ARE THE ENLARGED DUCTS OF ERIOCOCCUS (HEMIPTERA: COCCOIDEA: ERIOCOCCIDAE) PLESIOMORPHIC?

Abstract

ARE THE ENLARGED DUCTS OF ERIOCOCCUS (HEMIPTERA: COCCOIDEA: ERIOCOCCIDAE) PLESIOMORPHIC?

Borchsenius (1948) separated the genus Eriococcus Targioni-Tozzetti (Eriococcidae) from Acanthococcus Signoret and Gossyparia Signoret on the basis of the occurrence of enlarged ducts in the adult female of the type-species, E. buxi (Fonscolombe). Enlarged ducts are found also in another Palaearctic species, a Chilean eriococcid and several Australian species of Eriococcus. The enlarged ducts of Eriococcus are similar in appearance and distribution to the large oral rim ducts of Ferrisia Fullaway (Pseudococcidae) and the dorsal tubercle ducts of Ceronema Maskell and some species of Pulvinaria Targioni-Tozzetti (Coccidae). It is argued that the enlarged ducts in taxa from each of these three families are homologous and therefore may be plesiomorphic for the Eriococcidae. If so, the possession of enlarged ducts is not of itself sufficient to justify the separation of Eriococcus as defined by Borchsenius.

Key words: macrotubular ducts, microtubular ducts, Aclerdidae, Cerococcidae, Coccidae, Kermesidae, Lecanodiaspididae, Putoidae, Acanthococcus aceris, Ceronema banksii, C. dryandrae, Eriococcus buxi, E. eucalypti, E. williamsi, Exallococcus laureliae, Ferrisia virgata, Greenisca, Kaweckia, Lagosinia strachani, Pulvinaria dodonaeae, Rhizococcus, phylogeny, morphology, wax.