Antecerococcus alluaudi (Marchal) Marchal, 2016

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 : 27-29

Antecerococcus alluaudi (Marchal) , comb. nov.

( Fig. 5 )

Amelococcus alluaudi Marchal 1904: 557 –561.

Cerococcus alluaudi (Marchal) ; Lambdin & Kosztarab 1977: 50. Change of combination.

Type details. MADAGASCAR, on Euphorbia intisy, M. Alluaud. Depositories : USNM: lectotype adf (f-g) (designated by Lambdin & Kosztarab 1977: 50–53) + 4 paralectotype slides with “larvae”. MNHN: 1/1 paralectotype adf (MNHN 5556-1) and 1/10 first-instar nymphs; MNHN 5556-2).

Note: the lectotype was designated from USNM material but should have been designated from the material in the MNHN, the main depository of Marchal’s material, as suggested in recommendation 74D of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature that was current at the time that the work was undertaken (International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (1961)) but was ignored by Lambdin and Kosztarab. The same recommendation still applies as Recommendation 74D in the present International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (1999).

Material studied. Lectotype f: MADAGASCAR, on Euphorbia intisy (Euphorbiaceae) , no date, M. Alluaud (USNM): 1/1adf (f–g; specimen slightly damaged and position of some pores difficult to access).

Mounted material. Body large, roundly pear-shaped, about as wide as long, with only anal lobes extending posteriorly; length 3.1 mm, width 2.9 mm. Derm with numerous, large oval areolations, most with a tubular duct in centre.

Dorsum. Derm unsclerotized but with large oval areolations. Eight-shaped pores of 3 sizes: (i) a large rounded pore, each 13–20 x 9–13 µm, very sparsely distributed almost throughout but with greatest concentrations around stigmatic pore bands and medially dorsad to mouthparts; also with 8–11 on each side of posterior abdominal segments; (ii) much smaller, intermediate-sized pore, each 8– 9 x 5 µm, rather evenly distributed throughout rest of dorsum; and (iii) smallest pore, each 5– 6 x 4 µm, with 2–4 associated with apex of each stigmatic pore band. Simple pores, each 3–4 µm wide; sparse. Cribriform plates roundish, each small, 4–10 µm wide with quite large micropores, in 6 or 7 sparse transverse bands, possibly restricted to abdomen (see under Comments below). Dorsal setae few, each setose, showing nothing distinctive. Tubular ducts appearing to arise mainly from centre of each dermal areolation; each outer ductule about 28 µm long, inner ductules quite short; outer ducts only slightly broader than those on venter; abundant throughout. Anal lobes mainly membranous, sclerotizations restricted to inner margins, without obvious folding; setae as follows: apical seta both broken; dorsal fleshy setae all somewhat bent; more apical setae 23–28 µm long; more basal setae 30 µm long; setae near apex on ventral surface 22 µm long; medioventral setae or outer margin setae 12-20 µm long; each lobe with 2 small 8-shaped pores. Median anal plate oddly shaped but with a blunt apex, about 28 µm long, maybe 40 µm wide at base. Anal ring with 4 pairs of setae, each about 75 µm long.

Venter. Derm with large oval areolations near margin and probably therefore representing part of dorsum. Eight-shaped pores of intermediate size, perhaps slightly larger than those on dorsum, each 10 x 5.5–6.5 µm, in a broad marginal band on head and thorax and in sparse segmental bands 1 pore wide across abdominal segments. Simple pores sparse. Small bilocular pores roundish, each about 6 x 5 µm, frequent medially on head and thorax. Spiracular disc-pores, each 4–5 µm wide with mainly 5 loculi; without a distinct group near each peritreme; posterior bands not bifurcated, but with anterior branch represented by a few (1–8) pores extending anterolaterally; each pore band with 45–50 pores and 2–4 small 8-shaped pores associated with apex; also with 2–5 pores present laterad to each antenna. Small closed pores not detected. Multilocular disc-pores, each 7–8 µm wide with mainly 10 loculi, in very sparse transverse bands 1 pore wide as follows: abdominal segment IX 0; VIII 0 or 1 submarginally; VII 2 submarginally on each side of vulva; VI 1 or 2 submarginally + 8 medially; V & IV each with a total of 5 or 6; III 2 on each side, and II 0; metathorax without disc-pores. Tubular ducts very slightly narrower than those on dorsum, present throughout. Ventral setae showing nothing distinctive; preanal setae each perhaps 50 µm long; smaller companion seta short. Leg stubs small. Antennae unsegmented, each 30–33 µm long, 30 µm wide, with 6–8 fleshy setae; each antenna without either an apical conical point or a shallow setal cavity. Clypeolabral shield small, 125 long. Spiracular peritremes each 30–37 µm wide.

Comment. The above description is very similar to that of Lambdin and Kosztarab (1977) except that they do not mention the areolations in the derm and, whilst the cribriform plates are in transverse rows, it was very difficult to determine how many rows; there could be as many as seven. It is here considered that the most posterior row is on abdominal segment IV and, if there are six or seven rows and, if they are segmentally arranged, this would mean the most anterior row would probably be on the thorax. However, the most anterior pores appear to be posterior to the metathoracic leg stubs, suggesting that perhaps the rows of cribriform plates are all on the abdomen and therefore not segmentally arranged. In addition, Lambdin and Kosztarab (1977) considered that there were four sizes of 8-shaped pores on the dorsum but, on the only available specimen, although the size of the largest pores do vary quite a lot (see size range above), the size of the large pores do not fall into two groups as there are intermediates. We therefore consider there are only really three sizes of 8-shaped pores on the dorsum. The following combination of character-states diagnoses A. alluaudi : (i) dorsum with distinct areolations, each usually with a tubular duct; (ii) 8-shaped pores of three sizes, largest very sparse but present throughout; (iii) large and intermediate-sized 8-shaped pores about equally frequent in a swirl-like pattern throughout head, thorax and anterior abdominal segments; (iv) each margin of posterior abdominal segments with 8-11 large 8-shaped pores; (v) cribriform plates small, dispersed over anterior abdominal segments; (vi) stigmatic pore bands with 2-4 small 8- shaped pores in each apical group; (vii) posterior stigmatic pore bands not bifurcated; (viii) leg stubs present; (ix) multilocular disc-pores very sparse, in six or seven transverse bands, each 1 pore wide, absent from metathorax, and (x) antennae unsegmented without either an apical conical extension or a setal cavity.

The adult female of A. alluaudi falls within group A in the key to species of Antecerococcus , most of which occur in the Afrotropical Region.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Antecerococcus alluaudi (Marchal). Adult female.