Maconellicoccus cressae (Hall, 1927) Evans & Abd-Rabou, 2023

Evans, Gregory A. & Abd-Rabou, Shaaban, 2023, The mealybugs (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae) of Egypt, Insecta Mundi 2023 (999), pp. 1-83 : 19

Maconellicoccus cressae (Hall, 1927) , new combination ( Figure 22 , after Ezzat 1962b)

Taxonomy. Phenacoccus hirsutus cressae Hall 1927c: 270 . Type data. EGYPT: in the desert near Khanka, 1926, on Cressa cretica .

Trionymus euphorbiae Hall 1927c: 271 . Type data. EGYPT: Sollum , on Euphorbia sp. ; synonymy according to Ezzat 1962b: 72.

Trionymus cressae (Hall, 1927) ; Ezzat 1962b: 72, change of combination.

Hosts in Egypt. Cressa cretica , Euphorbia sp. ( Hall 1927c).

Distribution in Egypt. in the desert near Khanka; Sollum ( Hall 1927c).

Remarks. Hall (1927c) described Phenacoccus hirsutus var. cressae as a variety of Maconellicoccus hirsutus as having 8−9 antennal segments, but usually 8 segments. Like Maconellicoccus hirsutus , it has oral rim ducts on both the dorsum and venter, an anal bar, and 4 pairs of cerarii on the 4 posteriormost abdominal segments but differs primarily in lacking a circulus and usually having 8-segmented antennae versus M. hirsutus which has a circulus and 9-segmented antennae. In the key to the species of Maconellicoccus provided by Williams (1996), this species would key to Maconellicoccus leptospermi Williams in that it lacks a circulus, has 4 pairs of cerarii and has oral collar tubular ducts on the dorsum, but differs that species and other Maconellicoccus species by having translucent pores on the hind coxae. This species is also known to occur in Jordan and Turkey on the hosts mentioned above. Ezzat (1962b) provided a good re-description and illustration of the species.

Figures

Figure 22. Maconellicoccus cressae (after Ezzat 1962b).