CONCHASPIDIDAE Green 1896a

Hodgson, Chris, 2020, A review of neococcid scale insects (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccomorpha) based on the morphology of the adult males, Zootaxa 4765 (1), pp. 1-264 : 130-131

CONCHASPIDIDAE Green 1896a

Conchaspis Cockerell 1893a, 9 . Type species: Conchaspis angraeci Cockerell by monotypy.

Pseudinglisia Newstead 1893, 153 . Type species: Pseudinglisia rodrigueziae Newstead by original designation. (= Conchaspis angraeci, Cockerell ). Junior synonym (discovered by Cockerell 1895, 101).

Introduction. The family Conchaspididae currently includes 4 genera and 30 species ( García Morales et al. 2019). Most species are found in Africa and Madagascar but they also occur in Asia and the Americas. The adult females are covered in a test that resembles that of diaspidid species but no exuviae are incorporated in a conchaspid test, thus clearly distinguishing it from the Diaspididae . The family have generally been considered to be close to the Diaspididae in the past (e.g., Takagi 1992a) and the studies of Hodgson and Hardy (2013) and Vea and Grimaldi (2016) also found the Conchaspididae to be sister to the Diaspididae . An overall brief description of the adult males of Conchaspis w as presented by Mamet (1954), since when only the adult male of one species, C. lata Hempel 1937 , has been described ( Afifi 1969). The following family diagnosis is based on the latter description plus the four species described below.

Family diagnosis based on adult male morphology ( Figs 53–56 ). Body. Abdomen quite short, with an extremely long, needle-like penial sheath; body setae sparse, all short and hs; loculate pores absent. Head: approximately oval, often wider than long; neck short and broad; postoccipital ridge absent; dorsal head setae few, all hs; mid-cranial ridge reduced to lateral arms (absent on C. capensis ); ocelli absent; with two pairs of simple eyes; genae small, not sclerotised or reticulated; genal setae absent; preocular ridge short; ocular sclerite sclerotised but not reticulated; antennae short, 7- segmented; flagellar segments with thick, short fs; apical antennal segment with 4 capitate setae; scape with 2 hs setae. Thorax. Prothoracic setae absent; prosternum with an exceptionally well developed and long median ridge but with a weak transverse ridge; prescutum without prescutal setae; prescutum convex, with a well-developed prescutal ridge; scutum without a median membranous area; scutum generally with 1 or 2 small hs laterad to median area; scutellum semi-circular with a large foramen; scutellar setae absent; area delineated by scutellum anteriorly and mesopostnotum posteriorly sclerotised; postmesospiracular setae absent; basisternum wide and narrow, slightly constricted medially, with a strong median ridge (making it look like a pair of spectacles); basisternal setae absent; furca very short, without a waist and with short, parallel lateral arms; tegula setae absent; dorsal part of mesopleural ridge present; metepisternum slightly sclerotised; postmetaspiracular setae absent; mesepisternum narrow; metasternal setae few or absent; alar setae absent; alar sensoria present or possibly absent; alar lobes present; hamulohalteres present; legs with few setae, all hs or spur-like; trochanter sensilla in a line; tibia and tarsus fused, forming a tibiotarsus; ventral setae on tibiotarsus sometimes bifurcated; tarsal campaniform pore absent; tibiotarsus with reticulations or oblique ridges; tarsal digitules capitate; claw digitules capitate; claw with a denticle. Abdomen. Segment VIII sclerotised and ring-like, often appearing part of penial sheath; glandular pouches absent; caudal extentions absent; segment IX sclerotised, with a round anal opening on dorsum; segment IX without setae; style quite broad anteriorly, rapidly narrowing into a long, needle-like shaft; style with 1 or 2 pairs of long hs at anterior end; aedeagus long (sometimes longer than penial sheath), narrow and mainly parallel sided; basal rod short.

The adult males of the five species of Conchaspis considered here are all morphologically extremely similar (as also noted by Takagi (1992a, p.21) for the species he studied). As the significance of the small differences noted between them is uncertain, no key is provided.

Figures

FIGURE 53. Conchaspis angraeci Cockerell. Macropterous male. (Conchaspididae). Where F=bifurcated seta, J=proepisternum + cervical sclerite and R=dermal reticulations on ocular sclerite.

FIGURE 54. Conchaspis capensis Linnaeus. Macropterous male. (Conchaspididae). Where P=spur-like seta on tarsus, R=dermal marking on ocular sclerite and T=dermal marking on abdominal tergites and sternites.

FIGURE 55. Conchaspis socialis Green. Macropterous male. (Conchaspididae). Where F=bifurcated seta and R=dermal marking on ocular sclerite.

FIGURE 56.Conchaspis vayssiereiMamet.Macropterous male. (Conchaspididae).Where D=fleshy setae on antenna, F=bifurcated seta, R=dermal markings on ocular sclerite and T=dermal markings on thorax, legs and antennae.