New genera and species of felt scales (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Eriococcidae), with descriptions of new species and immature instars of described species.

In this work, emphasis is placed on the Eriococcidae (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) of the Nearctic Region including the immature instars of many species not previously described, two new genera (Carphococcus Miller and Stocks and Ypofloiococcus Miller and Stocks), and 11 new species (Acanthococcus pennyae Miller and Stocks, Carph. apodus Miller and Stocks, Carpochloroides eugeniae Miller and Stocks, Ovaticoccus betsyae Miller and Stocks, Ov. gordoni Miller and Stocks, Ov. haigi Miller and Stocks, Ov. maryfoleybensonae Miller and Stocks, Ov. telotrichus Miller and Stocks, Ov. tuttlei Miller and Stocks, Ov. villanuevorum Miller and Stocks and Y. libeauae Miller and Stocks). In addition to the new taxa, descriptions and illustrations are provided for adult females, adult males and/or immature instars of Ac. arenosus (Cockerell), Ac. coccineus (Cockerell), Ac. dennoi Miller and Miller, Ac. gallicolus (Cockerell & Rohwer), Ac. hoyi Miller and Miller, Ac. kemptoni (Parrott), Apezococcus idiastes Ferris, Carpo. mexicanus Ferris, Cryptococcus fagisuga Lindinger, Cr. williamsi Kosztarab and Hale, Hypericicoccus hyperici (Ferris), Ov. agavacearum Pellizzari and Kozár, Ov. agavium (Douglas), Ov. cornutus (Ferris), Ov. densus (Miller), Ov. eriogoni (Miller), Ov. exoticus Pellizzari and Kozár, Ov. neglectus (Cockerell), Ov. peruvianus (Granara de Willink & Díaz), Ov. salviae Miller, Ov. sanguineus (Miller), Ov. tippinsi Miller and Miller, Ov. variabilis Miller, Spiroporococcus braggi (Cockerell & Robinson), S. yuccae (Ferris) and Xerococcus foquieriae Ferris. Lectotype designations are made for Ap. idiastes. Carpo, mexicanus and H. hyperici. New collection data are provided for Ov. californicus McKenzie, Ov. johnsoni (Miller), Ov. mackenziei Miller, Ov. parvispina (Chaffin) and Ov. viscosa (Kondo). Dichotomous keys are given for: determination of most eriococcid instars of both sexes; Nearctic genera of the Eriococcidae based on adult females; adult females, second-instar females, second-instar males, and first-instar nymphs of Ovaticoccus Kloet 1944; and the seven species of Acanthococcus Signoret 1875 treated here, based on first-instar nymphs. Oregmopyga Hoy 1963 and Cornoculus Ferris 1955 are treated as junior subjective synonyms of Ovaticoccus. Atriplicia Cockerell and Rohwer 1909 has been placed previously as a junior synonym of Eriococcus but here is regarded as a junior subjective synonym of Acanthococcus. We treat 44 species; new descriptions are provided for 101 treated instars, and detailed line drawings are given for all but three of them. The following species, listed in ScaleNet as occurring in the Nearctic Region, are transferred to Acanthococcus from Eriococcus Targioni Tozzetti 1868: Acanthococcus actius Miller and Miller 1993 rev. comb.; Ac. arenariae Miller and Miller 1993 rev. comb.; Ac. barri Miller 1991 rev. comb.; Ac. beshearae Miller and Miller 1993 rev. comb.; Ac. dennoi Miller and Miller 1993 rev. comb.; Ac. droserae Miller, Liu and Howell 1992 rev. comb.; Ac. epacrotrichus Miller and Miller 1992 rev. comb.; Ac. froebeae Miller 1991 rev. comb.; Ac. gallicolus (Cockerell & Rohwer 1909) comb. n.; Ac. hoyi Miller and Miller 1992 rev. comb.; Ac. mackenziei Miller and Miller 1992 rev. comb.; Ac. macrobactrus Miller and Miller 1992 rev. comb.; Ac. megaporus Miller and Miller 1993 rev. comb.; A. mesotrichus Miller and Miller 1993 rev. comb.; Ac. microtrichus Miller and Miller 1992 rev. comb.; Ac. monotrichus Miller and Miller 1993 rev. comb.; Ac. ophius Miller and Miller 1993 rev. comb.; Ac. stauroporus Miller and Miller 1992 rev. comb.; Ac. washingtonensis Miller and Miller 1992 rev. comb.; and Ac. whiteheadi Miller 1991 rev. comb. In addition, two species are transferred to Acanthococcus from Rhizococcus Signoret: Ac. coccineus (Cockerell 1894a) rev. comb. and Ac. kemptoni (Parrott 1900) rev. comb. Three images of water color paintings by Mary Foley Benson are included.

Taxonomic and identification review of adventive Fiorinia Targioni Tozzetti (Hemiptera, Coccomorpha, Diaspididae) of the United States.

This work provides general descriptions, illustrations, molecular diagnostic data, taxonomic keys, slide mounting recommendations, and Florida distribution records for Fiorinia Targioni Tozzetti species occurring in the USA. Species treated are F.externa Ferris, F.fioriniae (Targioni Tozzetti), F.japonica Kuwana, F.pinicola Maskell, F.phantasma Cockerell & Robinson, F.proboscidaria Green, and F.theae Green. New descriptions of second-instar males and females of all seven species in addition to first-instar nymphs and adult females of F.phantasma and F.proboscidaria are presented. Taxonomic keys to second-instar males and females are developed for the first time and previously available taxonomic keys to first-instar nymphs and adult females are improved. DNA sequences were used to further evaluate the monophyly of Fiorinia and provide additional diagnostic tools for Fiorinia species. Multigene phylogenetic analyses, COI barcoding methods, and examination of type material indicate that F.yongxingensis Liu, Cai & Feng, 2020, syn. nov. is a junior synonym of F.phantasma. A morphological survey of the genus demonstrates, for the first time, the utility of second-instar males for diagnostics. This study will help inform regulatory and pest management decisions by facilitating morphological and molecular identification of adventive Fiorinia species occurring in the USA.

Rediscovering digitules in Aphidomorpha and the question of homology among Sternorrhyncha (Insecta, Hemiptera).

We explore and expand on the morphological term digitule. The term was originally proposed for toe-like setae on a species of Phylloxera Boyer de Fonscolombe, 1834 (Hemiptera, Sternorrhyncha, Aphidomorpha) by Henry Shimer, an American naturalist. While it is standard terminology in scale systematics (Hemiptera, Sternorrhyncha, Coccidomorpha), the term digitule was ignored by aphid specialists despite being the original taxon for which the term was described. Similar setae occur on many arthropod groups, so the homology is poorly understood even within any superfamily of Hemiptera. We provide the etymology of the term, a proposed explanation for why it was used among scale taxonomists and not aphid taxonomists, and discuss briefly options to progress beyond the confusion between terminology for morphology and homology in Sternorrhyncha.

ScaleNet: a literature-based model of scale insect biology and systematics.

Scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) are small herbivorous insects found on all continents except Antarctica. They are extremely invasive, and many species are serious agricultural pests. They are also emerging models for studies of the evolution of genetic systems, endosymbiosis and plant-insect interactions. ScaleNet was launched in 1995 to provide insect identifiers, pest managers, insect systematists, evolutionary biologists and ecologists efficient access to information about scale insect biological diversity. It provides comprehensive information on scale insects taken directly from the primary literature. Currently, it draws from 23,477 articles and describes the systematics and biology of 8194 valid species. For 20 years, ScaleNet ran on the same software platform. That platform is no longer viable. Here, we present a new, open-source implementation of ScaleNet. We have normalized the data model, begun the process of correcting invalid data, upgraded the user interface, and added online administrative tools. These improvements make ScaleNet easier to use and maintain and make the ScaleNet data more accurate and extendable. Database URL: http://scalenet.info.

The identity and distribution of Fiorinia phantasma (Cockerell & Robinson) (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Diaspididae), with a new synonym.

The morphologies of Fiorinia phantasma (Cockerell & Robinson) (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Diaspididae) and F. coronata Williams & Watson are reviewed, and the name F. coronata is placed as a junior synonym of the name F. phantasma syn. n. The known geographical distribution and host range of F. phantasma is documented and discussed. An identification key to 12 of the 16 species of Fiorinia known from the Australasian, Nearctic and Neotropical Regions is provided.

Scale Insects, edition 2, a tool for the identification of potential pest scales at U.S.A. ports-of-entry (Hemiptera, Sternorrhyncha, Coccoidea).

We provide a general overview of features and technical specifications of an online, interactive tool for the identification of scale insects of concern to the U.S.A. ports-of-entry. Full lists of terminal taxa included in the keys (of which there are four), a list of features used in them, and a discussion of the structure of the tool are provided. We also briefly discuss the advantages of interactive keys for the identification of potential scale insect pests. The interactive key is freely accessible on http://idtools.org/id/scales/index.php.