Acanthococcus hoyi Miller and Miller

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 : 24-29

Acanthococcus hoyi Miller and Miller rev. comb.

Eriococcus kemptoni Parrott 1900 ; Ferris 1955: 134-135 (misidentification discovered by Miller and Miller 1992: 47). Acanthococcus hoyi Miller and Miller 1992: 44–48 .

Eriococcus hoyi (Miller & Miller) ; Miller and Gimpel 1999: 214 (change of combination).

Specimens examined: material not reported previously: UNITED STATES: Arizona: Cochise Co.: Portal, VIII-23- 1968, on Bouteloua curtipendula, D.M. Tuttle (1 second-instar ♀ and 1 second-instar ♁ on 2 slides) CDFA . Texas: Dallam Co.: Dalhart, X-(?)-1912, on Bouteloua sp. , C.N. Ainslie (35 first-instar nymphs on 1 slide) USNM .

Etymology: The species epithet “ hoyi ” is named in honor of the late Jim M. Hoy, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Zealand who published several important works on the Eriococcidae of New Zealand including two books.

Field features: Probably occurring in leaf blade sheaths.

Second-instar female ( Fig. 9 )

Description: Slide-mounted specimen 1.1 mm long, 0.4 mm wide. Body elongate, with protruding anal lobes. Anal lobes apically acute, lightly sclerotized; each lobe dorsally with 3 apically truncate enlarged setae, lateral seta longest, anteromedial seta shortest, with 1 microtubular duct; each lobe ventrally with 3 flagellate setae, including suranal seta and elongate anal-lobe seta.

Dorsum without flagellate setae. Enlarged setae forming 4 pairs of longitudinal lines, (medial, mediolateral, sublateral and lateral) on abdomen, lines less obvious on head and thorax; enlarged setae of 2 sizes: larger size present along body margin, with 2 present on each margin of each abdominal segment; smaller size present in medial, mediolateral, and sublateral areas; largest lateral enlarged setae each about 41 μm long; largest small-sized setae each about 9 μm; longest lateral seta 4–5 times longer than longest medial seta; lateral setae straight or slightly curved, slender, with blunt apices; medial setae straight, short, with blunt apices; setal rings thin; segment IV with 10 setae. Microtubular ducts each about 4 μm long, with area farthest from dermal orifice sclerotized and divided into 2 parts, apical portion rounded; sclerotized area slightly longer than unsclerotized area; dermal orifice weakly sclerotized; microtubular ducts scattered over entire surface. Multilocular and cruciform pores absent. Microtrichia present on posterior segments.

Anal ring apical, with 3 setae on each side of ring, suranal setae flagellate. Anal tube without sclerotization.

Venter with longest seta on segment II about 25 μm long; longest on segment VII about 29 μm; anal-lobe seta about 180 μm long. Enlarged setae absent, although sublateral setae more robust than medial setae. Microtubular ducts absent. Multilocular pores of 2 kinds: 5-locular pores most abundant on head and thorax, present mediolaterally on abdomen; 3-locular pores, when present, located near inner margin of middle pair of coxae. Cruciform pores in sublateral line along body margin. Legs with each femur with 5 setae; each tibia with 5 setae, with 1 seta in middle; hind tibia/tarsus 0.8. Antennae each 6-segmented, about 160 μm long. Frontal lobes absent; preantennal pore present. Microtrichia present on abdomen, absent from coxae.

Notes: The description is based on one specimen from one locality. The second-instar female of Ac. hoyi is most similar to the second-instar female of Ac. kemptoni by having the lateral enlarged setae noticeably larger than the dorsal medial and mediolateral setae. They differ as follows (character states in brackets are of Ac. hoyi ): large-sized lateral setae restricted to abdomen and head (present around entire body margin); each hind tibia without middle seta (with middle seta).

Second-instar male ( Fig. 10 )

Description: Slide-mounted specimen 0.8 mm long, 0.3 mm wide. Body elongate, with protruding anal lobes. Anal lobes apically acute; each lobe dorsally with 3 apically truncate enlarged setae, anterolateral seta longest, anteromedial seta shortest, with 1 microtubular duct; each lobe ventrally with 3 flagellate setae including suranal seta and elongate anal-lobe seta.

Dorsum without flagellate setae. Enlarged setae forming 4 pairs of longitudinal lines, (medial, mediolateral, sublateral and lateral) on abdomen; arranged in transverse rows from head to segment VII; enlarged setae of 2 sizes: larger size along body margin, with 2 setae on margin of each abdominal segment; smaller size in medial, mediolateral, and sublateral areas; largest lateral enlarged setae each about 32 μm long; largest small-sized setae each about 9 μm; longest lateral seta about 4 times longer than longest medial seta; lateral setae straight or slightly curved, slender, with truncate apices; medial setae straight, with truncate apices; setal rings thin; segment IV with 10 setae. Macrotubular ducts of 1 size, abundant over entire surface. Microtubular ducts each about 4 μm long, with area farthest from dermal orifice sclerotized and divided into 2 parts, apical portion rounded; sclerotized area slightly longer than unsclerotized area; dermal orifice weakly sclerotized; microtubular ducts scattered over entire surface. Multilocular and cruciform pores absent. Microtrichia on segments VII and VIII.

Anal ring dorsal, with 3 setae on each side of ring, suranal setae flagellate. Anal tube without sclerotization.

Venter with longest seta on segment II about 28 μm long; longest on segment VII about 22 μm long; anal-lobe seta 178–202 μm long. Enlarged setae absent. Macrotubular ducts of 2 kinds: larger size (same size as on dorsum) most numerous near body margin; smaller size in medial areas of head, thorax and abdomen. Multilocular pores all 5-locular pores, present near mouthparts, spiracles, and mediolaterally on abdomen. Microtubular ducts present along body margin on thorax and abdomen. Cruciform pores present along body margin. Legs without pores; each femur with 5 setae; each tibia with 5 setae, 1 seta in middle; hind tibia/tarsus 0.8. Antennae each 7-segmented, about 170 μm long. Frontal lobes absent; preantennal pore present. Microtrichia on mesothorax to VIII, and on hind 2 pairs of coxae.

Notes: The description is based on one specimen from one locality. The only other Acanthococcus secondinstar male described here is of Ac. pennyae and it differs as follows (character states in brackets are of Ac. hoyi ): dorsal enlarged setae all about same size (dorsal medial and mediolateral enlarged setae conspicuously shorter than the lateral setae); enlarged setae apically acute (enlarged setae apically truncate); tibiae each with four setae (tibiae each with five setae); dorsal multilocular pores present (dorsal multilocular pores absent); ventral cruciform pores absent (cruciform pores present).

First-instar nymph ( Fig. 11 )

Description: Slide-mounted specimen 0.5 mm long, 0.2 mm wide. Body elongate, with protruding anal lobes. Anal lobes broad, apically acute, weakly sclerotized; each lobe dorsally with 3 apically rounded enlarged setae, anteromedial seta shortest, remaining setae equal in length, with 0 or 1 microtubular ducts; each lobe ventrally with 3 flagellate setae including suranal seta and elongate anal-lobe seta.

Dorsum without flagellate setae; enlarged setae forming 3 pairs of longitudinal lines, (medial, mediolateral and lateral), in transverse rows from head to segment VII; of 2 sizes: larger size present along body margin, with 2 setae present on each margin of each abdominal segment, on anterior abdominal segments anterior seta slightly smaller than posterior seta; smaller size present in medial and submedial areas; largest enlarged setae 20–24 μm long; largest small-sized setae 6–7 μm long; longest lateral seta 3–4 times longer than longest medial seta; lateral setae straight or slightly curved, slender, with rounded apices; medial setae straight, with blunt or rounded apices; setal rings thin; segment IV with 8 setae. Microtubular ducts about 3 μm long, with area farthest from dermal orifice sclerotized, undivided; dermal orifice weakly sclerotized; forming 1 pair of longitudinal lines on abdomen (mediolateral) and 2 pairs of lines on thorax (medial and lateral). Macrotubular ducts, cruciform pores, and multilocular pores absent. Microtrichia on segments I to VIII.

Anal ring either apical or ventral, with 3 setae on each side of ring, suranal setae flagellate. Anal tube without sclerotization.

Venter with setae flagellate, longest seta on segment II about 13 μm long, on segment VII about 15 μm long; longest anal-lobe seta 172–190 μm long. Enlarged setae, macrotubular ducts, and microtubular ducts absent. Multilocular pores fairly consistent on head and thorax, with about the same numbers of 3-locular pores and 5- locular pores; head pore present; pore near anterior spiracles usually present; pore near posterior spiracle present or absent; pore present near metathoracic legs; pores present or absent on segments II to VII, with total of 4–10 pores on each side of body. Cruciform pores present along lateral margin of thorax, with 3 rarely 4 such pores on each body margin. Legs without pores; each femur with 5 setae; each tibia with 5 setae, 1 in middle of tibia; hind tibia/tarsus 0.7–0.8. Antennae each 6-segmented, about 130 μm long. Frontal lobes absent; preantennal pore present. Microtrichia on segments II to VIII; absent from coxae.

Notes: The description is based on 35 specimens from one locality. Among the first-instar nymphs described here, Ac. hoyi is most similar to the first-instar nymph of Ac. kemptoni in having the medial and mediolateral setae conspicuously shorter than the marginal setae. They differ as follows (character states in brackets are of Ac. hoyi ): large-sized marginal setae restricted to abdomen and head (present around entire margin); each tibia without middle seta (with middle seta); with 1 large-sized setae on each lateral margin of each abdominal segment (with 2).

Figures

FIGURE 9. Acanthococcus hoyi Miller and Miller 1992, second-instar female, Portal, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA, August 23, 1968, on Bouteloua curtipendula, D.M. Tuttle. A=enlarged seta; D=5-locular pore; F=microtubular duct; H=cruciform pore; L=claw.

FIGURE 10. Acanthococcus hoyi Miller and Miller 1992, second-instar male, Portal, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA, August 23, 1968, on Bouteloua curtipendula, D.M. Tuttle. A=enlarged seta; D=5-locular pore; F=microtubular duct; G=macrotubular duct; H=cruciform pore; L=claw.

FIGURE 11. Acanthococcus hoyi Miller and Miller 1992, first-instar nymph, Dahart, Hartley Co., Texas, USA, October?, 1912, on Bouteloua sp., C.N. Ainslie.A=enlarged seta; D=5-locular pore; E=3-locular pore; F=microtubular duct; H=cruciform pore; L=claw.