Asterococcus Borchsenius

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 : 137

Asterococcus Borchsenius

Asterococcus Borchsenius 1960: 113 –115. Type species: Asterococcus schimae Borchsenius , by original designation.

Generic description and diagnosis (based on the five species seen in this study). Adult female. Mounted material. Basic body structure typical of Cerococcidae ( Fig. 50 ). Anal lobes often sclerotized throughout, otherwise with well-sclerotized inner margins, sometimes with diagonal ridges, each with 4 (6 in A. ramakrishnai ) quite spinose setae on inner margin and 2 strongly spinose setae on dorsal surface near apex ( Fig. 3 C); ventral surface of each lobe without a setose apical seta (but here considered that the most posterior setae on inner margin may be homologous) but with a small seta on outer margin; both surfaces of lobes with longitudinal lines of small 8-shaped pores. Median anal plate typical of family. Anal ring with 4 pairs of setae, each seta narrowing gradually. Dorsum with probably only 1 size of 8-shaped pore, quite small and very sparse, perhaps sometimes entirely absent medially; large 8-shaped pores (>15 µm widest) entirely absent. Simple pores often quite large and most abundant on posterior segments. Cribriform plates generally absent; when present small, in a submedial cluster on each side of abdominal segment IV. Ventrally, with stigmatic pore bands short, not reaching dorsum, posterior bands bifurcated; each band generally quite broad, but widening towards margin; most disc-pores with 7 or 8 loculi; apex of each pore band without a fleshy seta; loculate pores with 7 or 8 loculi also present in a large group near each antenna. Tubular ducts of 1 or 2 sizes on dorsum and 1 size on venter; when present, larger ducts broader and located on dorsum of posterior abdominal segments; narrower ducts long and narrow; tubular ducts most abundant in a marginal band on venter, otherwise sparse medially on dorsum and sometimes absent medially on venter; marginal band fairly narrow, not extending medially as far as spiracles and antennae. Ventral marginal band also with a band of 8-shaped pores, generally of roughly 2 sizes, smallest along outer margins of band. Small bilocular pores typical of family. Multilocular disc-pores present or absent; when present in a segmental line across a few to all abdominal segments and sometimes also on metathorax. Anteroventral sclerotized areas on anal lobes laterad to anal ring absent ( Fig. 3 C). Leg stubs generally present. Antennae unsegmented with about 7 fleshy setae. Spiracles as normal for Cerococcidae except that each has a shallow membranous atrium just laterad to peritreme, with spiracular disc-pores in a semi-circle along margin ( Fig. 3 F), disc-pores not restricted to a group anterior to spiracle.

Comment. Species of Asterococcus are similar to species of Cerococcus in having: (i) a line of spinose setae along the inner margins of the anal lobes, and (ii) a pair of strongly spinose (rather than fleshy) setae dorsally on each anal lobe; and in lacking (iii) the anteroventral sclerotization, and (iv) large 8-shaped pores along the dorsal margin of the posterior abdominal segments. Some species also have a group of large tubular ducts on the dorsum of the posterior abdominal segments, as in many species of Cerococcus . However, species of Asterococcus differ in having: (i) short stigmatic pore bands, each band with apex probably on venter, (ii) a broad marginal band of tubular ducts and 8-shaped pores on venter which generally extends medially sufficiently far to include the antennae; (iii) 8-shaped pores few on dorsum of cephalothorax, these most common towards margins and always small, but (iv) present in a few transverse bands dorsally on some abdominal segments.

The eight species included in this genus here are all found in the Oriental or eastern Palaearctic Regions. Asterococcus ovoides is here excluded from this genus and transferred to Antecerococcus (see under this species above). The three species deposited in museums in China ( A. atratus Wang, A. oblatus Xue and Zhang and A. scleroglutaeus Xue & Shi ) have not been seen during this study.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Morphological features of adult females of Cerococcidae. A – E = Posterior abdominal segments and anal lobes. A & B: two Antecerococcus spp.; C: Asterococcus ramakrishnai; D: Cerochiton sp. and E: Cerococcus sp.; where a = large 8 - shaped pores along margins of posterior abdominal segments; b = anteroventral sclerotization; c = anterior margin of median anal plate; d = anal plate; e = dorsal fleshy setae; f = posterior ventral seta; g = anteroventral seta; h = medioventral seta; j = pre-anal seta plus companion seta; k = inner margin spinose setae; m = bullet-shaped dorsal fleshy setae, n = apical seta, and t = outer margin seta. F – H. Spiracles. F = Asterococcus sp. with spiracular disc-pores in a band all round spiracular atrium; G & H with spiracular disc-pores restricted to anterior to peritreme; H with a sclerotized arm extending anteriorly over group of disc-pores. J – N. Apices of stigmatic bands showing variations in the distribution of the spiracular disc-pores and 8 - shaped pores: J = Antecerococcus philippiae, with narrow stigmatic bands, few small 8 - shaped pores and large 8 - shaped pores along margins; K = Antecerococcus fradei, with small 8 - shaped pores in a clear area within stigmatic band apex; L = Cerococcus catenarius, with rather random small 8 - shaped pores within apex but also with a transverse band of 8 - shaped pores dividing apex into two halves; M = Cerococcus asteris, with a loose group of medium-sized 8 - shaped pores within apex, each 8 - shaped pore in a shallow cavity, and N = Cerochiton ficoides, with typical Cerochiton pore arrangement: a group of deeply-sunken large 8 - shaped pores in centre along with frequent spiracular-disc pores, surrounded by a ring of non-sunken large 8 - shaped pores; each apex also with a rather fleshy seta and a very sparse stigmatic band.

FIGURE 50. Asterococcus ramakrishnai (Ramakrishna Ayyer). Adult female.