaves were found in high num-
bers. The foliage was covered with honey-
dew and the white, waxy secretion of the
insects. Specimens collected by B. Pásztor
were identified as
Acizzia jamatonica
(Ku-
wayama, 1908) (Hemiptera, Sternorrhyncha,
Psyllidae) by D. Rédei. This is the first record
of this species in Greece. In the review arti-
cle of pests and weeds reported from the
country between 1990 and 2007,
A. jama-
tonica
was still not indicated (2). Voucher
specimens (1 male, 1 female) are deposited
in the Hemiptera Collection of the Hungari-
an Natural History Museum.
Acizzia jamatonica
is readily recognized
among the other species of the genus
Aciz-
zia
by its nearly uniformly pale fore wings
with only small and faint dark spots at the
apical margins of cells r
2
, m
1
, m
2
, and cu
1
, and
by the highly characteristic male terminalia:
proctiger elongate with a narrow apical part
and large, broadly triangular posterior lobe
at its base; distal segment of phallus reni-
formly widened apically. Diagnostic charac-
ters were described and illustrated in detail
in different studies (9, 14).
Silk tree,
Albizia julibrissin
Durazzini, is a
woody ornamental plant introduced from
Asia to Europe and then from Europe to
North America in the mid-eighteenth centu-
ry (4). The species is popular with gardeners
and landscape designers especially in the
southern and southeastern parts of Europe
due to its decorative leaf texture, flowers,
and broad crown, which provides dappled
shape.
A. julibrissin
is often used in private
and public gardens, parks or other public
places because of its unique appearance.
For a long time, the virtual lack of pests on
silk trees was regarded as a considerable ad-
vantage when choosing this plant for deco-
rating urban environments.
On 29 August 2009,
A. julibrissin
trees
were found to be in a remarkably bad con-
dition in the centre of Thessaloniki, Greece.
The foliage seemed to be withering and as
if it had lost its bright, green colour. Leaves
were rather yellow and deformed. After ob-
1
Corvinus University of Budapest, Department of En-
tomology, Villányi út. 29–43, H-1118 Budapest, Hun-
gary
2
Hungarian Natural History Museum, Department of
Zoology, Baross u. 13, H-1088 Budapest, Hungary
Corresponding author:
