Valid Names Results

Acanthococcus gallicolus (Cockerell & Rohwer, 1909) (Eriococcidae: Acanthococcus)

Nomenclatural History

• Atriplicia gallicola Cockerell & Rohwer 1909: 169. Type data: UNITED STATES: Colorado, Trinidad, on Atriplex canescens, 09/11/1908, by L.C. Bragg. Syntypes, female, Type depository: Davis: The Bohart Museum of Entomology, University of California, California, USA; accepted valid name
• Eriococcus gallicola (Cockerell & Rohwer, 1909); Lindinger 1914: 116. change of combination and misspelling of species epithet
• Nidularia gallicola (Cockerell & Rohwer, 1909); Lindinger 1933a. change of combination
• Eriococcus gallicolus Ferris 1957c. revived combination requiring emendation of specific epithet for agreement in gender
• Acanthococcus gallicolus (Ferris, 1957); Miller & Stocks 2022: 5. change of combination

Common Names

• atriplex gall scale Gill1993

Ecological Associates

Hosts:

Families: 1 | Genera: 1

Geographic Distribution

Keys

• MillerSt2022: pp.12 ( First instar ) [Acanthococcus species]

Remarks

• Systematics: Slide-mounted adult female with anal-lobe setae slender, not enlarged (Ferris, 1955a). The main character state separating this species from other Acanthococcus species is the absence of enlarged setae. The enlarged setae of species of Acanthococcusserve as the base of crystalline wax rods that may function in camouflaging the species or in protecting it from natural enemies. In the case of Ac. gallicolus, the enlarged setae apparently have been lost because their utility would seem to be unnecessary within the confines of a gall. Since the first-instar nymph of Ac. gallicolus is nearly identical to the first-instar nymphs of many other North American species of Acanthococcus Miller & Stocks (2022) agree with Lindinger (1914) and Ferris (1957) and consider Atriplicia to be a junior subjective synonym, in this case of Acanthococcus, not Eriococcus.
• Structure: Adult female oval, reddish pink in life, dull crimson when boiled in potash, not enclosed in ovisac. The gall consists of the sub-globular swollen base of the Atriplex leaf, the sides being folded upwards, leaving an open slit above, the margins of which are curled outward. The end of the leaf makes a pointed process at the end of each gall (Ferris, 1955a). According to Felt (1918), the galls are alternate on the host plant. Dried galls contain the exuviae of the second-instar female and the withered adult female, and are lined with a thin layer of wax similar to the secretion produced on the venter of many eriococcids. (Miller & Stocks, 2022)
• Economic Importance: A parasite was found from this insect which resembled Encyrtinae and Aphelininae (Gill, 1993).
• General Remarks: Ferris (1955a) provides a description and illustration. Illustrations of the adult female, second-instar female and first instar nymph in Miller & Stocks, 2022.

Illustrations

Citations