title: A geographic distribution database of the Neotropical cassava whitefly complex (Hemiptera, Aleyrodidae) and their associated parasitoids and hyperparasitoids (Hymenoptera).
abstract: Whiteflies (Hemiptera, Aleyrodidae) are represented by more than 1,500 herbivorous species around the world. Some of them are notorious pests of cassava (Manihot esculenta), a primary food crop in the tropics. Particularly destructive is a complex of Neotropical cassava whiteflies whose distribution remains restricted to their native range. Despite their importance, neither their distribution, nor that of their associated parasitoids, is well documented. This paper therefore reports observational and specimen-based occurrence records of Neotropical cassava whiteflies and their associated parasitoids and hyperparasitoids. The dataset consists of 1,311 distribution records documented by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) between 1975 and 2012. The specimens are held at CIAT's Arthropod Reference Collection (CIATARC, Cali, Colombia). Eleven species of whiteflies, 14 species of parasitoids and one species of hyperparasitoids are reported. Approximately 66% of the whitefly records belong to Aleurotrachelus socialis and 16% to Bemisia tuberculata. The parasitoids with most records are Encarsia hispida, Amitus macgowni and Encarsia bellottii for Aleurotrachelus socialis; and Encarsia sophia for Bemisia tuberculata. The complete dataset is available in Darwin Core Archive format via the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).
authors.affiliation: CIAT, Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT), Apartado Aéreo, 6713 Cali, Colombia.
authors.forename: Aymer Andrés
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Vásquez-Ordóñez
authors.affiliation: CIAT, Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT), Apartado Aéreo, 6713 Cali, Colombia; Sección de Entomología, Programa Académico de Biología, Universidad del Valle, Apartado Aéreo, 25360 Cali, Colombia.
authors.forename: Nicolas A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Hazzi
authors.affiliation: Sección de Entomología, Programa Académico de Biología, Universidad del Valle, Apartado Aéreo, 25360 Cali, Colombia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Escobar-Prieto
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología, Universidad de Nariño, Apartado Aéreo, 1175 Pasto, Colombia.
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Paz-Jojoa
authors.affiliation: CIAT, Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT), Apartado Aéreo, 6713 Cali, Colombia; UC Davis Chile Life Sciences Innovation Center, Andrés Bello 2299 No. 1102, Providencia, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Soroush
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parsa
keywords: Aleyrodid; CIAT’s Arthropod Reference Collection (CIATARC); Manihot esculenta; hymenopterous parasitoids; hyperparasitism; tritrophic interaction