Last modified: 2014-09-29
Abstract
Jumping plant-lice are generally very host specific plant-sap sucking insects. They can be harmful to their angiosperm hosts in removing large quantities of plant-sap; in producing honey dew, which soils leaves and fruits or attracts slime moulds; or by transmitting diseases. Data on biodiversity and taxonomy of psyllids are well known in the temperate and sub-tropical regions. Few records are known in Africa, south of Sahara in general and in Cameroon in particular. Investigations were made in Cameroon in order to study the biodiversity of psyllids. Three regions were chosen to carry out this work: West, Centre and South. Psyllids were collected once a month in various localities. Adults were captured with the help of a sweep net of 0.5 mm mesh size and with a mouth aspirator. Specimens are preserved dried or in 70% alcohol. Identification and taxonomic studies were carried out in the laboratory and specimens are deposited in Cameroon in the Laboratory of Zoology, University of Yaounde I, the Royal Museum of Central Africa, and the Natural History Museum Basel. The study of the psyllids of Psyllidae family of Cameroon documented 83 species belonging to 40 genera and 8 subfamilies and 14 probably new genera with 1 specie respectively. The taxonomic status of 17 probably new genera within the Psyllidae family should be clarified. Only 9 species are described and 74 others species are not yet described and most of them are new to science. The present survey permitted to enrich the biodiversity of the psyllids of the Psyllidae family from Cameroon.