Valid Names Results

Margarodes capensis Giard, 1897 (Margarodidae: Margarodes)

Nomenclatural History

• Margarodes (Sphaeraspis) capensis Giard 1897a: 685. Type data: SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Province, Malmesbury and Worcester, on roots of grapevine; collected C.P. Lounsbury.. Syntypes, female and first instar, Type depository: Washington: United States National Entomological Collection, U.S. National Museum of Natural History, District of Columbia, USA; accepted valid name
• Margarodes capensis Giard, 1897; Cockerell 1899a: 390. change of combination
• Margarodes (Sphaeraspis) capensis Giard, 1897; Cockerell 1902q: 258. change of combination
• Coccionella capensis (Giard, 1897); Lindinger 1954: 615. change of combination
• Margarodes capensis Giard, 1897; Jakubski 1965: 118. revived combination (previously published)

Common Names

Ecological Associates

Hosts:

Families: 1 | Genera: 1

Geographic Distribution

Keys

• Watson2022: pp.309,313 ( Adult (F) Cyst ) [soil-dwelling pest Margarodes in southern Africa]
• Morris1928: pp.77-78 ( Adult (F) ) [Species of Margarodes.]

Remarks

• Structure: Body of adult female up to 10 mm long and 5 mm wide, ovoid and yellow; with soft deep segmental folds; densely covered with long hair-like setae; and characteristic enlarged fossorial (digging) forelegs with dark brown claws. The soil-dwelling cyst of M. capensis is light brown, maximum diameter 6.3 mm; surface texture rough and bark-like. Body of slide-mounted adult female covered with long and short, almost straight setae but lacking spines. Ventral setae short (108–194 μm). Second antennal segment half as long as 3rd segment. (Giliomee, de Klerk & Watson in T. Kondo & G. Watson, 2022)
• Biology: Nymphs, cysts and adult female occur on roots of grapevine in South Africa (Brain, 1915). Cysts occurred throughout the year and although adult females can emerge without the cysts reaching their maximum size, the whole population of cysts does not develop into adult females annually. Adult females occurred from December to May with a peak from end February to middle March (i.e. southern hemisphere summer). First instar nymphs were present from late February to late May. During the observation period of 1 year, no males were found. Cysts were found in the soil to a depth of 120 cm, the highest number occurring at a depth of 46–60 cm. The highest number of adult females occurred at a depth of 16–75 cm, and first instar nymphs were found from a depth of 16 to 120 cm in the soil (de Klerk, 1982).
• Economic Importance: Margarodes spp. are becoming increasingly serious pests of vineyards in South Africa, resulting in vines dying in patches and several vineyards being completely destroyed. Infestation devitalizes the host directly by sap depletion and possibly by injecting toxins. Infested grapevines exhibit a gradual decline in vigour, shoots become thinner and shorter and leaves smaller; the entire grapevine can be killed within 5 or 6 years. (Giliomee, de Klerk & Watson in T. Kondo & G. Watson, 2022)
• General Remarks: Description and illustration of adult female by Giard (1897), Brain (1915), Jakubski (1965) and by De Klerk et al. (1982). Description and illustration of first instar nymph and cyst by De Klerk et al. (1982).

Illustrations

Citations