Palm-feeding Asterolecaniidae from Peruvian Amazonia (Homoptera: Coccoidea)

Nine Asterolecaniidae (Pit Scales) are newly reported to live on endemic palms in Peruvian Amazonia. Five species are new for science and are described and illustrated. Palmaspis boliviae (Russell), comb. nov., P. palmae (Cockerell), comb, nov., and P. urichi (Cockerell), comb, nov., are new for Peru. Grammococcus corymbus Miller & Lambdin, 1978, new from Peru, described from Colombia on oil palm, Elaeis guineensis, is recorded from the Amazonian Peruvian forest on two native palms, Astrocaryum chonta and Scheelea brachyclada. The genus Palmaspis Bodenheimer, 1951 is redefined to include the twenty-nine species living on palms from all the world; twenty-four new combinations are proposed. Related genera are discussed.