Ovaticoccus tippinsi (Miller & 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 : 171-174

Ovaticoccus tippinsi (Miller & Miller) comb. n.

Oregmopyga tippinsi Miller and Miller 1993: 81 .

Etymology: The species epithet “ tippinsi ” was described in honor of the late Hamlin H. Tippins, University of Georgia, Experiment, Georgia, USA who spent much of his career studying the scale insects of Georgia.

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 of this species was described in detail by Miller and Miller (1993) and information from that paper is not repeated here.

Second-instar female ( Fig. 88 )

Description: Slide-mounted specimens 1.1–1.4 mm long, 0.4–0.5mm wide. Body elongate oval, with protruding anal lobes. Anal-lobe areas each dorsally with 3 flagellate setae; ventrally each with 1–4 flagellate setae including suranal seta and elongate anal-lobe seta, with 0 or 1 microtubular ducts.

Dorsum with flagellate setae arranged in 2 or 3 pairs of longitudinal lines (medial, mediolateral and lateral), some flagellate setae replaced by enlarged setae or transitional setae making lines of enlarged and flagellate setae indefinite. Enlarged setae restricted to lateral and sublateral areas of segments IV, V, or VI and VII, of 2 sizes; largest seta 13–14 μm long; enlarged setae pear-shaped to conical, laterally with curved or straight margins, with rounded apex; setal base thin; usually in dermal pockets; segment IV with 10–12 setae, some specimens with all flagellate setae, others with up to 4 enlarged setae; segment IV with combined total of 4–8 enlarged setae dorsally and ventrally. Macrotubular ducts absent. Microtubular ducts 3–4 μm long, with area farthest from dermal orifice sclerotized and divided into 2 parts, apical portion rounded or bilobular, about same length as remaining sclerotized portion; total sclerotized area same length as, or longer than, unsclerotized area; dermal orifice weakly sclerotized, with protruding rounded tube. Microtubular ducts most abundant laterally, less abundant medially from head to segment VIII. Multilocular pores with 6–13 loculi: 7-locular pores and 9-locular pores most abundant; in segmental rows from head to segment VIII. Cruciform pores scattered over surface of head and thorax,uncommon on abdomen.Microtrichia on segmentsVI toVIII.

Anal ring ventral or apical, divided anteriorly and posteriorly, cellular, with 3 setae on each side of ring, each longer than greatest diameter of ring, with additional pair of setae associated with anal ring but not attached, anal tube unsclerotized, anal opening slightly sclerotized, with anal flap.

Venter with longest flagellate seta on segment II 12–22 μm long, on segment VII 20–22 μm long; anal-lobe seta 135–150 μm long. Enlarged setae laterally from prothorax, mesothorax or metathorax to segment VII, with 2 or 3 setae on each side of each segment in each lateral longitudinal line. Macrotubular ducts absent. Microtubular ducts present laterally. Multilocular pores of same kinds as on dorsum, most abundant laterally, uncommon in medial areas of head and abdomen. Cruciform pores absent. Legs with hind coxae with 2–5 indistinct pores; each femur with 5 setae including 2 proximal setae and 3 distal setae; each tibia with 4 distal setae, without middle seta; hind tibia/tarsus 0.9–1.0. Antennae each 6-segmented, 117–120 μm long. Frontal lobes absent. Preantennal pore present. Microtrichia from prothorax to segment VIII, also on hind 2 pairs of coxae.

Notes: The description is based on seven specimens from four localities.The second-instar female of Ov. tippinsi is most similar to the second-instar female of Ov. telotrichus in having ventral enlarged setae, dorsal cruciform pores, and a cellular anal ring. They differ as follows (character states in brackets are of Ov. tippinsi ): apex of abdomen with three pairs of conical enlarged setae (without enlarged setae at abdominal apex); without dorsal multilocular pores (with dorsal multilocular pores).

First-instar nymph ( Fig. 89 )

Description: Slide-mounted specimen 0.9 mm long, 0.4 mm wide. Body elongate oval, with slightly protruding anal lobes. Anal-lobe area on each side dorsally with 3 conical, enlarged setae, with 1 multilocular pore and 1 microtubular duct; ventrally each with 2 flagellate setae including anal-lobe seta, with 1 or 2 multilocular pores and 1 enlarged seta.

Dorsum with flagellate setae arranged in 3 pairs of longitudinal lines (medial, mediolateral and lateral) on head to segment VII, lateral line replaced by slightly enlarged conical setae on segments II to IV and nipple-shaped enlarged setae on segments V to VII. Enlarged setae of 2 kinds: conical setae in anal-lobe area and anterior abdominal segments, 3 on each side of segment VIII; nipple-shaped setae in lateral line on each side of segments V to VII; largest conical seta about 22 μm long; largest nipple-shaped seta about 9 μm long, not in dermal pocket; segment IV with 2 slightly enlarged setae and 2 or 3 pairs of flagellate setae; segment IV with combined total of 5 or 6 slightly enlarged setae dorsally and ventrally. Macrotubular ducts absent. Microtubular ducts each about 4 μm long, with area farthest from dermal orifice sclerotized and divided into 2 parts, apical portion broadly rounded, about same length as remaining sclerotized portion; total sclerotized area same length as unsclerotized area; dermal orifice weakly sclerotized, without protruding tube. Microtubular ducts in lateral line from head to segment VIII. Multilocular pores laterally on head, metathorax, and segments V to VII. Cruciform pores uncommon laterally on thorax and anterior abdomen. Microtrichia on segments VII and VIII.

Anal ring apical or ventral, circular, divided anteriorly and posteriorly, cellular, with 3 setae on each side of ring, each longer than greatest diameter of ring, anal tube unsclerotized, anal opening slightly sclerotized, with anal flap.

Venter with longest flagellate seta on segment II 10 μm long, on segment VII 11 μm long; anal-lobe seta 145 μm long. Slightly enlarged conical setae in longitudinal line along body margin from segment II–VII. Microtubular ducts absent. Multilocular pores present between antennae, along body margin posterior to eye, between front leg and mouthparts, laterad to front legs, 1–3 associated with each spiracle, 1 mesad to each mid- and hind coxa, 2 laterad to each hind leg, 9 or 10 forming lateral longitudinal line on each side of abdominal segments, sometimes with 1 or 2 in sublateral lines on anterior abdominal segments; of 6 kinds: 7-locular pores and 9-locular pores approximately equal in numbers, 5-locular pores less frequent but more numerous than 11- and 13-locular pores. Cruciform pores absent. Legs without pores; each femur with 5 setae including 2 proximally and 3 distally; each tibia with 4 setae, without middle seta; hind tibia/tarsus 0.9. Antennae each 6-segmented, each about 107 μm long. Frontal lobes absent. Preantennal pore present. Microtrichia from metathorax to segment VII, absent from coxae.

Notes: This description is based on one specimen from one locality. The first-instar nymph of Ov. tippinsi is most similar to the first-instar nymph of Ov. telotrichus in having five setae on each femur, three enlarged setae associated with each anal-lobe area, and several multilocular pores associated with each spiracle. They differ as follows (character states in brackets are of Ov. tippinsi ): with mediolateral line of enlarged setae on abdomen (without); nipple-shaped setae present on head (absent); multilocular pores absent from dorsum (present).

Figures

FIGURE 88. Ovaticoccus tippinsi (Miller & Miller 1993), second-instar female, Junction of 92 and 41, Collier Seminole State Park, Collier Co., Florida, April 11, 1974, on grass, R.F. Denno and D.R. Miller. A=enlarged seta; B=slightly enlarged seta; C=7-locular pore; F=microtubular duct; H=cruciform pore; I=anal ring; J=antenna; L=claw; Q=dorsal surface of coxa; T=pore with>7 loculi.

FIGURE 89. Ovaticoccus tippinsi (Miller & Miller 1993), first-instar nymph, Lake north of Mahogany Hammock, Dade Co., Florida, USA, April 9, 1974, on Muhlenbergia sp., R.F. Denno and D.R. Miller.A=enlarged seta; B=slightly enlarged seta; C=7- locular pore; F=microtubular duct; H=cruciform pore; I=anal ring; L=claw; N=flagellate seta; T=pore with>7 loculi; X=anal lobe.