Subspecies Eriococcus simplex dealbatus Maskell, 1897

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Subspecies Eriococcus simplex dealbatus Maskell, 1897

Eriococcus simplex dealbata Maskell, W.M. 1897. Further coccid notes: with descriptions of new species and discussions of points of interest. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 29: 293-331 [317].

Ecological Descriptors

Sap-feeder.

STRUCTURE

Sac of female is white, form elliptical. Sac of male is white. Adult female similar to Eriococcus simplex simplex, but differs in having white instead of yellow cotton (see Maskell, W.M. 1897. Further coccid notes: with descriptions of new species and discussions of points of interest. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 29: 293–331).

SYSTEMATICS

Maskell, W.M. 1897. Further coccid notes: with descriptions of new species and discussions of points of interest. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 29: 293–331 in his original description of this subspecies (variety) indicated that it was very similar to Eriococcus simplex simplex and differed only in the color of the ovisac. In 1897, Fuller gave a very brief description of Eriococcus tricarinatus. Maskell's paper was published in June 1897 and Fuller's paper was printed August 1897. Fuller, C. 1899. XIV. Notes and descriptions of some species of Western Australian Coccidae. Transactions of the Entomological Society of London 1899: 435–473 gave a more detailed description of E. tricarinatus under a centered heading "13. Eriococcus simplex, var. dealbatus Maskell." He started the description after the heading as follows "Eriococcus tricarinatus, sp. n. (Plate XV, figs. 6, 6a)." The species name used for figures 6 and 6a is Eriococcus tricarinatus. It is unclear what Fuller really intended. Did he consider E. tricarinatus to be a junior synonym of E. simplex dealbatus or the reverse? Why did he indicate E. tricarinatus to be a new species when it was previously described? Several authors including Hoy, J.M. 1963. A catalogue of the Eriococcidae (Homoptera: Coccoidea) of the world. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 150: 1–260 and Deitz, L.L. & Tocker, M.F. 1980. W.M. Maskell's Homoptera: Species-group names and type-material. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Information Series 146: 1–76 listed them as synonyms with E. tricarinatus as the senior synonym. Others, including Cockerell, T.D.A. 1899. Article VII. – First supplement to the check-list of the Coccidae. Bulletin of the Illinois State Laboratory of Natural History 5: 389–398 and Froggatt, W.W. 1921. A descriptive catalogue of the scale insects (Coccidae) of Australia. (Part II [Concl.]). Science Bulletin, Department of Agriculture, New South Wales 18: 1–159 considered them to be separate. Gullan, P.J. & Vranjic, J.A. 1991. The taxonomy of the gum tree scales Eriococcus confusus Maskell and E. coriaceus Maskell (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Eriococcidae). General and Applied Entomology 23: 21–40 questioned the synonomy. If E. tricarinatus and E. simplex dealbatus are synonyms, the senior synonym should be E. simplex dealbatus Maskell (June 1897) and the junior synonym should be E. tricarinatus Fuller (August 1897). There also may be some question as to whether E. simplex dealbatus is a synonym of E. simplex simplex since the only difference mentioned by Maskell in the original description is the color of the ovisac which is prone to variation based on environmental conditions. Therefore, we are considering all three taxa: E. simplex simplex, E. simplex dealbatus and E. tricarinatus to be separate until further study can be conducted.