Valid Names Results

Acanthococcus simplex dealbatus (Maskell, 1897) (Eriococcidae: Acanthococcus)

Nomenclatural History

• Eriococcus simplex dealbata Maskell 1897: 317-318. Type data: AUSTRALIA: Western Australia, on Eucalyptus sp.. Syntypes, female, Type depository: Auckland: New Zealand Arthropod Collection, Landcare Research, New Zealand; accepted valid name
• Eriococcus simplex dealbatus Maskell, 1897; Fuller 1899: 442. change of combination requiring emendation of specific epithet for agreement in gender
• Acanthococcus simplex dealbatus (Maskell, 1897); Miller & Gimpel 1996: 604. change of combination

Common Names

Ecological Associates

Hosts:

Families: 1 | Genera: 1

Geographic Distribution

Keys

Remarks

• Systematics: Maskell (1897) in his original description of this subspecies (variety) indicated that it was very similar to Eriococcus simplex simplex and differed only in the color of the ovisac. In 1897, Fuller gave a very brief description of Eriococcus tricarinatus. Maskell's paper was published in June 1897 and Fuller's paper was printed August 1897. Fuller (1899) gave a more detailed description of E. tricarinatus under a centered heading "13. Eriococcus simplex, var. dealbatus Maskell." He started the description after the heading as follows "Eriococcus tricarinatus, sp. n. (Plate XV, figs. 6, 6a.)" The species name used for figures 6 and 6a is Eriococcus tricarinatus. It is unclear what Fuller really intended. Did he consider E. tricarinatus to be a junior synonym of E. simplex dealbatus or the reverse? Why did he indicate E. tricarinatus to be a new species when it was previously described? Several authors including Hoy (1963) and Deitz & Tocker (1980) listed them as synonyms with E. tricarinatus as the senior synonym. Others, including Cockerell (1899a) and Froggatt (1921a) considered them to be separate. Gullan & Vranjic (1991) questioned the synonomy. If E. tricarinatus and E. simplex dealbatus are synonyms, the senior synonym should be E. simplex dealbatus Maskell (June 1897) and the junior synonym should be E. tricarinatus Fuller (August 1897). There also may be some question as to whether E. simplex dealbatus is a synonym of E. simplex simplex since the only difference mentioned by Maskell in the original description is the color of the ovisac which is prone to variation based on environmental conditions. Therefore, we are considering all three taxa: E. simplex simplex (now Acanthococcus simplex simplex), E. simplex dealbatus and E. tricarinatus (now Acanthococcus tricarinatus) to be separate until further study can be conducted.
• Structure: Sac of female is white, form elliptical. Sac of male is white. Adult female similar to Eriococcus simplex simplex, but differs in having white instead of yellow cotton (Maskell, 1897).

Illustrations

Citations