Acanthococcus orzo Deeter, Miller & Powell, 2025

Deeter, Lily A., Miller, Douglass R., Powell, Erin C. & Moore, Matthew R., 2025, A new species of grass-infesting felt scale (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Eriococcidae), with descriptions of all life stages and a key to the adult female Acanthococcus Signoret of Florida, U. S. A., Zootaxa 5717 (2), pp. 207-234 : 211-213

Acanthococcus orzo Deeter, Miller & Powell , sp. nov.

Proposed common name: muhly grass felt scale

Material examined

Holotype: adult ♀, slide-mounted singly. FLORIDA: Gadsden Co. / Quincy / 30.545026, -84.594270 / 2 JUL 2024 / Lily Deeter / Ex. Muhlenbergia capillaris / E-2024-06962-1// FSCA _00073761. ( FSCA)

Paratypes: FLORIDA, all on M. capillaris ( Poaceae ), collected by L. Deeter: Alachua Co.: Gainesville, Depot Park , ( 29.6450, -82.3230), 16.III.2024, E-2024-02816-1, ( 1 ad. ♀ ( FSCA _00073752), 1 second-instar ♂ ( FSCA _ 00073801) on 2 slides) ( FSCA) ; Gainesville, Depot Park , ( 29.64494, -82.322757), 29.III.2024, E-2024-03057- 1, (4 second-instar ♀♀ ( FSCA _00073763, FSCA _00073765, FSCA _00073767, FSCA _00073777), 3 first-instar nymphs ( FSCA _00073790, FSCA _00073793– FSCA _00073794), 3 second-instar ♂♂ ( FSCA _00073802, FSCA _ 00073807– FSCA _00073808) 1 fourth-instar ♂ ( FSCA _0073813) on 11 slides) ( FSCA) ; Gainesville, Doyle Conner Building, 1911 SW 34 th St , 3.IV.2024, E-2024-03431-1, (4 second-instar ♀♀ ( FSCA _00073780– FSCA _00073782), 2 first-instar nymphs ( FSCA _00073787– FSCA _00073788), 1 second-instar ♂ ( FSCA _00073799), 1 fourth-instar ♂ ( FSCA _00073812) on 8 slides) ( FSCA) ; Gainesville, Depot Park , ( 29.64489, -82.32273), 29.IV.2024, E-2024- 04442-1, ( 1 ad. ♀ ( FSCA _00073753), 2 second-instar ♀♀ ( FSCA _00073766, FSCA _00073778, 1 first-instar nymph ( FSCA _00073789), 1 second-instar ♂ ( FSCA _00073809), 1 third-instar ♂ ( FSCA _00073811) on 6 slides) ( FSCA) ; Gainesville, Doyle Conner Building, 1911 SW 34 th St , 21.V.2024, E-2024-05582-1, ( 3 ad. ♀♀ ( FSCA _00073758, FSCA _00073754, FSCA _00073774), 2 second-instar ♀♀ ( FSCA _00073764, FSCA _00073776), 1 second-instar ♂ ( FSCA _00073800) on 6 slides) ( FSCA) ; Gainesville, Doyle Conner Building, 1911 SW 34 th St , 11.VI.2024, E-2024-06221-1, ( 3 ad. ♀♀ ( FSCA _00073773, FSCA _00073759- FSCA _00073760), 3 second-instar ♀♀ ( FSCA _ 00073783– FSCA00073785 ), 3 first-instar nymphs ( FSCA _00073786, FSCA _00073791– FSCA _00073792, FSCA _00073795), 4 second-instar ♂♂ ( FSCA _00073803– FSCA _00073806) on 12 slides) (8 FSCA, 4 USNM) ; Gainesville, Swamp Head Brewery, 3650 SW 42 nd Ave , 14.VI.2024, E-2024-06374-1, (1 second-instar ♂ ( FSCA _ 00073798) on 1 slide) ( FSCA) ; Gainesville, Swamp Head Brewery, 3650 SW 42 nd Ave , 27.VI.2024, E-2024-07317- 1, ( 3 ad. ♀♀ ( FSCA _00073750–73751, FSCA _00073775) on 3 slides) ( FSCA) ; Gadsden Co.: Quincy , 2.VII.2024, E-2024-06962-1, ( 7 ad. ♀♀ ( FSCA _00073755–73757, FSCA _00073769– FSCA _00073772), 2 first-instar nymphs ( FSCA _00073796– FSCA _00073797), 2 second-instar ♂♂ ( FSCA _00073768, FSCA _00073810), 1 fourth-instar ♂ ( FSCA _00073814), 3 ad. ♂♂ ( FSCA _00073815– FSCA _00073817) on 14 slides) (10 FSCA, 1 USNM, 1 CSCA, 1 NCSU, 1 UCD) .

Other, non-paratype material examined: FLORIDA, all on M. capillaris ( Poaceae ), collected by L. Deeter unless otherwise specified: Alachua Co.: Gainesville, Doyle Conner Building , 1911 SW 34 th St , 13.V.2021, coll. S. Halbert & L. Deeter, E-2021-2274-1, ( 2 ad. ♀♀ ( FSCA _00073825– FSCA _00073826), 1 second-instar ♂ ( FSCA _00073827) on 3 slides) ( FSCA) ; Gainesville, Doyle Conner Building, 1911 SW 34 th St , 21.V.2021, coll. K. Schnepp & L. Deeter, E-2021-2585-1, ( 1 ad. ♀ ( FSCA _00073828) on 1 slide) ( FSCA) ; Gainesville, Doyle Conner Building, 1911 SW 34 th St , 21.VI.2021, E-2021-3509-1, (1 second-instar ♂ ( FSCA _00073829) on 1 slide) ( FSCA) ; Gainesville, Swamp Head Brewery, 3650 SW 42 nd Ave , 26.VIII.2021, coll. J. Brambila, E-2021-4233-1, ( 1 ad. ♀ ( FSCA _00073831), 1 second-instar ♀ ( FSCA _00073830) on 2 slides) ( FSCA) ; Gainesville, Depot Park , ( 29.64494, -82.322757), 29.III.2024, E-2024-03057-1, (1 parasitized ad. ♀ ( FSCA _00073823) on 1 slide) ( FSCA) ; Gainesville, Depot Park , ( 29.64489, -82.32273), 29.IV.2024, E-2024-04442-1, (1 parasitized ad. ♀ ( FSCA _00073824) on 1 slide) ; Gainesville, Doyle Conner Building, 1911 SW 34 th St , 21.V.2024, E-2024-06221-1, ( 1 ad. ♀ ( FSCA _00073822) on 1 slide) ( FSCA) ; Gainesville, Swamp Head Brewery, 3650 SW 42 nd Ave , 14.VI.2024, E-2024-06374-1, ( 2 ad. ♀♀ ( FSCA _00073820– FSCA _00073821) on 2 slides) ( FSCA) ; Gadsden Co.: Quincy , 2.VII.2024, E-2024-06962-1, ( 1 ad. ♀ ( FSCA _00073818), 1 first-instar nymph ( FSCA _00073819) on 2 slides) ( FSCA) .

Field features: Only observed on M. capillaris , never feeding within leaf sheath but always above ligule, within tubular space created by tightly involute leaf blade. Specimens seem to prefer area directly above ligule but can be found anywhere within length of blade. Body oblong elliptical, white to yellow in first-instar nymphs, yellow to mottled with purple in second-instar nymphs and adult females ( Figs 2a–b ), and purple in gravid adult females ( Fig. 2c ). Short crystalline wax rods present on dorsum and body margins, curving posteriorly except for those on the head, which are straight. Venter with light dusting of white wax. Mature adult female situated within a long white felted ovisac, with yellow to purple eggs. First ovisac with eggs observed in May ( Fig. 2c ) and male pupae first observed in March (2024-03057-1, FSCA _0073813).

Etymology: The specific epithet “ orzo ” is a name for ellipsis-shaped pasta, referring to the shape of the adult female and immature stages, and is used as a noun in apposition.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Acanthococcus orzo Deeter, Miller & Powell, sp. nov., FLORIDA, Gainesville. (a) Live adult female and immature nymph inside opened involute leaf blade of Muhlenbergia capillaris, Depot Park (29.64494, -82.322757), 29.III.2024, on M. capillaris (Poaceae), coll. L. Deeter, E-2024-03057-1. (b) Live adult female and immature nymph inside opened involute leaf blade of M. capillaris, same collection data. (c) Adult female flipped on side to show ventral surface and eggs, Doyle Conner Building, 1911 SW 34th St, 21 V 2024, on Muhlenbergia capillaris (Poaceae), coll. L. Deeter, E-2024-05582-1.