First report of Monalonion velezangeli (Hemiptera: Miridae) damaging avocado (Persea americana) in Peru

Avocado ( Persea americana Mill.) is an economically important fruit crop whose expansion has been accompanied by the emergence of new insect pests affecting yield and fruit quality. During field surveys conducted in avocado plantations in the Amazonas region of northern Peru, severe damage associated with a mirid bug was observed on young fruits and vegetative shoots. This study aimed to identify the causal insect and characterize the associated damage through morphological and molecular analyses. Adult and nymph specimens were collected from five plantations and identified using diagnostic morphological traits and taxonomic keys. Molecular confirmation was performed using mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences and phylogenetic analysis based on the Maximum Likelihood method. Both morphological and molecular evidence confirmed the species as Monalonion velezangeli . Field observations showed that the insect primarily attacks young fruits and shoots, causing necrotic lesions and punctures that reduce fruit commercial quality. This study represents the first confirmed report of M. velezangeli affecting avocado in Peru.