Species Acanthococcus leptospermi (Maskell, 1891)

Museums

Regional Maps

• Eriococcus leptospermi Maskell, W.M. 1891. Further coccid notes: with descriptions of new species from New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 23: 1-36 [dated 1890] [22].

  Type data:

   Syntype(s) NZAC Female, AUSTRALIA.

  Type host:

   Leptospermum laevigatum

Generic Combinations

• Acanthococcus leptospermi (Maskell, 1891). —
  Miller, D.R. & Gimpel, M.E. 1996. Nomenclatural changes in the Eriococcidae (Homoptera: Coccoidea). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 98: 597-606 [602]

Distribution

States

South Australia, Tasmania

Ecological Descriptors

Sap-feeder.

ID Keys

(Hoy, J.M., 1962) [33] (adult female; New Zealand species of Eriococcidae)

GENERAL

Detailed description and illustration by Maskell, W.M. 1891. Further coccid notes: with descriptions of new species from New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 23: 1–36 [dated 1890]. Additional description and illustration by Hoy, J.M. 1962. Eriococcidae (Homoptera: Coccoidea) of New Zealand. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 146: 1–219.

BIOLOGY

This species establishes itself on the surface of the bark, more often towards the tips of branches (see Hoy, J.M. 1961. Eriococcus orariensis Hoy and other Coccoidea (Homoptera) associated with Leptospermum Forst. species in New Zealand. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 141: 1–70).

SYSTEMATICS

Slide-mounted adult female with: enlarged setae conical, apices rounded, setae of 1 variable size, 3 longitudinal lines on each side of abdomen; microtubular ducts of medium length, without sclerotized areas, orifice bifurcate (see Hoy, J.M. 1962. Eriococcidae (Homoptera: Coccoidea) of New Zealand. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 146: 1–219).

STRUCTURE

Sac of female is dirty white or yellowish, usually accompanied by much black fungus, felted and elliptical. Sac of male is white and smaller than that of female. First-instar nymphs are yellow, naked, active and elliptical. Adult female red, elliptical. Adult male is reddish brown (see Maskell, W.M. 1891. Further coccid notes: with descriptions of new species from New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 23: 1–36 [dated 1890]).

Common Name References

Naumann, I.D., Ingram, R.J. & Floyd, R. 2002. Australian Insect Common Names, based on CSIRO Handbook of Australian Insect Names. 6th edn 1993. http://www.ento.csiro.au/aicn/. (Felted Manuka Scale)

History of changes