The identity of Pentalonia nigronervosa Coquerel and P. caladii van der Goot (Hemiptera: Aphididae) based on molecular and morphometric analysis

Pentalonia nigronervosa (sensu Hardy 1931) samples from banana and from Zingiberaceae and Araceae species exhibit fixed differences in DNA sequence in mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (“DNA barcode”) and in the nuclear gene elongation factor 1α, and have morphometric differences, including non-overlapping ranges in the length of the distal rostral segment. It is thus proposed that the name P. nigronervosa Coquerel be restricted to banana-feeding ‘nigronervosa’ specimens, and that the name Pentalonia caladii van der Goot be restored to full species status for specimens typically feeding on Zingiberaceae and Araceae.