Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar

TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Photo#916618
NM pinyon needle scale egg masses - Matsucoccus acalyptus

NM pinyon needle scale egg masses - Matsucoccus acalyptus
Kirtland AFB, Bernalillo County, New Mexico, USA
April 25, 2014
Size: 0.231 mm
Download high resolution image here.

This is the first image set of a series (linked below) documenting the life cycle of what I'll refer to as "NM pinyon needle scale" infesting a pinyon tree (Pinus edulis) in the southeast corner of the Federal Credit Union parking lot on the Corner of Sherman Ave. and Chanute St. (Albuquerque East 7.5 minute quadrangle), Kirtland AFB, Bernalillo Co. NM. The species resembles Matsucoccus acalyptus, based on its host, images of the adult M. acalyptus males and females, and the distinctive larval cyst covering from which it emerges shown in Gill 1988(1), Steed 2010, and McCambridge 1964(2). It differs from descriptions in the latter in that its larvae have black/gray eyes instead of pink, and the adult male has 10 antenna segments instead of 9. These may be regional variations, though.

Update: I sent specimens in ETOH to Ian Stocks. He determined this species to be Matsucoccus acalyptus.

We start our series with extensive coverage of egg masses, shown in this image set, on the trunk of the pinyon. The dimension cited is of the length of the egg in the lower left corner. The fine white extruded fibers holding the egg masses together have a sticky consistency (like cotton candy) that traps other small insects, such as the one in the upper right corner. Larvae were actively hatching at the time this egg mass sample was collected. One can be seen in the upper center of the image. This linked image set pans back to provide a wider field of view of the egg masses.

This image is from a CombineZP processed stack of 363 images with a 3.6 µm step taken with a Mitutoyo BD Plan APO 20X/0.42 ∞/0 mm microscope objective + Nikon 135 mm F2.8 AIS telephoto lens + Nikon D300 camera (magnification 13.5×; technique described here).

Phases of development:


Images of this individual: tag all
NM pinyon needle scale egg masses - Matsucoccus acalyptus NM pinyon needle scale egg masses - Matsucoccus acalyptus NM pinyon needle scale egg masses - Matsucoccus acalyptus

Moved
Moved from Matsucoccidae.

I sent specimens in ETOH to Ian Stocks. He determined this species to be Matsucoccus acalyptus.

Moved
Moved from Pityococcus rugulosus.

This species was misidentified as Pityococcus rugulosus due to adult females of that species observed in close proximity to the abandoned second larval cyst coverings of this one. The error was discovered when the actual adult females of this species were observed to differ after they eclosed the following year. The series documenting this species (which starts here) has been moved to Matsucoccidae based on images of the adult male wings and other features, after it too became available. From Foldi 2005, "A matsucoccid male can be recognized easily by their so characteristic surface (pinnate sculpture) of their mesothoracic wings"(1).

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.