Stictococcus intermedius Newstead

Family

Stictococcidae

Field characters

Body oval, chestnut brown, flattened dorsally but with margin raised off host surface like edge of coin, body margin crenulate; anal opening near center of body; body segmentation deeply grooved in submarginal areas, also with series of deep pits; mealy wax beneath body; somewhat similar in appearance to soft scales but raised body margin and anal opening position distinctive. Not forming ovisac. Males present. Immatures reddish brown. Occurring on stems, small branches, fruit, and roots of host.

Validation characters

Enlarged marginal setae with conspicuously divided apical fringe, usually with more than 3 projections; dorsal submarginal setae divided along shaft, primarily curved. Other characters: Anal opening near middle of body; anal structure with sclerotized ring surrounding an anterior and posterior plate each with several setae; tarsal and claw digitules unusually large, extra enlarged tarsal seta also present.

Comparison

Stictococcus intermedius is similar to S. sjostedti by having long setae on dorsum, unusual leg setae, and raised body margin. Stictococcus intermedius differs by having marginal setae usually with more than 3 projections (2 or 3 projections in S. sjostedti), dorsal submarginal setae divided along shaft (simple in S. sjostedti), dorsal submarginal setae primarily curved (primarily straight in S. sjostedti).

U.S. quarantine notes

This species was intercepted 26 times on a variety of hosts at U. S. ports-of-entry between 1995 and 2012, with specimens originating from Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Panama. We also have examined specimens taken in quarantine from Cameroon (Dacryodes); Ghana (Calocasia, Manilkara, Theobroma); Kenya (Pouteria); Nigeria (Cajanus, Cola, Piper, Uvaria, Uvariopsis, Xylopia). ScaleNet includes hosts in over 10 plant families; it is listed from the Afrotropical zoogeographic region. One species of Stictococcus other than S. formicarius Newstead, S. intermedius and S. sjostedti Cockerell has been intercepted at a U. S. port-of-entry, S. pujoli Richard (Nigeria, on Manilkara).

Important references

Buchne1963; GomezM1942; Newste1917a; Richar1971; Richar1976.

Scalenet catalog and citation list

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