title: A new gall-inducing genus and species of Eriococcidae (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccoidea) on Sapindaceae from Brazil.
abstract: A new gall-inducing genus and species of felt scales (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Eriococcidae) found on the leaves and twigs of Matayba guianensis (Sapindaceae) in Brazil is described: Bystracoccus Hodgson gen n. and B. mataybae Hodgson, Isaias & Oliveira sp. n.  This is the first record of an eriococcid inducing leaf and stem galls on Sapindaceae and is only the second example of a member of the Eriococcidae to induce stem galls in which the insects diapause during the dry (winter) season.  Only the adult female, second-instar female and crawler are known.  The species overwinters as the first-instar nymph in pit galls on the twigs but spends the rest of the year associated with two-chambered galls on the leaves.  It has recently become clear that South America has a rich felt-scale insect fauna many of which induce galls. It has proved very difficult to place this new genus in a family as it appears to fall between the Eriococcidae and Beesoniidae but is here placed in the eriococcids based on the similarity of the first-instar nymphs and the abundance of this family in the Neotropics.  However, the dorsum of the abdomen of the mature adult female becomes heavily sclerotised, forming a round plug-like structure that completely fills the gall orifice.  This structure shows remarkable morphological similarities to that of the beesoniid Danumococcus parashoreae Takagi & Hodgson found on Parashorea tomentella (Dipterocarpaceae) in Sabah, Malaysia, with which it is compared along with other eriococcid genera known from South America.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biodiversity and Biological Systematics, The National Museum of Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NP, UK; Email: hodgsoncj@cardiff.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hodgson
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antonio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, Minas Geras, Brazil; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Rosy M S
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Isaias
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Rua Ceará s/n, campus Umuarama, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000825:Animal Structures / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D006430:Hemiptera / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D009758:Nymph / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000469:parasitology; D010941:Plant Tumors / Q000469:parasitology*; D029631:Sapindaceae / Q000469:parasitology*