Steatococcus, Ferris, 1921

Watson, Gillian W., 2022, Towards identification of the scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) of continental Africa: 2. Checklists and keys to six archaeococcoid families, Zootaxa 5105 (3), pp. 301-356 : 334

“ Steatococcus ” hystrix Gavrilov-Zimin & Stekolshikov

The genus Steatococcus is a junior synonym of Crypticerya , a Neotropical genus ( Unruh & Gullan 2008). The correct generic placement of the African species “ Steatococcus ” hystrix ( Fig. 13 ) therefore requires further research. It is close to Gigantococcus in possessing compound multilocular pores on the body margins and ventral submargins, 11 antennal segments, 3 pairs of abdominal spiracles, 3 circuli and a marsupium, and in lacking open-centre pores. It differs from all other African Iceryini in having numerous thick spiniform setae on the dorsum; in life, the body is evenly covered with soft, loose wax. The species is only known from Mali on Combretum glutinosum (Combretaceae) ( Gavrilov-Zimin & Stekolshikov 2018).

Figures

FIGURE 13. “Steatococcus” hystrix Gavrilov-Zimin & Stekolshikov, adult female, from Gavrilov-Zimin & Stekolshikov (2018: 866), reproduced with permission from Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.