Taxonomy of Ceroplastes rubens Maskell with description of a related new species (Hemiptera : Coccoidea : Coccidae) from reunion, including DNA polymorphism analysis

A new species Ceroplastes reunionensis is described from Reunion, where it was found heavily infesting Mangifera indica, Persea americana and several ornamental plants. The closely related species, C. rubens Maskell is redesc ribed from topotypic material collected in Queensland, Australia. These two species differ from each other in the wax test colour, body colour, morpho logical, biological and molecular characters (RAPD). Inter- and intraspecif ic variation of several morphological characters of both species is discuss ed. Ceroplastes vinsonii Signoret, 1872, is regarded as a nomen oblitum, an d therefore becomes a new synonym of Ceroplastes floridensis Comstock, 1881 .