Antecerococcus steppicus (Balachowsky) Balachowsky, 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 : 118-120

Antecerococcus steppicus (Balachowsky) , comb. nov.

( Fig. 45 )

Cerococcus steppicus Balachowsky 1941: 87 –90.

Type details. ALGERIA, Ben-Toumi, Sud Beghani, on Atractylis cespitosa [misspelling of caespitosa ], -. v.1939, A. Pasquier. Depository: MNHN: lectotype adf (designated by Lambdin & Kosztarab 1977: 216) (MNHN 4869- 2); paralectotype ff: data as for lectotype, 4/8 adff (MNHN 4869-1: 2adff); MNHN 4869-3: 2adff; MNHN 4869-4: 2adff; MNHN 4869-5: 2adff).

Material studied. Lectotype f: ALGERIA, Ben-Toumi, Sud Beghani, on Atractylis caespitosa (spelt cespitosa ) ( Asteraceae ), -. v.1939, A. Pasquier (MNHN): 1/1 adf (g, labelled co-type) and (MNHN): 1/2 paralectotype adff (f, labelled type).

Mounted material. Body roundly pear-shaped, 1.6–2.4 mm long, 1.4–2.3 mm wide.

Dorsum. Eight-shaped pores all small, of 3 sizes: (i) largest each 11–12 x 6.5–7.0 µm, restricted to close to or within each stigmatic pore band, with 0–5 near apex of each band, plus a few (3 or 4) along margins of posteriormost abdominal segments; (ii) intermediate-sized pores slightly smaller, each 9.5–10.0 x 6.0–6.5 µm, abundant throughout most of dorsum, randomly distributed but absent medially posterior to abdominal segment IV; and (iii) a small pore, each 6.5 x 3 µm, sparsely distributed medially posterior to cribriform plates; smallest pores absent from stigmatic pore bands. Simple pores, each 2.0–2.5 µm wide, rare. Cribriform plates roundish, small, each mainly 16–20 µm wide, in 2 groups of 3 or 4 submedially on abdominal segment IV; each plate with a narrow border and moderate-sized micropores. Dorsal setae showing nothing distinctive. Tubular ducts with each outer duct 23–25 µm long and about 2.5 µm wide, slightly broader than those on venter; abundant throughout. Anal lobes mainly membranous, but with sclerotized inner margins; each lobe with a long apical seta, all broken but at least 180 µm long; fleshy setae on dorsal surface near apex each 20–22 µm long; more anterior basal fleshy setae each 25–31 µm long; ventral setose seta near apical setae, each about 35 µm long; medioventral setae possibly absent; outer margin setae each 15 µm long; each lobe with two or three 8-shaped pores. Median anal plate roundly pointed, 33–40 µm long and 33–40 µm wide at base. Anal ring with 4 pairs of setae, each 70–75 µm long.

Venter. Eight-shaped pores similar to intermediate-sized pores on dorsum, in a sparse, fairly broad submarginal band and also in broad transverse bands anterior to each band of multilocular disc-pores on abdomen. Simple pores rare. Small bilocular pores, each about 5 x 4 µm, frequent medially on head and thorax, not extending onto anterior abdominal segments. Spiracular disc-pores small, each 4–5 µm wide (smallest near spiracles), mainly with 5 loculi, each band mainly 2–5 pores wide but widening slightly at apex on dorsum; posterior bands bifurcated; each band with 45–60 pores + 0–5 largest 8-shaped pores; also with small groups between each spiracle and anterior and posterior leg stubs, plus 2 quinquelocular disc-pores near each antenna and 2 near labium. Small convex closed pores absent. Multilocular disc-pores, each 7.5–8.0 µm wide with mainly 10 loculi, in transverse bands 2–4 pores wide across most abdominal segments, as follows: VIII 4–6 submarginally and 0 or 1 medially; VII with 1 or 2 on each side of vulva, none medially; VI with 1–4 submarginally + 14–17 medially; V with 3–6 submarginally + 33–41 medially; IV with 6–12 submarginally + 48–69 medially; III 6–12 submarginally + 46–58 medially; II 8–15 submarginally + 33–35 medially; also with 1 or 2 laterad to each metathoracic leg stub; none medially on metathorax. Tubular ducts slightly narrower than those on dorsum; present throughout. Ventral setae showing nothing significant; preanal setae each 90–100 µm long; companion setae short. Leg stubs present. Antennae unsegmented, each 33–40 µm long, 33–40 µm wide, without either a sclerotized conical point on apex or a distinct setal cavity; with 7 or 8 setose and fleshy setae. Clypeolabral shield 165 µm long. Spiracular peritremes each 38–40 µm wide.

Comment. The above description is similar to that of Lambdin and Kosztarab (1977) but some of the measurements are slightly larger and they did not note the smaller 8-shaped pores medially on the posterior abdominal segments. The adult female of A. steppicus is distinctive, with the following combination of characterstates: (i) dorsum with three sizes of 8-shaped pores, all small; (ii) largest 8-shaped pores very close to or restricted to within each stigmatic pore band; (iii) smallest 8-shaped pores restricted to medially on posterior abdominal segments; (iv) intermediate-sized 8-shaped pore randomly distributed over rest of dorsum; (v) cribriform plates in a submedial group of three or four on each side of abdominal segment IV; (vi) leg stubs present; (vii) posterior discpore bands bifurcated; (viii) multilocular disc-pores fairly abundant in transverse bands across all abdominal segments and submarginally on metathorax; (ix) a few quinquelocular disc-pores also present between each spiracle and associated leg stubs; and (x) antennae without a cone-like apex or setal cavity.

The adult female of A. steppicus falls within Group B in the key to species of Antecerococcus and keys out close to A. kakamegae and A. royenae .

Figures

FIGURE 45. Antecerococcus steppicus (Balachowsky). Adult female.