Paraputo chimbuensis, Williams, 2005

Williams, D. J., 2005, An account of the mealybug genus Paraputo Laing (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae) in the Pacific region, Journal of Natural History 39 (37), pp. 3343-3358 : 3346-3348

Paraputo chimbuensis sp. nov.

( Figure 2 )

Description

Appearance in life not recorded. Body of adult female on microscope slide, broadly oval, almost circular; 2.8 mm long, 2.5 mm wide. Anal lobes moderately developed, ventral surface of each lobe with an apical seta 185–190 Mm long and a triangular sclerotized area occupying most of lobe. Antennae each 500–510 Mm long, with eight segments. Legs well developed; hind trochanter+femur 390–400 Mm long, hind tibia+tarsus 370–380 Mm long; claw stout, 50–55 Mm long. Ratio of lengths of hind tibia+tarsus to hind trochanter+femur 0.94–0.95. Ratio of lengths of hind tibia to tarsus 1.84–1.92. Translucent pores absent from hind coxa, present on posterior surfaces of hind femur and hind tibia. Labium 260– 270 Mm long, slightly longer than clypeolabral shield. Circulus about 120 Mm long, 190– 200 Mm wide, distinctly divided by intersegmental line. Ostioles present, well developed, inner edges of lips sclerotized, each lip with concentrations of setae and trilocular pores. Anal ring 90–95 Mm in diameter, bearing 26–30 setae, six setae situated in normal positions, each about 85 Mm long, others 60–65 Mm long. Cerarii probably numbering 18 pairs. Anal lobe cerarii each with about nine conical setae of different sizes, largest each about 30 Mm long, 6.25 Mm wide at base, with a concentration of trilocular pores, on a membranous area. Anterior cerarii similar but each cerarius with anterior and posterior groups of conical setae and trilocular pores so that cerarii appear as a continuous row.

Dorsal surface with numerous flagellate setae present, mostly 30–60 Mm long, except for long setae 50–75 Mm long, concentrated medially on abdominal segment VIII and straddling anal ring. Multilocular disc pores absent. Trilocular pores abundant, evenly dispersed. Discoidal pores, each smaller than a trilocular pore and with a thick sclerotized rim, scattered.

Ventral surface with slender flagellate setae. Multilocular disc pores, each about 7.5 Mm in diameter, present medially posterior to vulva and on abdominal segments VI and VII. Trilocular pores evenly distributed, not as numerous as those on dorsum. Discoidal pores same as on dorsum, scattered. Oral collar tubular ducts present, of two sizes. A small type of duct, narrower than a trilocular pore and about as long as diameter of a multilocular disc pore, situated across medial areas of abdominal segments IV and V and submedially on abdominal segment VI, a group also present posterior to vulva between anal lobes, and one or two present on abdominal segment III. A larger type of duct, about as wide as a trilocular pore, present in small marginal groups on abdominal segments and extending anteriorly around body margins to area between antennae .

Material examined

Holotype: adult ♀, Papua New Guinea, Chimbu Province, Karimui, on rhizomes and inside stems of Elettaria cardamomum (cardamon) ( Zingiberaceae ), 22 October 1982 (coll. B. M. Thistleton) (BMNH). Paratype: Papua New Guinea, same data as holotype, one adult ♀ (the left specimen on the same slide as the holotype and clearly marked and mapped on the right label) (BMNH).

Etymology

The name is based on the locality ‘‘Chimbu’’ with the Latin suffix ‘‘- ensis ’’ indicating origin.

Comments

In possessing 18 pairs of cerarii but the cerarii appearing as a continuous row with the addition of anterior and posterior groups of conical setae and trilocular pores to each cerarius, and in possessing short dorsal setae, P. chimbuensis is related to P. danzigae Williams described from Sabah. P. chimbuensis differs from P. danzigae in possessing ventral oral collar tubular ducts around the entire margin but in P. danzigae , there are groups of oral collar tubular ducts on the posterior abdominal segments only. Moreover, there are numerous translucent pores on the hind coxae in P. danzigae and they are lacking on the hind femora and tibiae. In P. chimbuensis , they are absent on the hind coxae and are present on the hind femora and tibiae. In the key to species of Paraputo of southern Asia presented by Williams (2004), P. chimbuensis keys to P. glycosmis Williams but the cerarii of P. glycosmis are distinct and do not appear as a continuous row. Also there are noticeable long dorsal setae, many 200 Mm long, in P. glycosmis , whereas in P. chimbuensis they are mostly only 30–60 Mm long.

Figures

Figure 2. Paraputo chimbuensis sp. nov., adult female.