Valid Names Results

Albastaspis maskellalba Wei, Normark, & Normark, 2026 (Diaspididae: Albastaspis)

Nomenclatural History

• Mytilaspis pallens alba Maskell 1896b: 388. Type data: AUSTRALIA: New South Wales, Sydney, on Xanthorrhoea sp., by W.W. Froggatt. Syntypes, female, Type depository: Auckland: New Zealand Arthropod Collection, Landcare Research, New Zealand; Washington: United States National Entomological Collection, U.S. National Museum of Natural History, District of Columbia, USA; junior homonym (discovered by Borchs1966, 47). Notes: Hmonym of Mytilaspis albus Cockerell 1893p
• Lepidosaphes pallens alba (Maskell, 1896); Fernald 1903b: 312. change of combination Notes: Mytilaspis was discovered to be a junior synonym of Lepidosaphes
• Mytilaspis alba Maskell, 1896; Ferris 1941d: 271. change in status (level) Notes: Homonym of Mytilaspis alba (Cockerell, 1893)
• Lepidosaphes australis Borchsenius 1966: 47. replacement name that is a homonym Replacement name for Mytilaspis alba (Cockerell, 1893)
• Albastaspis australis Wei, Normark i& Normark 2026: 26. change of combination resulting in homonymy Notes: Homonym of Albastaspis australis (Laing, 1925)
• Albastaspis maskellalba Wei, Normark, & Normark 2026: 28. replacement name

Common Names

Ecological Associates

Hosts:

Families: 1 | Genera: 1

Geographic Distribution

Keys

• WeiNoNo2026: pp.30-36 ( Adult (F) ) [species of Fioriniina in Australia]
• Cocker1899f: pp.14 ( Adult (F) ) [Australian species of Mytilaspis] Key as: Mytilaspis pallens v. alba

Remarks

• Systematics: ZooBank: https://zoobank.org/3942E418-FE80-4E04-BEFD-B2A8382439D1 Lectotype designated in Wei, et al., 2026: 1 adult female, “Australia, on Xanthorrhoea sp. My specimens were sent by Mr. Froggatt, from Sydney” (Maskell 1896). Handwritten slide label: “Mytilaspis / pallens / var. alba / adult female / 1895 / W.M.M.” Barcode label: NZAC02054139 (ANIC). Paralectotypes: 3 adult females on 3 slides, same data as lectotype (USNM).

  The newly expanded genus Albastaspis includes the species that was originally described as Phenacaspis australis Laing, 1925. Thus the name Albastaspis australis (Borchsenius 1966) becomes a secondary junior homonym of Albastaspis australis (Laing, 1925), requiring yet another replacement name. The replacement name chosen, Albastaspis maskellalba, makes reference to the original name and author of the species while adhering to the Code. Albastaspis maskellalba resembles A. pallens, A. kamberra, and A. australis. It differs from A. pallens in lacking pores by the posterior spiracles (pores present in A. pallens), and differs from A. kamberra and A. australis by lacking L3 (L3 present and bilobulate in A. kamberra and A. australis).

• Structure: Female scale snowy-white, elongated, narrow. Exuviae terminal, pale yellow. Male scale similar, but smaller, not carinated (Maskell, 1896b). Redescription in Wei, et al.: Adult female not pupillarial. Slide-mounted adult female (n=4) 1230–1600 μm long, 480–520 μm wide, broadest at metathorax and abdominal segment I. Body outline near fusiform, slender with sides of the body roughly parallel, derm remaining membranous, except on pygidium.
• General Remarks: Detailed description and illustration in Wei, Normark & Normark, 2026.

Illustrations

Citations