Antecerococcus andamanensis 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 : 29-31

Antecerococcus andamanensis Hodgson & Williams , sp. nov.

( Fig. 6 )

Material studied. Holotype f: INDIA, Andaman Is, South Andaman, Port Blair, on Rhizophora sp. ( Rhizophoraceae ), 20.ii.1991, Keena (BMNH): 1/1adf (f–g).

Mounted material. Body roundly pear-shaped; length 1.63 mm, width 1.2 mm.

Dorsum. Eight-shaped pores of 3 sizes: (i) largest 18– 22 x 11–13 µm, sparse throughout head and thorax, apparently randomly distributed but absent from “clear areas”; with 7 large pores along each margin of posterior abdominal segments; (ii) medium-sized 8-shaped pores, each 7– 8 x 4.0–4.5 µm, more frequent than larger pores and more obviously in swirls around each “clear area”, present more or less throughout head, thorax and anterior abdominal segments; and (iii) smallest pores, each 5– 6 x 3 µm, restricted to 0 or 1 approximately within each apical group of stigmatic pores and (slightly larger) medially on more posterior abdominal segments. Simple pores not detected. Cribriform plates round, each about 10 µm wide with a broad sclerotized margin, central area 7–8 µm wide with small micropores; present in submedial group of 2 on each side of abdominal segment IV. Dorsal setae extremely few. Tubular ducts each about 25 µm long, subequal to those on venter. Anal lobes membranous apart from inner margins which are distinctly sclerotized; each lobe about 75 µm long with a long apical seta, about 185 µm long; more apical dorsal fleshy setae short and stout, fairly straight, each 20 µm long; more basal dorsal fleshy setae longer, each 28 µm long; ventral setae near apex of each lobe stoutly setose, also about 28 µm long; medioventral setae about 16 µm long; each lobe with 1 or 2 medium-sized 8-shaped pores. Median anal plate about 43 µm long, 35 µm wide at base, with a slightly serrated transverse apex. Anal ring with 4 pairs of setae, each about 80 µm long.

Venter. Larger 8-shaped pores few, in a narrow marginal band on anterior abdominal segments (probably actually dorsal); medium-sized pores, each 8–10 x 5–6 µm, present in a fairly narrow submarginal band plus a few near mouthparts. Small 8-shaped pores absent. Simple pore each 2–3 µm wide, very sparse. Small bilocular pores oval, each 5–6 µm widest, present medially on head and thorax. Spiracular disc-pores small, each 3.0–3.5 µm wide near spiracles increasing to 5–6 µm wide on dorsum, with mainly 5 loculi; in narrow bands 2 or 3 pores wide; with 40–55 pores in each anterior band, widening only slightly at apex; posterior band bifurcated; apex of each pore band with 0 or 1 small 8-shaped pore; also with 2 quinquelocular disc-pores near each antenna. Small convex closed pores absent. Multilocular disc-pores, each about 6 µm wide with mostly 10 loculi, distributed as follows: abdominal segment VIII 4 on each side; VII 2 or 3 submarginally + 6 or 7 on either side of vulva, and then across more anterior segments in bands 1 or 2 pores wide: VI 5 or 6 submarginally + 40 medially; V 6–8 submarginally + 48 medially; IV 6–8 submarginally + 42 medially; III 5–9 submarginally + 29 medially; II rather sparse, number uncertain but perhaps 4–6; also with 9 laterad to each metathoracic leg stub but none medially nor near spiracles. Tubular ducts similar to those on dorsum; throughout but perhaps less abundant than dorsally. Ventral setae slightly more abundant than on dorsum but all setose and short; preanal setae each 60 µm long; companion setae short. Leg stubs very small, each perhaps 13–35 µm wide, posterior pair largest. Antennae each about 35 µm long, 26 µm wide, without a conical point on apex but with a shallow setal cavity. Clypeolabral shield about 100 µm long. Spiracles fairly small, each peritreme about 25 µm wide.

Comment. A. andamanensis is diagnosed by the following combination of character-states: (i) dorsum with three sizes of 8-shaped pore; (ii) large 8-shaped pores rather sparse throughout dorsum; (iii) small 8-shaped pores present on dorsum of posterior abdominal segments; (iv) margin of each posterior abdominal segment with seven or eight large 8-shaped pores; (v) two cribriform plates present submedially on each side of segment IV; (vi) posterior stigmatic pore bands bifurcated; (vii) stigmatic pore bands narrow, each widening only slightly at apex, each with 0 or only 1 small 8-shaped pore; (viii) leg stubs small; (ix) multilocular disc-pores in seven segmental bands and also laterad to each metathoracic leg stub; (x) antennae without an apical cone-like point, and (xi) ventral seta near apex of each anal lobe stoutly setose.

The adult female of A. andamanensis falls within Group D in the key to species of Antecerococcus , and keys out close to several South African species.

Name derivation: andamanensis —after the island group in the Indian Ocean upon which it was collected, plus – ensis, meaning place of origin.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Antecerococcus andamanensis Hodgson & Williams sp. nov. Adult female.