Cerochiton bernardi 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 : 145-147

Cerochiton bernardi Hodgson & Williams , sp. nov.

( Fig. 51 )

Material studied. Holotype f: JAVA, Soekaboemi (now Sukabumi), on tea ( Thea sp., Theaceae ), no date, C. Bernard (BMNH): 1/1adf (fg; with manuscript name C. bernardi Green ).

Mounted material. Body almost round, 1.8 mm long, 1.55 mm wide.

Dorsum. Eight-shaped pores of about 4 sizes: (i) larger pores, each 13.0–13.5 x 8 µm, present in a ring of 20– 25 around apex of each stigmatic pore band; (ii) a slightly smaller pore, each 11.0–12.5 x 8 µm, each sunk in a deep indentation, in groups of 45–52 in centre of apex of each stigmatic pore band; also in a further ring just outside ring of largest pores; these becoming smaller (size (iii)) further from apical group, down to about 9 x 6 µm; and (iv) small pores, each 5 x 3 µm, forming a lattice-like pattern, with seven radial bands on each side, a submedial circle of pores, divided medially by 4 transverse bands and 2 longitudinal bands (see figure); very slightly smaller pores, each 4.5 x 2.5 µm, present sparsely in areas between lattice lines. Simple pores very sparse throughout, each 1.5– 2.0 µm wide. Cribriform plates small, each 8–10 µm wide, in a single median group of 9, each with median-sized micropores and a fairly broad margin. Dorsal setae extremely few, each setose, and mainly 5 µm long, but also with a single fleshy seta within apex of each stigmatic pore band. Tubular ducts short, each about 16 µm long with many spines within cup-shaped invagination of outer ductule; of three widths: (i) a broad duct, each 4.0–4.5 µm wide, present in lines parallel to small 8-shaped pores bands, forming a reticulate pattern, and also in a group medially on posterior abdominal segments; (ii) ducts of intermediate width, each about 3.5 µm wide, present between larger ducts and narrower ducts; and (iii) narrow ducts, each 2.5–3.0 µm wide, present throughout. Anal lobes membranous with a well-developed area of sclerotization on inner margin, each with diagonal ridges, each lobe 100 µm long; each lobe with a large apical seta, both broken; each inner margin with 3 strongly setose setae towards base, each 20–23 µm long, and 2 fleshy setae on dorsum nearer apex, more anterior seta 12–13 µm long, more posterior 8–9 µm long; ventral surface without a seta near apex but with 2 short setose setae (probably medio- and anteroventral setae) more anteriorly, each 7–8 µm long; apparently without an outer margin seta; each lobe with longitudinal lines of about 5 small 8-shaped pores dorsally and 6 ventrally. Median anal plate not visible. Anal ring with 4 pairs of setae, each about 110 µm long, each narrowing gradually towards apex.

Venter. Eight-shaped pores of 2 sizes: (i) intermediate-sized pores, similar to those on dorsum, sparse near each antenna, and (ii) small pores, similar to those on dorsum, in radial lines meeting those from dorsum, and also in a more or less semi-circular band submedially; with a few in transverse bands on abdominal segments and on anal lobes. Simple pores, similar to those on dorsum, very sparse. Small bilocular pores, each 3.5–4.0 x 2.5 µm, frequent medially on head and thorax. Spiracular disc-pores small, each 3–4 µm wide, those near spiracle usually with 5 loculi but otherwise with mainly 7 or 8 loculi; posterior band not bifurcated; with very few pores (10–15) in each stigmatic band between spiracle and apex, but then forming an almost round apical group on dorsum; numbers in each apex uncertain but probably more than 100; each apical group distinctive as described above under dorsum. Also with 17–19 pores, mainly 5-locular, laterad to each antenna. Multilocular disc-pores, each about 6 µm wide with mainly 10 loculi, arrangement uncertain but in broad bands on segments V–VII and apparently just submarginally on segments IV–II and metathorax; perhaps as follows: VIII none; VII with a total about 75, but marginally band appears to turn anteriorly towards segment VI; also with a small group of 4 medially between VI and VII; VI band broken but perhaps with a total of about 115 disc-pores, plus a submarginal line of 5 between segments VI and V; V with a total of perhaps 80 (only visible on one side) and then in submarginal groups, IV with 5–10, III & II 2 on each side, and metathorax with 2 on each side. Tubular ducts similar to narrow type on dorsum, or even slightly narrower; present throughout. Ventral setae slightly more abundant than on dorsum on posterior abdominal segments but all setose and short; preanal setae each 40 µm long; companion setae short. Leg stubs absent. Antennae unsegmented, very short, each about 25 µm long and 25 µm wide, with about 4 fleshy setae and 2 setose setae; without either an apical cone or a distinct setal cavity. Clypeolabral shield 145 µm long. Spiracular peritreme each 33–35 µm wide.

Comment. The adult female of C. bernardi is clearly similar to those of both C. ficoides and C. javanensis , sharing with them: (i) each stigmatic pore band with the same structured apex, (ii) a fleshy seta associated with each stigmatic pore band apex, and (iii) two or more sizes of tubular ducts on the dorsum, the larger present on each side of the lattice-like lines of 8-shaped pores. Cerochiton bernardi differs from both C. ficoides and C. javanensis in: (i) the much larger groups of sunken pores in the apex of each stigmatic pore band; (ii) non-bifurcated posterior stigmatic pore bands, and (iii) the pattern of the lattice lines. It also differs from C. javanensis in having: (i) multilocular disc-pores (as in C. ficoides ), and (ii) no leg stubs (present in C. javanensis ). C. bernardi also differs from C. ficoides in having many more multilocular disc-pores.

The adult female of C. bernardi is characterised by the following combination of character-states: (i) anteroventral sclerotizations absent; (ii) three spinose setae present along inner margin of each anal lobe; (iii) dorsal fleshy setae on anal lobes rather spinose; (iv) posteroventral seta on each anal lobe absent; (v) dorsum with four sizes of 8-shaped pore; (vi) smallest pores forming a reticulate pattern throughout dorsum and margins of venter; (vii) largest 8-shaped pores restricted to within and around apices of each stigmatic band; (viii) apex of each stigmatic pore band with round groups of more than 40 sunken 8-shaped pores in centre; (ix) lateral margins of posterior abdominal segments without large 8-shaped pores dorsally; (x) cribriform plates in a single group of nine medially on abdominal segment IV; (xi) stigmatic bands quite long and extending onto dorsum; (xii) tubular ducts of three sizes on dorsum, broadest ducts in a line on either side of each reticulation and medially on posterior abdominal segments; (xiii) leg stubs absent; (xiv) stigmatic pore bands not bifurcated; (xv) multilocular disc-pores abundant on abdominal segments IV–VI but only in submarginal groups on segments III and II and on metathorax; (xvi) spiracular disc-pores extremely few near spiracles but quite abundant in each stigmatic pore band apex, and (xvii) antennae without either a cone-like apex or setal cavily.

Name derivation: Chilechiton bernardi is here named after the collector, C. Bernard, who collected several scale insects; Green also used this manuscript name on the slide.

Figures

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