Cerochiton 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 : 144-145

Cerochiton Hodgson & Williams , gen. nov.

Type species: Cerococcus ficoides Green.

Generic description and diagnosis: Adult female. Mounted material. Basic body structure typical of Cerococcidae ( Figs 51 , 52 ). Anal lobes with well-sclerotized inner margins with diagonal ridges, each with 3 quite spinose setae along inner margin and 2 approimately bullet-shaped fleshy setae on dorsal surface; ventral surface of each lobe without a setose apical seta but with 2 small setae medially ( Fig. 3 D); both surfaces with a longitudinal line of 5 or 6 small 8-shaped pores. Median anal plate typical of family. Anal ring with 4 pairs of setae, each seta narrowing gradually. Dorsum with at least 3 sizes of 8-shaped pores, largest and intermediate-sized pores associated with stigmatic pore bands; morphology of apices of each band diagnostic ( Fig. 3 N): each with a group of several to many large or intermediate-sized sunken (or recessed) 8-shaped pores in a group, along with spiracular disc-pores (each usually with 7 or 8 loculi), and surrounded by a ring of non-sunken large 8-shaped pores; also with small 8-shaped pores in a lattice-like pattern on dorsum and laterally on venter; large 8-shaped pores (>15 Μm widest) absent. Simple pores present. Cribriform plates small, present in a medial cluster or 2 submedial clusters on abdominal segment IV. Stigmatic pore bands very sparse, posterior bands either bifurcated or not bifurcated; apex of each band almost circular to oval, with a group of sunken 8-shaped pores and many loculate pores as described above; each apical group usually with a single fleshy seta. Spiracular disc-pores restricted to anterior to each spiracle. Loculate pores with mainly 5 loculi also present in a large group near each antenna. Tubular ducts of 2 or 3 sizes on dorsum and 1 size on venter; largest ducts on dorsum in a line on each side of each lattice-like line of smallest 8-shaped pores. Venter also with a lattice-like pattern of small 8-shaped pores. Small bilocular pores typical of family medially on head and thorax. Multilocular disc-pores present or absent; when present, in segmental lines across a few abdominal segments anterior to vulva, and sometimes sublaterally on more anterior abdominal segments and metathorax. Anteroventral sclerotized areas on anal lobes absent. Legs present or absent. Antennae unsegmented. Spiracles as normal for Cerococcidae .

Comment. Species of Cerochiton share with species of Cerococcus the basic structure of the anal lobes (fleshy setae bullet-shaped; three setose setae along inner margin of each lobe; ventral seta near apex absent; anteroventral sclerotized areas on anal lobes absent). However, adult females of Cerochiton differ from those of Cerococcus in having: (i) a group of large 8-shaped pores, each pore sunken below derm surface, centrally in apex of each stigmatic pore band, each group with intermingling spiracular disc-pores, and with a ring of large 8-shaped pores around each apex but not down margins of stigmatic pore bands (structure of apex of each stigmatic pore band on Cerococcus simple, without an inner and outer ring of large 8-shaped poes); (ii) larger 8-shaped pores absent elsewhere on dorsum (larger 8-shaped pores present elsewhere on dorsum); (iii) smallest dorsal 8-shaped pores forming a lattice-like pattern on dorsum (2 species with a lattice-like pattern in Cerococcus ); (iv) dorsum with two widths of tubular ducts, broader ducts present in a line on each side of each lattice-like line of small 8-shaped pores (broad dorsal tubular ducts, when present, restricted to a group medially on posterior abdominal segments). Cerococcus deklei and C. russellae both have a lattice-like pattern of 8-shaped pores on their dorsum but all other characters are different. The latter two species are restricted to Central America whereas the three species of Cerochiton are restricted to the Oriental Region, particularly the Philippines.

Name derivation. Cero - from the Greek word keros meaning wax, combined with the Greek word chiton meaning tunic or garment, referring to the wax covering.

Key to adult female Cerochiton species

1. Multilocular disc-pores absent. Posterior stigmatic pore band bifurcated. Cribriform plates in a submedial group of 5–8 on each side of segment IV. Each stigmatic pore band apex with 12–15 sunken large 8-shaped pores. (Oriental: Java)..........

...................................................................... C. javanensis (Lambdin & Kosztarab) - Multilocular disc-pores present in transverse bands across at least abdominal segments VI and VII. Posterior stigmatic pore band either bifurcated or not. Other characters not in this combination........................................... 2 2. Posterior stigmatic pore band not bifurcated. Multilocular disc-pores abundant on posterior abdominal segments and sparse across anterior segments. Each apex of stigmatic bands with 45-52 large 8-shaped pores medially. (Oriental: Java)............................................................................. C. bernardi Hodgson & Williams , sp. nov. - Posterior stigmatic pore band bifurcated. Multilocular disc-pores few, on segments (V), VI and VII only. Each apex of stigmatic bands with 7–10 large 8-shaped pores medially. (Oriental: India and Taiwan).................. C. ficoides (Green)

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 51. Cerochiton bernardi Hodgson & Williams, sp. nov. Adult female.

FIGURE 52. Cerochiton ficoides (Green). Adult female.