Ovaticoccus gordoni Miller and 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 : 128-130

Ovaticoccus gordoni Miller and Stocks sp. n.

Type material: Adult female holotype mounted singly on a slide with right label “ Ovaticoccus / gordoni / Miller & Stocks / R.D. Gordon / D.R. Miller #3086 / HOLOTYPE.” Left label “ on Viguiera / stenoloba / 2.3 mi. N. of Main Rd. / on Point Gap Rd. / Big Bend Nat’l Pk. / Brewster Co. Texas / V-6-1976.” Label on back of slide “ Ovaticoccus / gordoni Miller / & Stocks / USNM / HOLOTYPE.” Holotype is in USNM. Paratypes: UNITED STATES: Texas: Brewster Co. : Big Bend National Park , 2.3 mi. N. of Main Rd. , on Point Gap Rd., V-26-1976, on Viguiera stenoloba, D.R. Miller and R.D. Gordon (1 ad. ♀ holotype, 26 ad. ♀♀ paratypes on 14 slides) NHM (1 slide), CDFA (1 slide), FSCA (1 slide), MNHN (1 slide), UCD (1 slide), UNAM (1 slide), USNM (9 slides) .

Etymology: This species is named for Robert D. Gordon who has spent many hours in the field with the first author and who has been a good friend for more than 50 years. A memorable event in the field was when the first author was helping Bob collect scarab beetles in the burrows of prairie dogs during this same trip in 1976. The burrows contained not only prairie dog dung, scarabs, and various other biota, but also fleas. When Bob developed a high fever, the local physician eventually diagnosed his pathogen as the plague. How many people do you know these days who have actually contracted the black death? He has survived!

Field features: Occurring under the bark of the host.

Adult female ( Fig. 67 )

Description: Holotype, slide mounted 1.3 mm long, 1.1 mm wide (paratypes 1.3–1.6 mm long, 0.9–1.2 mm wide). Large specimens with dorsal surface of segments VII and VIII bent so that they are located on venter. Body oval (paratypes oval, rotund, or pear-shaped), without protruding anal lobes, with inconspicuous cauda. Anal-lobe area dorsally each with 2 or 3 flagellate setae, 2 or 3 microtubular ducts, and several 5-locular pores; ventrally each with 3 or 4 flagellate setae including suranal seta and anal-lobe seta and several 5-locular pores.

Dorsum with flagellate or slightly enlarged setae scattered over entire surface, shorter than on venter, slightly curved. Enlarged setae usually absent (absent from holotype but with enlargement of seta to show shape when present (A on Fig. 67 ) (paratypes with 0–16 on each side, most with 0–3), when present, restricted to margin, most often on head and anterior thorax, rarely on abdomen; largest seta on paratypes 10–15 μm long; enlarged setae conical with concavity near apex, central projection with slightly rounded apex, setal base thin; segment IV with 24 flagellate setae (paratypes with 20–24), without enlarged setae. Macrotubular ducts absent. Microtubular ducts each 8 μm long (paratypes 6–7 μm), with area farthest from dermal orifice sclerotized and divided into 2 parts, apical portion shorter than remaining sclerotized portion, sclerotized portion same length as, or longer than, unsclerotized portion; dermal orifice sclerotized, with single protruding duct. Microtubular ducts scattered over entire surface. Multilocular pores of 2 or 3 kinds: 7-locular pores rare; 5-locular pores on head and segments IV to VIII; paratypes rarely with 3-locular pores. Multilocular pores sometimes absent from head, rarely with 1 or 2 on prothorax, always on segments VII and VIII, often on segments IV, V and VI. Cruciform pores on head to segment V (paratypes on head or prothorax to IV, V or VI). Microtrichia absent.

Anal ring ventral, circular, divided posteriorly (oval and complete on some paratypes), with 3 cells on 1 side and 4 on other (paratypes with 5 or 6 cells on each side), with 3 setae on each side of ring, each slightly shorter than diameter of ring; anal tube unsclerotized, anal opening sclerotized, with anal flap.

Venter with longest flagellate seta on segment II 12 μm long (paratypes 14–18 μm), on segment VII 25 μm long (paratypes 29–40 μm); longest anal-lobe seta 72 μm long (paratypes 70–95 μm). Enlarged setae absent (paratypes sometimes with 1 or 2 near body margin of head and anterior thorax), of same type as on dorsum. Macrotubular ducts absent. Microtubular ducts uncommon along body margin. Multilocular pores in medial areas of segments VI to VIII, laterally along body margin, particularly abundant near spiracles, rarely in medial areas of thorax, of 2 kinds: 5-locular pores most abundant, 7-locular pores uncommon. Cruciform pores near body margin on prothorax to segment III (paratypes normally with pores on margin of head to segment V or VI, occasionally with 1 or 2 pores medially on thorax). Legs of some paratypes malformed, with tibia and tarsus fused; hind coxae without pores, each femur with 4 setae including 1 proximal seta (paratypes with 1–4), each tibia with 4 setae, without middle seta (paratypes with number of setae on each hind tibia 4, setae on each front and middle tibia varies from 1–4); hind tibia/tarsus 0.7 (paratypes 0.6–0.8) when separate. Antennae each 5-, 6- or 7-segmented (of 47 antennae on paratypes, 2 are 5-segmented, 31 are 6-segmented, and 14 are 7-segmented), each antenna 132 and 128 μm long (paratypes 120–147 μm). Frontal lobes absent. Preantennal pore present. Microtrichia on head to segment VIII (paratypes with microtrichia from head or prothorax to segment VIII), and on ventral surface of each coxa. Surface of dorsum from segment III–VIII covered with nodules (paratypes with nodules on dorsum from head, prothorax, or abdominal segment I–VIII); on posterior segments on venter.

Notes: The description is based on 27 specimens from one locality. Adult females of Ov. gordoni share some similarities with adult female of Hy. hyperici (Ferris) in having: numerous dermal projections on the body; at least some specimens with poorly formed legs; and no macrotubular ducts. Hypericicoccus hyperici differs by having (character states in brackets are of Ov. gordoni ): more than 20 enlarged setae (enlarged setae absent or fewer than 15); enlarged setae broad, with width of seta about as wide as length of seta (narrow, with width of seta much narrower than length of seta); hind coxae with translucent pores (translucent pores absent); dorsal multilocular pores abundant on medial areas of thorax (rare or absent). The adult female of Ov. gordoni is unique among the species of Ovaticoccus in lacking anal lobes, translucent pores on the hind legs, and macrotubular ducts.

Figures

FIGURE 67. Ovaticoccus gordoni sp. n., adult female, Big Bend National Park, 2.3 miles N. of Main Rd., on Point Gap Rd., Brewster Co., Texas, USA, May 26, 1976, on Viguiera stenoloba, D.R. Miller and R.D. Gordon.A=enlarged seta (not present on this specimen); 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; W=leg; Z=body margin (hatched areas on the body of the inset with dermal projections).