Stictococcus formicarius 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. Occurring on stems, small branches, and fruit of host.

Validation characters

Enlarged marginal setae bullet-shaped, with rounded, undivided apex; dorsal submarginal setae divided along shaft, primarily straight; clusters of flower-shaped setae on dorsum. 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 formicarius is similar to S. sjostedti Cockerell by having unusual leg setae and raised body margin. Stictococcus formicarius differs by having enlarged marginal setae rounded and undivided (divided in S. sjostedti) and clusters of flower-shaped setae on dorsum (absent in S. sjostedti).

U.S. quarantine notes

This species was intercepted 1 time at U. S. ports-of-entry between 1995 and 2012, with the specimen originating from Cameroon. We also have examined specimens taken in quarantine from Cameroon (Dacryodes); West Africa (unknown fruit). ScaleNet includes hosts in over 15 plant families; it is listed from the Afrotropical zoogeographic region. One species of Stictococcus other than S. formicarius, S. intermedius Newstead and S. sjostedti Cockerell has been intercepted at a U. S. port-of-entry, S. pujoli Richard (Nigeria, on Manilkara).

Important references

Newste1910b; Richar1971; Richar1976; Vayssi1936a.

Scalenet catalog and citation list

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