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Bizarre scale insect (Barbenigma biza) and bush scale insect (Barbenigma boscus), two new species in new genus

Bizarre scale insect (Barbenigma biza) and bush scale insect (Barbenigma boscus), two new species in new genus

NEWS - Researchers report bizarre scale insect (Barbenigma biza Powell & Miller, sp. nov.) and bush scale insect (Barbenigma boscus Powell & Miller, sp. nov.), Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Ortheziidae, two species of bizarre scale insects in a new genus from Florida and Nebraska, United States.

Ortheziidae (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) comprise 216 species in 24 genera; several of which are extinct and known only from specimens in amber. Barbenigma Powell & Miller, gen. nov., expands the concept of the Ortheziidae.

Characters supporting placement in the Ortheziidae include: ventral thoracic spiracles; three pairs of abdominal spiracles; fused trochanters and femurs; large, well-developed anal ring; pores present in the ring surrounding the anal opening; modified quadrilocular pores; and differentiated apical setae on the antennae.

The new genus shares many characters with the four species previously placed in Carayonemidae such as having fused trochanters and femurs; trochanters with two campaniform sensilla on each surface; three-segmented antennae.

Differentiated apical and subapical antennal setae; dorsal setae with fimbriate apices, and the presence of abdominal spiracles; but lacks the dorsal thoracic spiracles and bilocular pores that have been used to distinguish this family from Ortheziidae.

Barbenigma supports a close relationship between Ortheziidae and Carayonemidae. Phylogenetic analysis using morphological characters supports that the four species previously placed in the family Carayonemidae and the two new species form a monophyletic group within Ortheziidae as subfamily Carayoneminae Richard new synonym and change of rank.

Adult female Barbenigma have antennae each three-segmented, apical and subapical setae differentiated. Legs reduced in size, tibia and tarsus not fused, trochanter with two campaniform sensilla on each surface, trochanter and femur fused. Ovisac band modified.

Wax plates, multilocular pores, and eyes absent. With three pairs of abdominal spiracles, atria of both thoracic and abdominal spiracles each with ring of raised pores.

Abdomen with eight quadrilocular duct and spine clusters. Setae on dorsum and margin robust and fimbriate, spines on dorsum and margin each with swollen rounded apices, setae and spines reduced in number.

The genus name is derived from the shortened name “Barb” (from Barbara) and the suffix “enigma”. The name is a dedication to Barbara Denno who has made significant contributions to the coccidology community through her dedication including the journey in which the holotype of B. boscus was collected.

In addition, the given name Barbara is derived from the Greek “barbaros”, meaning “foreigner”. This comparison is appropriate for a scale insect whose family placement is confusing. The suffix “enigma” in Greek means enigma, or something or someone that is a puzzle or mystery.

B. biza gets its name as an abbreviation of the word “bizarre”. B. boscus gets its name from the Medieval Latin word “boscus,” meaning “bush,” referring to the cluster of channels in this species.

B. biza differs from B. boscus in having more dorsal abdominal spines, usually paired on the submargin on each side of each abdominal segment (vs. the solitary spines of B. boscus); body setae with blunt apices, but not capitate (capitate); dorsal spines 14–23 μm (22–31 μm) long; and dorsal fimbriate setae 16–30 μm (26–39 μm) long.

Researchers assessed the two species based on 77 morphological characters and included them in an expanded dataset. Barbenigma gen. nov. as sister to a clade of four species of Carayonemidae.

The clade is within Ortheziidae, making the family polyphyletic and relegating Carayonemidae to subfamily level, Carayoneminae Richard a new synonym and a change of rank within Ortheziidae.

Original research

Erin C. Powell, Douglass R. Miller & Oliver Keller (2024). Barbenigma Powell & Miller, a bizarre new genus and two new species of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Ortheziidae) from the United States. Zootaxa 5529 (2): 293–317, DOI:10.11646/zootaxa.5529.2.4

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