Ovaticoccus cornutus (Ferris) Miller & Stocks, 2022

Miller, Douglass R. & Stocks, Ian C., 2022, New genera and species of felt scales (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Eriococcidae), with descriptions of new species and immature instars of described species, Zootaxa 5221 (1), pp. 1-213 : 111

Ovaticoccus cornutus (Ferris) comb. n.

Cornoculus cornutus Ferris 1955: 81 .

Specimens examined: UNITED STATES: Texas: Brewster Co.: Chisos Moutains,?-?-1921, on undetermined grass, G.F. Ferris (4 second-instar ♀♀) UCD .

The adult female and second-instar female (as “late instar”) were described in detail in Miller and McKenzie (1967) and Ferris (1955) and the information in those publications is not repeated here. The justification for treating Cornoculus as a junior synonym of Ovaticoccus , leading to this new species combination, is provided in the “Notes” section that follows the generic description above.

Etymology: The species epithet “ cornutus ” is formed from the Latin word “ cornutus ” meaning “horned” and refers to the horn-like eyes of this species.

Second-instar female ( Fig. 56 )

Description: Slide-mounted specimen 1.4 mm long, 0.6 mm wide. Body elongate oval, without protruding anal lobes. Anal-lobe areas each dorsally with 2 flagellate setae, 1 enlarged seta, 2 or 3 microtubular ducts; each ventrally with 2 or 3 flagellate setae including suranal seta and anal-lobe seta, 1 enlarged seta.

Dorsum with flagellate setae arranged in 2 pairs of longitudinal lines (medial and lateral), usually short and curved. Enlarged seta arranged in 3 pairs of longitudinal lines (medial, mediolateral and lateral); nipple-shaped, laterally with curved margins, setal ring thick, often set in pocket in derm, with 36 setae on each side of body, with 1 conical seta on head; largest seta about 15 μm long; segment IV with 10 setae including 6 enlarged and 4 flagellate setae; segment IV with combined total of 6 enlarged setae dorsally and ventrally. Macrotubular ducts absent. Microtubular ducts each approximately 7 μm long, with area farthest from dermal orifice sclerotized and divided into 2 parts, apical portion rounded, ¼ or ½ length of remaining sclerotized portion; total sclerotized area same length as, or longer than, unsclerotized area; dermal orifice weakly sclerotized, with protruding tube. Multilocular pores restricted to head; pores of 2 kinds: 7-locular pores and 5-locular pores. Cruciform pores in transverse rows from thorax to anterior abdominal segments. Microtrichia on posterior 3 abdominal segments.

Anal ring ventral, oval, tongue-like structure fusing anterior end of ring forming complete structure, cellular, with 2 setae on each side of ring, each shorter than diameter of ring; anal tube without sclerotization, anal orifice unsclerotized, with anal flap.

Venter with longest flagellate seta on segment II 28 μm long, on segment VII 28 μm long; anal-lobe setae broken. Enlarged setae along body margin from head to segment VIII, in 2 pairs of longitudinal lines on lateral and sublateral areas, sublateral setae slightly smaller. Macrotubular ducts absent. Microtubular ducts along body margin, associated with enlarged setae. Multilocular pores scattered in medial and mediolateral areas of head, thorax, and anterior abdominal segments, also laterally on head and anterior thorax, of 3 kinds: 7-locular pores most abundant, 6-locular pores and 5-locular pores also present. Cruciform pores rare near body margin on thorax and abdomen. Legs with 1 or 2 indefinite pores on dorsal surface of hind coxa; each femur with 5 setae including 2 proximal setae and 3 distal setae; each tibia with 4 setae, without middle setae; hind tibia/tarsus 0.8. Antennae each 6-segmented, 135 μm long. Frontal lobes absent. Preantennal pore present. Microtrichia from prothorax to segment VII, also on each coxa.

Notes: This description is based on one specimen from the type locality. Second-instar females of Ov. cornutus are most similar to second-instar females of Ov. tippinsi in having dorsal cruciform pores, the most predominant multilocular pore with more than five loculi, a cellular anal ring, each femur with five setae, and two pairs of ventrolateral longitudinal lines of enlarged setae. They differ as follows (character states in brackets are of Ov. cornutus ): anal ring divided anteriorly and posteriorly (not divided or divided anteriorly); predominant multilocular pore with more than seven loculi (seven loculi); dorsal enlarged setae restricted to posterior abdomen (over entire dorsum); dorsal multilocular pores scattered over dorsal surface (restricted to head). Ovaticoccus cornutus also is similar to Ov. telotrichus ; for a comparison, see the “Notes” section of that species below.

Figures

FIGURE 56. Ovaticoccus cornutus (Ferris 1955), second-instar female, Chisos Mountains, Brewster Co., Texas, USA.,?-?-1921, on undetermined grass, G.F. Ferris. A=enlarged seta; B=slightly enlarged seta; C=7-locular pore; D=5-locular pore; F=microtubular duct; H=cruciform pore; I=anal ring; J=antenna; L=claw; N=flagellate seta; Q=dorsal surface of coxa.