Antecerococcus kurraensis 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 : 74-76

Antecerococcus kurraensis Hodgson & Williams , sp. nov.

( Fig. 26 )

Material studied. Holotype: NIGERIA, Kurra Falls (also spelt Kura), Jos, on unknown shrub, 10.vii.1991, C.J. Hodgson (BMNH): 1/1 adf (f). Paratypes: as for holotype (BMNH): 2/2 adff (f).

Unmounted material. Not recorded.

Mounted material. Body roundly pear-shaped, 1.15–1.25 mm long, 0.75–0.88 mm wide.

Dorsum. Eight-shaped pores of 3 sizes: (i) largest 17– 23 x 10–15 µm, abundant in swirled lines around stigmatic pore bands but becoming much more random medially; largest nearest stigmatic pore bands; also in a marginal line of 6 or 7 in each side of posterior abdominal segments; (ii) medium-sized 8-shaped pores small, each about 10 x 7–8 µm, present throughout on head, thorax and anterior abdominal segments associated with larger pore but most abundant medially; also present on posterior abdominal segments, where tend to be smaller, and (iii) smallest 8-shaped pores, each 7.5–8.0 x 4 µm, present in a small group of 3–5 within apex of each stigmatic pore band. Simple pores very sparse throughout, each about 3 µm wide, but present in a group laterad to cribriform plates. Cribriform plates approximately round, each 11–18 µm wide, with a fairly wide sclerotized margin and quite large micropores; in a line of 7–9 on abdominal segment IV (in 2 fairly distinct submedial groups on 1 specimen). Dorsal setae extremely few, each setose, and 7–10 µm long. Tubular ducts with each outer ductule about 25 µm long; slightly broader than those ventrally. Anal lobes membranous apart from inner margin which is distinctly sclerotized; each lobe about 50 µm long with a long apical seta, each 145–160 µm long, posterior fleshy setae each 18–22 µm long, anterior fleshy setae longer, each 20–26 µm long; ventral setose seta near apex each about 16 µm long; medioventral/lateral margin setae 13 µm long; each lobe with a few medium 8-shaped pores. Anal plate with a straight, transverse posterior margin, often with a slightly serrated edge, 43–48 µm long and 38– 42 µm wide at base. Anal ring with 4 pairs of setae, each 75–95 µm long.

Venter. Eight-shaped pores mainly similar to medium-sized pores on dorsum, but larger pores possibly extending onto lateral margins of abdomen; medium-sized pores, each 8.0–8.5 x 5 µm, in a narrow marginal band and also in fairly narrow bands about 2 pores wide across each abdominal segment; perhaps absent medially on posterior abdominal segments. Simple pores very sparse, mainly on posterior abdominal segments, each about 3 µm wide. Small bilocular pores round, each about 5 µm widest, present medially on head, thorax and anterior abdominal segments. Spiracular disc-pores small, each about 3.5 µm wide with mainly 5 loculi, in broad bands 5– 6 pores wide, each band with about 200 pores extending onto dorsum, each band of uniform width except at apex where it broadens slightly; posterior band not bifurcated; all bands with 3–5 small 8-shaped pore within each apical group; also with 2–8 quinquelocular disc-pores near each antenna. Small convex closed pores, each 3.5–5.0 µm wide, present as sparse groups of 5–8 just anterolaterally to each spiracle. Multilocular disc-pores, each 5–6 µm wide with mostly 10–12 loculi, distributed on abdomen as follows: VIII 1 or 2 on each side; VII 0–2 marginally + 5–7 submarginally, and then in bands mainly 2 pores wide across more anterior segments: VI 5–7 submarginally + 30–36 medially; V 5–8 submarginally + 35–39 medially; IV 12–16 submarginally + 43+–50 medially; III 8–13 submarginally + 40–51 medially, II 9–12 submarginally + 37–49 medially, and metathorax with 4–9 on each side, none medially; also 5–10 mesad to each posterior spiracle and 0–5 near each anterior spiracle. Tubular ducts slightly narrower than those on dorsum, present throughout. Ventral setae slightly more abundant than on dorsum but all setose and short; preanal setae each 50–60 µm long; companion setae 20–23 µm long. Leg stubs absent. Antennae unsegmented, each 23–28 µm long, 25–30 µm wide, with 7 or 8 setae but without either a setal cavity or a cone-like point on apex. Clypeolabral shield 125–145 µm long. Spiracular peritremes each 26-30 µm wide.

Comment. Adult females of A. kurraensis are fairly distinctive due to the dense covering of large 8-shaped pores on the dorsum. However, in addition, this species is characterised by the following combination of characterstates: (i) dorsum with three sizes of 8-shaped pores; (ii) large 8-shaped pores abundant on dorsum; (iii) each stigmatic band with 3–5 smallest 8-shaped pores; (iv) each lateral margin of posterior abdominal segments with six large 8-shaped pores; (v) cribriform plates unevenly round, in a transverse line of 7–9 plates on abdominal segment IV; (vi) leg stubs absent; (vii) posterior stigmatic pore bands not bifurcated; (viii) stigmatic pore bands broad and of uniform width, each with more than 200 pores; (ix) small convex closed pores present near each spiracle; (x) multilocular disc-pores in dense bands across all abdominal segments and on each side of metathorax plus a few associated with each spiracle, and (xi) antennae without a cone-like apex but perhaps with a shallow setal cavity.

The adult female of A. kurraensis falls within Group A in the key to species of Antecerococcus , keying out closest to A. ornatus .

Name derivation: kurraensis , named after the water falls in the Jos Mountains, the Kurra (or Kura) Falls, where these specimens were collected, combined with the Latin suffix – ensis meaning origin or place.

Figures

FIGURE 26. Antecerococcus kurraensis Hodgson & Williams, sp. nov. Adult female.