Kauaʻi record · KCA-IA-00159
Cinara watsoni
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About Cinara watsoni
Cinara watsoni is a member of Aphididae in the order Hemiptera. Its recorded origin status on Kauaʻi is introduced.
Cinara watsoni is an introduced pine aphid documented from Kauaʻi. Its known hosts are pines, including Pinus species, and colonies feed on plant sap while producing honeydew. Recent monitoring outside Hawaiʻi shows that introduced populations can reproduce without a sexual phase and reach seasonal density peaks, but those phenological details should not be transferred directly to Kauaʻi without local observations.
Kauaʻi occurrence evidence: Matsunaga, Howarth & Kumashiro (2019) Table 1 includes Kauaʻi island code 'Ka'; first-detection year shown as 2003; reported island distribution: Ka, Ma, Mo.
The cited occurrence evidence does not by itself establish current abundance or population trend on Kauaʻi.
Life cycle
Nymphs and winged/wingless adults. Introduced populations studied in South Korea were anholocyclic; the Kauaʻi reproductive cycle is unconfirmed.
Habitat
Pine trees in planted forests, landscapes and other settings containing Pinus.
Food and ecological role
Plant sap from Pinus; documented hosts include P. rigida, P. taeda and other pines.
Reproduction
Parthenogenetic reproduction is documented in some introduced populations; Kauaʻi sexual-stage status remains unresolved.
Movement
Winged adults can disperse between pines; movement of infested plant material is another pathway.
Ecosystem role
Introduced pine sap feeder and honeydew producer.
Threats and impacts
Heavy colonies can contribute to needle yellowing and sooty mold in introduced populations; Kauaʻi impact is not quantified.
Monitoring
Record pine host, colony location on the tree, honeydew/sooty mold, winged forms and seasonal abundance.
Names and classification
- Scientific name
- Cinara watsoni
- Family
- Aphididae
- Order
- Hemiptera
- Record type
- species
Kauaʻi occurrence and status
- Kauaʻi occurrence
- Present
- Origin
- Introduced
- Conservation status
- Not assessed
Process and seasonal context
- Seasonal description
- Cinara watsoni is a member of Aphididae in the order Hemiptera. Its recorded origin status on Kauaʻi is introduced.