Ovaticoccus johnsoni (Miller) 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 : 137-139

Ovaticoccus johnsoni (Miller) comb. n.

Oregmopyga johnsoni Miller in Miller and McKenzie 1967: 493.

Material examined: not reported in the original description: UNITED STATES: Arizona: Apache Co.: Concho , VII-19-1930?, host?, L.P. Wehrle #354 (1 ad. ♀ on 1 slide) UCD ; 4 mi. E. Concho , VII-19-1940, host?, L.P. Wehrle #354 (1 second-instar ♀, 5 second-instar ♁♁, 3 first-instar nymphs) UCD . California: Kern Co.: 4 mi. E. Monolith , IX-17-1966, on Gutierrezia sarothrae, T.R. Haig (9 ad. ♀♀ on 7 slides) CDFA . San Joaquin Co.: 7 mi. W. Tracy, I-23-1968, on G. “bractaeta” [sic], T.R. Haig (7 ad. ♀♀ on 4 slides) CDFA . Colorado: Mesa Co.: 24 mi. E. Grand Junction , IX-18-1967, on G. sarothrae, H.L. McKenzie (1 ad. ♀ on 1 slide) UCD . New Mexico: Grant Co.: 27 mi. SW Silver City , IX-5-1968, on Hymenoxys richardsonii, D.R. Miller and J.E. Lauck (1 ad. ♀ on 1 slide) UCD .

The justification for treating Oregmopyga as a junior synonym of Ovaticoccus , leading to this new combination, is provided in the “Notes” section that follows the generic description above. The adult female was described in detail by Miller and McKenzie (1967) and information from that paper is not repeated here. The “nymph” described in that paper is not conspecific with O. johnsoni because it has a non-cellular anal ring. In other species the structure of the anal ring remains relatively constant in the adult and immature female instars and the second-instar male. Here we describe the second-instar female and male and the first-instar nymph, but have not illustrated them.

Etymology: This species was named in honor of the late John W. Johnson, a talented high school biology teacher and naturalist.

Second-instar female

Description: Slide-mounted specimen 1.3 mm long, 0.6 mm wide. Body oval, without protruding anal lobes. Anal-lobe areas dorsally each with 2 or 3 flagellate setae, 0 or 1 enlarged setae, 2 microtubular ducts; ventrally each with 2 or 3 flagellate setae including suranal seta and anal-lobe seta, and 0 or 1 3-locular or 5-locular pores.

Dorsum with flagellate setae arranged in 2 pairs of longitudinal lines (mediolateral and lateral). Enlarged setae arranged in 3 pairs of longitudinal lines (medial, mediolateral and lateral), medial line absent or reduced on head and anterior thorax; largest setae each about 10 μm long; enlarged setae conical, laterally with nearly straight sides, with truncate apices; setal base broad; not in dermal pocket; with 10 setae on segment IV, including 6 enlarged setae 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 about half size of remaining sclerotized portion; dermal orifice unsclerotized or weakly sclerotized; scattered over entire surface. Multilocular and cruciform pores absent. Microtrichia on segments VII and VIII.

Anal ring ventral, semicircular, incomplete, divided posteriorly, cellular, with 3 setae on each side of ring, each shorter than greatest diameter of ring; anal tube unsclerotized; anal opening sclerotized; with anal flap.

Venter with longest flagellate seta on segment II about 12 μm long, on segment VII 18 μm long; anal-lobe seta about 67 μm long. Enlarged setae absent. Macrotubular ducts absent. Microtubular ducts near body margin of thorax and abdomen. Multilocular pores scattered over entire surface, of 5-locular type only. Cruciform pores near body margin. Legs with hind coxae with 1 or 2 pores on ventral surface and 0 or 1 on dorsal surface; each femur with 5 setae including, 2 proximal setae and 3 distal setae; each tibia with 5 setae, with 1 in middle. Antennae each 6-segmented, about 150 μm long. Frontal lobes absent. Preantennal pore present. Microtrichia on mesothorax to segment VIII, and on ventral surface of mid- and hind- pairs of coxae.

Notes: This description is based on one specimen from one locality. The second-instar female of Ov. johnsoni is most similar to the second-instar female of Ov. viscosa in lacking dorsal multilocular and cruciform pores and in having ventral cruciform pores on the thorax. They differ as follows (character states in brackets are those of Ov. johnsoni ): without pores in the anal ring (with pores); without middle seta on tibiae (with middle seta).

Second-instar male

Description: Slide-mounted specimen 0.8 mm long, 0.5 mm wide. Body oval, with slightly protruding anal lobes. Anal-lobe area dorsally each with 2 flagellate setae, 2 or 3 multilocular pores, 1 or 2 microtubular ducts and 1 or 2 macrotubular ducts; ventrally each with 3 flagellate setae including suranal seta and elongate anal-lobe seta, 1 multilocular pore, 1 or 2 macrotubular ducts and 1 microtubular duct.

Dorsum with flagellate setae arranged in 3 pairs of longitudinal lines (medial, mediolateral and lateral), medial lines on each segment comprise 1 seta on each side of body, mediolateral lines comprise 2 setae on each side, and lateral lines comprise 1 or 2 setae on each side; enlarged setae absent; with 10 setae on segment IV all flagellate. Macrotubular ducts over entire surface, about 12 μm long. Microtubular ducts 7–8 μm long, with area farthest from dermal orifice sclerotized and divided into 2 parts, apical portion slightly smaller than remaining sclerotized portion; dermal orifice unsclerotized; scattered over entire surface. Multilocular and cruciform pores absent. With microtrichia on segment VIII.

Anal ring ventral, circular, incomplete anteriorly, cellular, with 3 setae on each side of ring, each shorter than greatest diameter of ring; without additional pair of setae associated with ring; anal tube sclerotized, anal opening weakly sclerotized, anal flap present.

Venter with longest flagellate seta on segment II 26 μm long, on segment VII 27 μm long; longest anal-lobe seta 50 μm long. Enlarged setae absent. Macrotubular ducts about same size as those on dorsum, scattered over head and thorax, in medial, mediolateral, and lateral longitudinal lines on abdomen. Microtubular ducts rare or absent. Multilocular pores scattered over entire surface, least abundant on head, of 3 or 4 kinds: 7-locular pores and 3-locular pores uncommon; 5-locular pores most abundant. Cruciform pores in small numbers on lateral areas of thorax. Legs without pores; each femur with 5 setae, including 2 proximally and 3 distally; each tibia with 5 setae, with seta in middle; hind tibia/tarsus 0.8. Antennae each 7-segmented, about 150 μm long. Frontal lobes absent. Preantennal pore present. Microtrichia from mesothorax to segment VIII, also on hind 2 pairs of coxae.

Notes: The description is based on six specimens from one locality. Ovaticoccus johnsoni is most similar to Ov. peruvianus in lacking dorsal enlarged setae and dorsal multilocular pores and in having pores in the anal ring. They differ as follows (character states of Ov. johnsoni in brackets): without dorsal microtubular ducts (with dorsal microtubular ducts).

First-instar nymph

Description: Slide-mounted specimen 0.8 mm long, 0.4 mm wide. Body elongate oval, without protruding anal lobes. Anal-lobe areas dorsally each with 2 flagellate setae, 1 enlarged seta, 0 or 1 microtubular ducts; ventrally each with 2 or 3 flagellate setae, suranal seta and including anal-lobe seta.

Dorsum without flagellate setae. Enlarged setae in 3 pairs of longitudinal lines (medial, mediolateral and lateral) from head to segment VII or VIII; largest setae about 8 μm long; enlarged setae conical, laterally with nearly straight sides with truncate apices; setal base broad; not in dermal pockets; with 6 setae on segment IV all enlarged. 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, slightly smaller than remaining sclerotized portion; dermal orifice unsclerotized; scattered over entire surface. Multilocular and cruciform pores absent. Microtrichia on segments VII and VIII.

Anal ring dorsal, semicircular, incomplete, divided anteriorly, cellular, with 3 setae on each side of ring, each shorter than greatest diameter of ring; anal tube and anal opening unsclerotized, anal flap present.

Venter with longest seta on segment II 10 μm long, on segment VII 17 μm long; anal-lobe seta 6 μm long. Enlarged setae absent. Macrotubular ducts and microtubular ducts absent. Multilocular pores in small numbers over surface, of 2 kinds: 5-locular pores restricted to area laterad of spiracles and in medial area of head; 3-locular pores on head near mouthparts, on thorax near base of each pair of legs, and on abdomen with 2 near mediolateral setae on segments II, VII and VIII; 3-locular pores most abundant. Cruciform pores in lateral areas of thorax. Legs without pores; each femur with 5 setae including 2 proximally and 3 distally; each tibia with 5 setae, 1 in middle; hind tibia/tarsus 0.7. Antennae broken, probably each 6-segmented. Frontal lobes absent. Preantennal pore present. Microtrichia in medial area of mesothorax and abdomen.

Notes: This description is based on one specimen and two exuviae from one locality. The first-instar nymph of Ov. johnsoni is most similar to the first-instar nymph of Ov. peruvianus in having 3 pairs of longitudinal lines of enlarged setae on the dorsum and pores in the anal ring. They differ by having (character states in brackets are those of Ov. johnsoni ): most multilocular pores with five loculi (with three loculi); each tibia with four setae (usually with five setae, with one in middle).