Antecerococcus yemenicus 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 : 124-127

Antecerococcus yemenicus Hodgson & Williams , sp. nov.

( Fig. 48 )

Material studied. Holotype f: YEMEN ARAB REPUBLIC (now REPUBLIC OF YEMEN), Amran to Huth road, Makhamir near Khamir, dry limestone slopes, on Euphorbia officinale (= E. officinalis ) ( Euphorbiaceae ), 21.iii.1981, Miller (BMNH): 1/3 adff (fair; holotype largest specimen, clearly marked). Paratype ff, data as for holotype (BMNH): remaining two specimens on holotype slide, plus 4/8 adff (fair).

The slide labels list the country as Yemen Arab Republic (= North Yemen) but this country ceased to exist after unification with South Yemen in 1990.

Mounted material. Roundly pear-shaped, with abdomen extending posteriorly. Body 1.87–2.85 mm long, 1.25–1.78 mm wide.

Dorsum. Eight-shaped pores of 3 sizes: (i) largest 25– 28 x 15–17 µm, present in a random pattern throughout most of head, thorax and anterior abdominal segments, but absent from a few small areas; also with 10–14 along each margin of posterior abdominal segments; (ii) medium-sized 8-shaped pore much smaller (11–13 x 5.5–6.5 µm) and of an unusual shape, each narrow and pointed and fused medially; present sparsely where larger pores present but much more abundant in areas where larger pore absent, including dorsum of abdomen, and (iii) smallest 8-shaped pores similar to medium-sized pores, each 7.5–8.0 µm long, restricted to 0–3 near apex of each stigmatic pore band. Simple pores very sparse throughout, each 2–3 µm wide. Cribriform plates moderately large and roundish, each 14–17 µm wide with a broad sclerotized margin, a small central area 4–5 µm wide with large micropores; in a submedial group of 4 or 5 on each side of abdominal segment IV. Dorsal setae extremely few and short, mainly about 5 µm long. Tubular ducts each about 25 µm long and slightly broader than those on venter. Anal lobes membranous apart from inner margins which are distinctly sclerotized; each lobe about 80 µm long with a long apical seta 150–260 µm long; fleshy setae on dorsal surface near apex short and generally bent, each 23–28 µm long; more anterior fleshy seta longer and more spinose, each 35–40 µm long; setose seta near apex on ventral surface each 20–35 µm long; medioventral setae strong, about 20 µm long; lateral margin setae each about 17 µm long; each lobe with 1 or 2 medium 8-shaped pores. Median anal plate about 40–60 µm long, narrow, width about 40 µm; apex slightly serrate. Anal ring with 4 pairs of short setae, each 58–60 µm long.

Venter. Medium-sized pores, each 15–16 x 8–9 µm, of a different structure to those on dorsum, each half not fused to each other and each with a rounded margin; present in a narrow marginal band and in fairly narrow bands just anterior to each band of multilocular disc-pores; also medially on posterior abdominal segments; becoming smaller submedially on thorax and head (11 x 7 µm) and also with a few small pores near mouthparts. Simple pores very sparse, each about 3 µm wide. Small bilocular pores oval, each about 5 µm widest, present medially on head and thorax. Spiracular disc-pores small, each about 3.0 µm wide on venter and 5 µm wide on dorsum, with mainly 5 loculi, in bands mostly 2–3 pores wide, each band with 60–100+ pores, each band of uniform width throughout; posterior band bifurcated; apex of each band with 0–3 small 8-shaped pores and 0–1 setae; also with 0–4 quinquelocular disc-pores near each antenna. Small convex closed pores flat, each 4.0–4.5 µm wide, in a sparse band between antennae and posterior spiracles, with 4–7 between each antenna and anterior spiracle, 5–7 between spiracles and 1 or 2 between posterior spiracles and each posterior leg stub. Multilocular disc-pores, each 7–8 µm wide with mostly 10 loculi, distributed on abdominal segments as follows: VIII 3–7 on each side; VII 2–6 marginally + 1–9 submarginally, and then mainly in bands about 2 wide: VI 4–12 submarginally + 26–36 medially; V 7–13 submarginally + 31–52 medially; IV 10–20 submarginally + 50–70 medially; III 4–20 submarginally + 39– 59 medially; II 4–13 submarginally + 23–34 medially; also with 4–13 laterad to each metathoracic leg stub (none medially), 0–3 near each posterior spiracle and 0–1 near each anterior spiracle. Tubular ducts similar to those on dorsum but narrower; present throughout. Ventral setae slightly more abundant than on dorsum but all setose and short; preanal setae each 60–100 µm long; companion setae 18–23 µm long. Leg stubs 20–30 µm wide. Antennae each 40–65 µm long, 40–45 µm wide, longest perhaps 2 segmented but segmentation obscure. Clypeolabral shield 185–190 µm long. Spiracular peritreme each quite large, 35-42 µm wide.

Comment. The adult female of A. yemenicus belongs to the group of species which have small convex closed pores associated with the spiracles and have bifurcated stigmatic pore bands (the others with this combination are A. theydoni and A. madagascariensis ). It differs most obviously in having elongate medium-sized 8-shaped pores on the dorsum. In addition to this last characteristic, the main character-states diagnosing this species are: (i) dorsum with three sizes of 8-shaped pore; (ii) largest 8-shaped pores forming whorls throughout head, thorax and anterior abdominal segments; (iii) largest 8-shaped pores in a line of 10–14 along each margin of posterior abdominal segments; (iv) intermediate-sized 8-shaped pores on dorsum present where larger pores absent; (v) each stigmatic pore band apex with 0–3 small 8-shaped pores; (vi) cribriform plates in a submedial group of four or five on each side of abdominal segment IV, each plate with very broad margins and a small area of large micropores; (vii) leg stubs present; (viii) posterior stigmatic pore bands bifurcated; (ix) multilocular disc-pores present on all abdominal segments, laterad to each metathoracic leg stub and mesad to each posterior spiracle; (x) small convex closed pores present in a sparse band between each antenna and posterior spiracle, and (xi) antennae without either a setal cavity or a cone-like apex.

The adult female of A. yemenicus falls within group D in the key to species of Antecerococcus and keys out close to A. madagascariensis and A. theydoni .

Name derivation: yemenicus —named after the country ( Yemen) in which this species was collected, combined with the Latin suffix –icus, meaning belonging to.

Figures

FIGURE 48. Antecerococcus yemenicus Hodgson & Williams, sp. nov. Adult female.