Spiroporococcus braggi (Cockerell & Robinson)

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 : 185-186

Spiroporococcus braggi (Cockerell & Robinson)

Fonscolombia braggi Cockerell and Robinson 1915: 106 .

Pseudochermes braggi (Cockerell & Robinson) ; Lindinger 1933b: 32 (change of combination).

Ripersia braggi (Cockerell & Robinson) ; Lindinger 1937: 195 (change of combination).

Tychea braggi (Cockerell & Robinson) ; Lindinger 1943: 151 (change of combination).

Gymnococcus braggi (Cockerell & Robinson) ; Ferris 1955: 184 (change of combination).

Ovaticoccus braggi (Cockerell & Robinson) ; Boratynski 1958: 174 (change of combination).

Spiroporococcus braggi (Cockerell & Robinson) ; Miller and McKenzie 1967: 529-531 (change of combination).

Material examined: UNITED STATES: Colorado: Boulder Co.: Boulder , V-31-1911, on Berberis repens, L.C. Bragg (2 second-instar ♀♀ molting to ad. ♀♀, 1 second-instar ♀, 6 second-instar ♁♁ on 5 slides) UCD .

Since this species was described in Fonscolombia in 1915, it has been moved to six other genera, but has been in Spiroporococcus since the work of Miller and McKenzie (1967). Cockerell and Robinson (1915) provided a very short description of the adult female with a few sketches of cuticular structures, but there is no modern description of the adult female of this species. The second-instar female and second-instar male of this species were erroneously described by Miller and McKenzie (1967) as (“second [?] instar”) and (“third-instar”) respectively. The description of the second-instar male is not repeated here, but for the second-instar female we add a new description and illustration.

Etymology: The species epithet “ braggi ” was formed to honor Luther C. Bragg, who was the curator of the Colorado Agricultural College museum in Boulder, Colorado, USA from 1905 to 1911 and who collected this species.

Adult female

Description: One of the second-instar females is molting to the adult female. Unfortunately, it is not possible to discern all of the diagnostic character states of the adult female, but the following can be seen: enlarged setae on dorsum in 3 pairs of longitudinal lines; enlarged setae conical, lateral margins slightly curved, with blunt apex; with combined total of 8 enlarged setae on segment IV on dorsum and venter; microtubular ducts on dorsum and lateral areas of venter; anal ring with pores, complete; anal ring setae shorter than diameter of ring, slightly enlarged; each femur with 5 setae, 2 proximal and 3 distal; each tibia with 5 setae, 1 in middle.

Notes: The description is based on one molting adult female from one locality. Spiroporococcus braggi differs from other species of Spiroporococcus by having dorsal enlarged setae.

Second-instar female ( Fig. 96 )

Description: Slide-mounted specimens 0.7–1.0 mm long, 0.4–0.5 mm wide. Body broadly oval, with slightly protruding anal lobes. Anal-lobe areas each dorsally with 1 or 2 flagellate setae, 1 or 2 enlarged setae, 1 microtubular duct, 1 or 2 multilocular pores; ventrally each with 3 flagellate setae including suranal seta and elongate anal-lobe seta.

Dorsum with flagellate setae arranged in 2 pairs of irregular longitudinal lines (medial and mediolateral), setae often curved. Enlarged setae in 3 pairs of longitudinal lines (medial, mediolateral and lateral) from head to segment VII, with 1 or 2 pairs of enlarged setae on segment VIII, some enlarged setae replaced by flagellate setae on head and prothorax. Largest setae 8–11 μm long; enlarged setae conical, laterally with nearly straight sides, with blunt apex; setal base thin; not in dermal pockets; segment IV with 9 or 10 setae including 6 enlarged setae and 4 flagellate setae: segment IV with combined total of 10 enlarged setae dorsally and ventrally. Macrotubular ducts absent. Microtubular ducts 4–6 μm long, with area farthest from dermal orifice sclerotized and divided into 2 parts, apical portion rounded, normally smaller than remaining sclerotized portion; total sclerotized area same length as unsclerotized area; dermal orifice sclerotized, with tube projecting from orifice; microtubular ducts scattered over entire surface, abundant on abdomen, associated with enlarged setae. Multilocular pores rare, usually with 1 or 2 on segment VIII. Cruciform pores absent. Microtrichia on segments V to VIII.

Anal ring ventral, complete, with narrow bridge between lateral plates, with few inconspicuous pores; with 3 setae on each side of ring, each shorter than greatest diameter of ring, slightly enlarged; with extra seta on each side of ring; anal tube and anal opening sclerotized; with anal flap.

Venter with longest flagellate seta on segment II 12–17 μm long, on segment VII 12–27 μm long; anal-lobe seta about 140 μm long. Enlarged setae from head to segment VII, with 2 longitudinal lines in lateral areas. Multilocular pores abundant over entire surface, concentrated in false atrium of each spiracle; of 3 kinds: 5-locular pores most abundant; 3-locular pores and 7-locular pores rare, 7-locular pores sometimes absent. Cruciform pores laterally on thorax. Legs with hind coxae with inconspicuous pores, sometimes absent; each femur with 5 setae, 2 proximal and 3 distal; each tibia with 5 setae, with 1 in middle; hind tibia/tarsus 0.8. Antennae each 6-segmented, 120–125 μm long. Frontal lobes absent. Preantennal pore present. Microtrichia from head or mesothorax to segment VIII, also on mesothoracic and metathoracic coxae.

Notes: The description is based on three specimens from one locality. For a comparison of Spiroporococcus braggi with S. yuccae , see the “Notes” section of that species below.

Figures

FIGURE 96. Spiroporococcus braggi (Cockerell & Robinson 1915), second-instar female, Boulder, Boulder Co., Colorado, May, 31, 1911, on Berberis repens, L.C. Bragg.A=enlarged seta; B=slightly enlarged seta; D=5-locular pore; E=3-locular pore; F=microtubular duct; H=cruciform pore; I=anal ring; Q=dorsal surface of coxa.