Sterculicoccus Hodgson, 2008

Hodgson, Chris, 2008, A new genus and two new species of soft scale insect (Sternorrhyncha, Coccoidea, Coccidae) from Africa, ZooKeys 3 (3), pp. 57-76 : 58-59

Sterculicoccus Hodgson , gen. n.

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Type species: Sterculicoccus tafoensis Hodgson , sp. n.

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Generic diagnosis. Body broadly oval. Anal cleft deep, about 1/3 rd- 1/4th total-body length, with parallel margins; with a narrow sclerotisation around anterior margin of cleft and sclerotisations ventrally in each stigmatic cleft. Dorsal derm otherwise membranous with numerous areolations, those anterior to anal plates and dorsal to mouthparts much larger than elsewhere. Dorsal setae mainly short, but with a few long. Anal plates together oval, with polygonal reticulations on dorsal surface. Outer anal opening with an O-shaped sclerotised band. Marginal setae apparently ventral, short and spinose, in a band 2-3 setae wide; stigmatic clefts absent but with stigmatic sclerotisations in each stigmatic area. Venter with a marginal band of large tubular ducts plus a broad submarginal band of much smaller tubular ducts. Pregenital discpores each with mainly 5 loculi, in a small group beneath posterior end of anal plates. Antennae small, 6 segmented. Clypeolabral shield proportionately large. Spiracles very large. Legs much reduced.

Relationships. Sterculicoccus , gen. n., is clearly a member of the subfamily Myzolecaniinae as defined by Hodgson (1994) – absence of dorsal tubular ducts; absence of eyespots; rather large spiracles; pregenital setae represented by bands of setae rather than pairs of larger setae; legs and antennae reduced in size, and anal tube short. However, it is unusual within this group in having (i) 2 types of ventral tubular ducts (usually only of one type) and (ii) each anal plate with only 4 setae, all near the apex (typically with many setae). In the Key to Myzolecaniinae in Hodgson (1994, p. 91), Sterculicoccus keys out at Alecanium Morrison. Alecanium and Sterculicoccus are clearly closely related and share the following character states: (i) stigmatic clefts very shallow or absent, without stigmatic spines; (ii) each stigmatic area with a small sclerotisation enclosing some spiracular disc-pores; (iii) marginal setae spinose, in a marginal band several setae wide; (iv) some dorsal setae long and flagellate; (v) anal plates elongate oval; (vi) pregenital disc-pores with mainly 5 loculi; (vi) legs very reduced; (vii) antennae reduced; (viii) spiracles large; (ix) ventral tubular ducts in a wide submarginal band and in transverse bands medially on meso- and metathorax; (x) ventral setae with a similar distribution (i.e. with a band across metathorax), and (xi) outer end of anal tube with an O-shaped sclerotisation. Sterculicoccus differs from Alecanium in having (character-states on Alecanium in brackets): (i) two types of ventral tubular ducts (only 1 type); (ii) only one type of marginal seta (two types); (iii) dorsal surface of anal plates with a polygonal reticulate pattern of microridges (absent); (iv) anal plates each with only four setae near apex (each with many setae distributed over most of dorsal surface), and (v) long dorsal setae restricted to dorsad to mouthparts (throughout dorsal surface).

The key in Hodgson (1994) can be modified to accommodate Sterculicoccus as follows:

3. Stigmatic spines present; pregenital disc-pores each with 10 loculi ........................ ................................................................. Richardiella Matile-Ferrero & Le Ruyet

– Stigmatic spines absent; pregenital disc-pores each mainly with 5 loculi............ 3a

3a. Dorsal surface of anal plates with a reticulate pattern of micro-ridges; ventral tubular ducts of two types, a larger type along margin and a smaller type submarginally; marginal setae of one type only .............................................. Sterculicoccus gen. n.

– Dorsal surface of anal plates without a reticulate pattern of micro-ridges; ventral tubular ducts of one type; marginal setae of two types, one spinose and the other flagellate ................................................................................. Alecanium Morrison

Etymology. The name Sterculicoccus is composed of the main part of the plant family ( Sterculiaceae ) on which this species was collected, plus coccus, from the Latin Coccum, a word commonly used to describe scale insects.

Distribution. Sterculicoccus is a monotypic genus currently only known from West Africa.