Pseudophacopteron morion, Malenovský & Burckhardt & Tamesse, 2007

Malenovský, Igor, Burckhardt, Daniel & Tamesse, Joseph L., 2007, Jumping plant-lice of the family Phacopteronidae (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) from Cameroon, Journal of Natural History 41 (29 - 32), pp. 1875-1927 : 1915-1918

Pseudophacopteron morion sp. n.

(Figures 2A, B, 4E, 5H, 6F, 7F, 8F, 9G, 10F, 12C, 13F, 18, 21E, 22D, E)

Description

Adult. Colour: body dark brown to black. Vertex in front and along midline, genae, frons, and clypeus usually lighter brown. Pronotum dark brown to black. Mesopraescutum dark brown to black or with a small lighter, orange brown triangular patch at posterior margin. Mesoscutum orange brown, with four dark brown bands or entirely dark brown to black. Metapostnotum orange brown to dark brown. Lateral sclerites of thorax dark brown to black. Antenna off-white to ochreous, segment 3 light brown apically, segments 4–8 dark brown in apical half, segments 9–10 entirely black, terminal setae white. Legs dirty yellow, metacoxa with extensive dark brown markings, femora with dark brown markings near apex and base, tibia basally dark brown. Fore wing membrane clear, transparent, only a narrow band along vein Cu1b dark brown ( Figure 6F ). Veins rusty or orange brown, C+Sc, R, R1, Cu1b, basal half of M, a spot on touching point of Rs and M1+2, a spot in the middle of R+M+Cu1, and two spots on anal vein dark brown to black. Hind wing clear, transparent, vein C+Sc dark brown. Abdominal tergites and sternites dark brown to black. Male terminalia with subgenital plate dark brown to black, proctiger and parameres ochreous. Female terminalia dark brown to black, proctiger medially and apical process of subgenital plate ochreous to light brown.

Morphology: head, in dorsal view, slightly wider than mesonotum, subglobular. Vertex with microsculpture, matt, about twice as wide as long along midline, rounded down in front (Figure 2A). Coronal suture reduced throughout. Median ridge on vertex raised, distinct. Vertex on either side of the median ridge convex, distinctly bulging. Lateral ocelli lying on small tubercles slightly above the plane of vertex. Occiput in dorsal view narrowly triangular. Preoccipital sclerite narrow, eyes not stalked, in frontal view subglobular. Genae slightly swollen. Tubercle below torulus pointed, forming an acute angle (Figure 2B). Frons narrow, parallel-sided. Clypeus broadly pyriform. Antenna long, slender, segments cylindrical, weakly widening to apex ( Figure 4E ); a single subapical rhinarium on each of segments 4–9; rhinaria elliptic with a wreath of cuticular spines; terminal setae subequal, the longer seta slightly longer than segments 9 and 10 together ( Figure 5H ). Fore wing moderately elongate, anterior margin in outer half more or less straight; apex unevenly rounded. Vein Rs relatively short. Surface spinules absent ( Figure 7F ). Costal break in apical seventh of C+Sc. Hind legs relatively short and slender. Meracanthus short, acute, pointed. Metafemur constricted medially. Metatibia bearing an open crown of seven or eight unsclerotized apical spurs and a few (three or four) additional similar spurs laterally. Metabasitarsus bearing two black sclerotized spurs. Dorsal margin of abdomen, in profile, serrate; posterior margin of tergites 4 and 5 medially swollen into a tubercular process. Male terminalia as in Figure 8F . Proctiger relatively short, cylindrical. Subgenital plate, in profile, as long as high or slightly higher than long, dorsal margin straight. Paramere, in profile, narrow, more or less parallel-sided, rounded apically; in posterior view, inner and outer margins parallel-sided; inner surface, covered in fine setae and three or four stouter setae subapically, apex forming a sclerotized sinuate edge with two small teeth ( Figure 9G ). Basal segment of aedeagus stout; apical segment short, with narrow head weakly, gradually widening from base to apex, dorsal margin straight; sclerotized end tube of ductus ejaculatorius relatively long, sinuate ( Figure 10F ). Female terminalia as in Figure 12C . Proctiger relatively short, dorsal margin strongly sinuate, apical process short; circumanal ring with two rows of pores, pores of outer row not contiguous. Subgenital plate, in profile, with dorsal margin more or less straight, ventral margin strongly convex, sinuate; apex triangular, pointed; in ventral view, broadly rectangular, apex with two obliquely truncate tooth-like lobes and U-shape indentation separating them ( Figure 13F ). Dorsal and ventral valvulae with a few (two to four) distinct lateral teeth at apex. Measurements and ratios in Tables I–III.

Fifth instar larva ( Figure 18 ). Uniformly pale. Body margin with following numbers of robust truncate lanceolate setae (one side only): head in front of antennal insertion: eight; humeral region of fore wing pad: two to five; abdomen: 1 + (3–4) + (23–26). Following numbers of minute narrow clavate setae present on cephalothorax behind eyes: three; fore wing pad margin: 12; hind wing pad margin: two. A small robust clavate seta present in anterior half of ocular region. Eyes with ca four distinct ommatidia. Antenna bent in a right angle, with apex directed forwards, lacking distinct divisions; outer surface basally with 8– 12 sharp cuticular teeth; two distinct rhinaria. Tarsal arolium large relative to claws, with a broad pad and indistinct petiole ( Figure 21E ). Abdomen dorsally on each side with five free sclerites and a completely fused caudal plate; apex of caudal plate broadly rounded. Anus in ventral position. Outer circumanal ring small, oval, composed of a single row of pores. Measurements and ratios in Table IV.

Host plant

Santiria trimera (Burseraceae) .

Biology

Inducing pit galls on the lower side of the leaves which become brown and distorted when heavily attacked ( Figure 22D, E ).

Distribution

Cameroon.

Material examined

Holotype: „, Cameroon: Centre Province, Nkomekoui, Mt Nkomilong , 10 km W Yaounde´, 3 ° 519N, 11 ° 209E, 670–1150 m, 10–11 November 2005, Santiria trimera (D. Burckhardt) . Dry-mounted ( NHMB).

Paratypes: Cameroon: 15 „, 9♀, 19 larvae, same data as holotype; 1 „, Centre Province, 20 km E Yaounde´, Soa, 3 ° 599N, 11 ° 359E, 630 m, 14 November 2005, Blighia sp. (D. Burckhardt) ; 1 „, Centre Province, 15 km W Yaounde´, Mt Kala , 3 ° 509N, 11 ° 219E, 800– 1100 m, 9–12 November 2005 (D. Burckhardt); 4 „ , 3♀, Centre Province, Mefou and Akono, Bankomo (Nkomilong), 29 August 2006 (J. L. Tamesse and W. Yana). Dry- and slide-mounted, and preserved in alcohol ( BMNH, LZUY, MHNG, MMB, NHMB) .

Etymology

From the Greek noun Tó móRIOn 5 particle, referring to its minute body size.

Comments

Pseudophacopteron morion sp. n. is close to P. electum Capener and P. pretoriense Capener, 1973 in the clear fore wing membrane except for a narrow dark brown infuscation along vein Cu1b, the head shape, the apical dilation of distal segment of aedeagus which is gradually widening from base to apex, the relatively short female proctiger, the larval antenna which lacks distinct divisions, the presence of stout truncate lanceolate setae on body margin, and the larval circumanal ring which is in a ventral position. P. morion differs from P. electum in the characters indicated in the key. From P. pretoriense , adults of P. morion differ in the smaller body dimensions, darker body, relatively shorter terminal setae on antenna, slender and parallel-sided paramere, narrow apical dilation of distal segment of aedeagus, relatively short female subgenital plate with ventral margin, in profile, strongly convex and sinuate, in ventral view broadly rectangular with two apical truncate tooth-like lobes and U-shaped indentation; larvae of P. morion differ from P. pretoriense in the narrower and less compact body; they lack truncate lanceolate setae on margins of eye, cephalothorax behind eye, fore wing pad except for the humeral region, and hind wing pad; the antenna forms a right angle and its apex is directed forwards; the outer circumanal ring is small and oval. Differences are also found in the host plant association and the gall shape.

Adult P. pretoriense are characterized as follows: WL51.33–1.62; the extent of dark brown or black markings on body is smaller; T 1/TS51.67–2.00; the paramere is robust, in profile, club-shaped with convex margins; the apical dilation of distal segment of aedeagus is broader; the female subgenital plate is relatively long with ventral margin, in profile, more or less straight, regularly narrowing to a pointed apex, in ventral view, narrowly triangular, regularly narrowing to a rounded apex; the larvae are oval and compact, bordered by truncate lanceolate setae on the whole body margin; the antenna is slightly bent and obliquely directed backwards; the outer circumanal ring is wide and narrow; the larvae develop on Harpephyllum caffrum (Anacardiaceae) and induce pit galls on the upper leaf surface. Material of P. pretoriense examined: paratypes, 8 „, 6♀, seven larvae, South Africa: Pretoria, Groenkloof Park, 13 October 1965, on Harpephyllum caffrum (A. L. Capener) ; 1 „, same data, but 13 September 1972; 1 „, 1♀, Pretoria, 20 October 1971 (H. D. Catling). Dry- and slide-mounted ( NCIP, BMNH).

Figures

Figure 4. Pseudophacopteron spp. (A) P. cuniculus; (B) P. nothospondiadis; (C) P. fuscivenosum; (D) P. electum; (E) P. morion; (F) P. lecaniodisci; (G) P. pusillum; (H) P. eastopi. (A–H) Antenna. Scale bars: a (A–D, F–H); b (E).

Figure 5. Pseudophacopteron spp. (A) P. cuniculus; (B) P. kala; (C) P. nothospondiadis; (D) P. pusillum; (E) P. eastopi; (F) P. fuscivenosum; (G) P. electum; (H) P. morion; (I) P. lecaniodisci. (A–I) Antennal segments 9 and 10.

Figure 6. Pseudophacopteron spp. (A) P. cuniculus; (B) P. kala; (C) P. nothospondiadis; (D) P. fuscivenosum; (E) P. electum; (F) P. morion; (G) P. lecaniodisci; (H) P. pusillum; (I) P. eastopi. (A–I) Fore wing pattern. Scale bars: 0.4 mm (A, B, E); 0.3 mm (C, D, G, H); 0.2 mm (F, I).

Figure 7. Pseudophacopteron spp. (A) P. cuniculus; (B) P. kala; (C) P. nothospondiadis; (D) P. fuscivenosum; (E) P. electum; (F) P. morion; (G) P. lecaniodisci; (H) P. pusillum; (I) P. eastopi. (A–I) Fore wings, distribution of surface spinules (delimited by dashed lines).

Figure 8. Pseudophacopteron spp. (A) P. cuniculus; (B) P. kala; (C) P. nothospondiadis; (D) P. fuscivenosum; (E) P. electum; (F) P. morion; (G) P. lecaniodisci; (H) P. pusillum; (I) P. eastopi. (A–I) Male terminalia, in profile. Scale bars: a (A); b (B–E, G–I); c (F).

Figure 9. Pseudophacopteron spp. (A, B) P. cuniculus; (C) P. kala; (D) P. nothospondiadis; (E) P. fuscivenosum; (F) P. electum; (G) P. morion; (H) P. lecaniodisci; (I) P. pusillum; (J) P. eastopi. (A) Paramere, in posterior view; (B–J) paramere, in profile, inner surface. Scale bars: a (A, B); b (C–E, H–J); c (F); d (G).

Figure 10. Pseudophacopteron spp. (A) P. cuniculus; (B) P. kala; (C) P. nothospondiadis; (D) P. fuscivenosum; (E) P. electum; (F) P. morion; (G) P. lecaniodisci; (H) P. pusillum; (I) P. eastopi. (A–I) Distal segment of aedeagus, in profile. Scale bars: a (A–E, G–I); b (F).

Figure 12. Pseudophacopteron spp. (A) P. fuscivenosum; (B) P. electum; (C) P. morion; (D) P. lecaniodisci; (E) P. eastopi; (F) P. pusillum. (A–F) Female terminalia, in profile. Scale bars: a (A, B, D–F); b (C).

Figure 13. Pseudophacopteron spp. (A) P. cuniculus; (B) P. kala; (C) P. nothospondiadis; (D) P. fuscivenosum; (E) P. electum; (F) P. morion; (G) P. lecaniodisci; (H) P. pusillum; (I) P. eastopi. (A–I) Female subgenital plate, in ventral view.

Figure 18. Pseudophacopteron morion, fifth instar larva: left dorsal and right ventral surfaces.

Figure 21. Pseudophacopteron spp. (A) P. cuniculus; (B) P. nothospondiadis; (C) P. fuscivenosum; (D) P. electum; (E) P. morion; (F) P. lecaniodisci; (G) P. pusillum. (A–G) Fifth instar larva; tibiotarsus apex.

Figure 22. Pseudophacopteron spp. (A) P. fuscivenosum, galls on Deinbollia sp., upper leaf surface; (B) P. fuscivenosum, galls on Deinbollia sp., lower leaf surface; (C) P. lecaniodisci, galls on Lecaniodiscus cupanioides, upper leaf surface; (D, E) P. morion, deformations on Santiria trimera; (F) P. nothospondiadis, deformations on Nothospondias staudtii.