Antecerococcus delottoi Hodgson & Williams

Chris J. Hodgson & Douglas J. Williams, 2016, (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha, Coccomorpha) with particular reference to species from the Afrotropical, western Palaearctic and western Oriental Regions, with the revival of Antecerococcus Green and description of a new genus and fifteen new species, and with ten new synonomies, Zootaxa 4091 (1), pp. 1-175 : 42-44

Antecerococcus delottoi Hodgson & Williams , sp. nov.

( Fig. 12 )

Material studied. Holotype f: KENYA, Nairobi, on Sida schimperiana (Malvaceae) , 26.ii.1956, G. De Lotto (BMNH): 1/1adf (g). Paratype ff: data as for holotype (BMNH): 4/4adff (1 g, 3 p).

Mounted material. Body roundly pear-shaped, 2.0– 2.4 mm long, 1.6-2.0 mm wide.

Dorsum. Derm unsclerotized. Eight-shaped pores of 4 sizes: (i) largest each 15– 20 x 11–12 µm, common in a random pattern throughout most of dorsum of head, thorax and anterior abdominal segments, but absent from “clear areas”; also with 7 or 8 along each margin of posterior abdominal segments; (ii) medium-sized 8-shaped pores smaller, each 12–15 x 7–8 µm, structurally similar to largest pore and with a similar distribution to largest pores; and (iii) a slightly smaller pore, each 11–12 x 5 µm with more pointed ends and with each half fused on one side, more or less restricted to “clear areas”, becoming smaller and more rounded on posterior abdominal segments, where each about 8 x 5 µm, and (iv) smallest pores, each 6– 7 x 3.0–3.5 µm, occasionally present in apical group of each stigmatic pore band. Simple pores very sparse throughout, each about 1.5 µm wide. Cribriform plates moderately large and round, each 12–22 µm wide with a broad sclerotized margin and quite large micropores; very variable in size and sometimes fused together; present in 2 submedial groups of 4–7 on each side of abdominal segment IV. Dorsal setae each 5–8 µm long, extremely few but generally with 1 near apex of each stigmatic pore band. Tubular ducts each long, each 40 µm; of 1 size only. Anal lobes with distinctly sclerotized inner margins; each lobe 70–80 µm long with a long apical seta, each probably at least 200 µm long (all broken); fleshy setae on dorsal surface near apex short, generally slightly bent, and sharply pointed, more apical setae each 30–35 µm long; more basal fleshy setae longer and sharply pointed, each 30–35 µm long; ventral seta near apex of each lobe stoutly setose, each about 30 µm long; medioventral seta short, each 11–13 µm long; outer margin setae each about 8 µm long; each lobe with 1 or 2 medium 8-shaped pores. Anal plate 45–50 µm long, 58–61 µm wide at base, slightly pointed with a serrate margin. Anal ring with 4 pairs of setae, each 100–120 µm long.

Venter. Larger 8-shaped pores similar to those on dorsum, sparse, in groups along margin of thoracic and anterior abdominal segments; medium-sized pores as on dorsum but each 11–12 long x 5.5–6.0 µm wide: more marginal pores mainly similar to rounder pores on dorsum, in a broad marginal band; more pointed type of pores frequent throughout marginal band. Simple pores very sparse, each about 1.5 µm wide. Small bilocular pores oval, each about 6 µm widest, present medially on head and thorax. Spiracular disc-pores small, each about 5.0 µm wide on venter and 6 µm wide on dorsum, with mainly 5 loculi, in a group of 6–8 anterior to each spiracle and then in fairly narrow sparse bands near spiracles but each band with a broad apical group on dorsum; each anterior band with 80–100 pores extending onto dorsum; posterior band bifurcated, each branch with 60–80 pores and occasionally with a small 8-shaped pore within apical group; also with 1–3 quinquelocular disc-pores near each antenna. Small convex closed pores absent. Multilocular disc-pores, each 6–7 µm wide with mostly 10–12 loculi, distributed on abdominal segments as follows: VIII 3 or 4 on each side; VII 3 or 4 marginally + 7–10 submarginally, and then across more anterior segments in bands mainly 2–3 pores wide: VI 5–10 submarginally + 46–51 medially; V 9–13 submarginally + 59–67 medially; IV 14–19 submarginally + 60–70 medially; III 7–11 submarginally + 46–55 medially; II sparse, 5–9 submarginally + 20–24 medially; also with 4–8 submarginally on each side of metathoracic segment but none medially; and with 0 or 1 present near each spiracle. Tubular ducts similar in length to those on dorsum but narrower, present throughout. Ventral setae slightly more abundant than on dorsum but all setose and short; preanal setae each 80–90 µm long, companion setae short. Leg stubs absent. Antennae unusually long, possibly showing some segmentation, each 50–60 µm long, 28–40 µm wide; apex rounded without either a deep setal cavity or a cone-like apex. Clypeolabral shield 130–160 µm long. Spiracular peritremes large, each 36–40 µm wide.

Comment. The adult female of A. delottoi is characterised by: (i) four sizes of 8-shaped pores on dorsum, largest in a random swirl-like pattern; (ii) some medium-sized 8-shaped pores elongate, with rather pointed ends; (iii) posterior abdominal segments with seven or eight large 8-shaped pores in a line on each margin; (iv) cribriform plates in submedial groups of 4-7 on each side of abdominal segment IV; (v) posterior stigmatic pore bands bifurcate; (vi) leg stubs absent; (vii) multilocular disc-pores present across all abdominal segments and submarginally on metathorax; also occasionally near each spiracle, and (viii) antennae rather long, showing some segmentation but without a setal cavity or a cone-like apex.

The adult female of A. delottoi falls within Group D in the key to species of Antecerococcus , possibly closest to other African and Palaearctic species.

Name derivation: delottoi is named after Giovanni De Lotto who not only collected these specimens but also greatly improved our understanding of the scale insect fauna in East and South Africa.

Figures

FIGURE 12. Antecerococcus delottoi Hodgson & Williams, sp. nov. Adult female.