Tanyscelis pisiformis (Froggatt) Hardy, Nate B. & Gullan, Penny J., 2010

Hardy, Nate B. & Gullan, Penny J., 2010, Australian gall-inducing scale insects on Eucalyptus: revision of Opisthoscelis Schrader (Coccoidea, Eriococcidae) and descriptions of a new genus and nine new species, ZooKeys 58, pp. 1-74 : 32-34

Tanyscelis pisiformis (Froggatt) comb. n. Figs 3b,c18, 19

Opisthoscelis pisiformis Froggatt 1894b: 343-344.

General.

When Froggatt (1894b) described Opisthoscelis pisiformis , he listed three host species of eucalypts - Eucalyptus melliodora , Eucalyptus piperita and Eucalyptus resinifera - from three different localities in New South Wales -Bathurst, Thornleigh and Sutherland. Even though we designate a lectotype below, the type locality of this species continues to encompass these three localities because the collection locality of the lectotype is not known. Although Miller and Gimpel (2000) listed the BMNH as holding syntypes, the data associated with the four BMNH collections of dry galls labelled as Opisthoscelis pisiformis either clearly show that the material was collected subsequent to description of this species or the data are inadequate to determine type status. Probably only two of the four BMNH collections belong to this species. Insects extracted from dry galls of one collection were slide-mounted by PJG in 1984 and are listed below in Material examined.

Gall

(Fig. 3b,c). Female (Fig. 3a). On leaf. Height 4.0-9.6 mm, width 4.0-6.4 mm, length of basal attachment 2.9-8.9 mm. Gall opening an almost closed slit in young galls, in mature galls slit-like to oblong, 0.1-1.8 mm wide, 0.6-0.8 mm long; on abaxial (lower) leaf surface. Gall opening on small raised or low conical protrusion, opposite side of leaf sub-spherical, basal attachment may be constricted; surface green, sometimes with reddish tinge, leaf glands enlarged.

Male (Fig. 3b). On stem and leaf (probably either surface), height 1.1-4.0 mm, width 1.0-3.8 mm, length of basal attachment 1.4-3.9 mm. Gall conical, opening round to oblong, 0.2-1.8 mm wide.

Adult female

(Fig. 18) (n = 15). Body turbinate, margin incised at intersegmental boundaries, length 2.7-3.6 mm, greatest width 1.1-2.3 mm; abdomen tapered, about as long as head + thorax, extending far beyond femur. Eyespots each 15-25 mm wide, on dorsal margin. Antennal segmentation poorly developed; each antenna 80-228 mm long. Frontal lobes difficult to see, each 125-190 µm long, 180-240 µm wide. Tentorial box 300-495 mm long. Pump chamber 34-45 µm long, 33-53 µm wide. Labium 75-160 mm long, 65-220 mm wide. Spiracles 80-125 mm long, 40-75 mm wide across atrium. Fore and mid legs small sclerotic protuberances, 12-63 µm. Hind legs slender and elongate; coxa 270-440 µm long, trochanter + femur 405-630 µm long, tibia 860-1300 µm long, tarsus 250-380 µm long; translucent pores dense throughout dorsal and ventral surfaces of tibiotarsus, a few on distolateral part of coxa; trochanter with 2 campaniform sensilla on each side; femur-tibia articulation non-functional, tibia fixed in orientation parallel to long axis of femur; claw and digitules present but reduced. Anal opening 10-18 µm wide, with anal ring, 18-32 µm wide, sclerotization of ring uneven, weaker at posteroventral end, often appearing horseshoe-shaped, anal ring with 6 minute setae. Anal area with 4 stout spines, 25-35 µm long, each at the end of a fleshy protuberance; one spine on each side of body laterad of anal ring, another on each side of body posterolateral of anal ring, each anterior anal spine with small, auxiliary spine usually present near medial edge of base plus a few minute setae on surface of protuberance.

Dorsum. Derm membranous. Dorsal setae ranging from minute and conical to long and flagellate, 8-95 mm long; arranged in a transverse row or narrow band across each body segment, longer setae present on abdominal segments and along margin. Spinose seta, 5-10 µm long, found on margin of each posterior abdominal segment, absent from margin of anterior abdominal segments, head and thorax. Macrotubular ducts 15 mm long, dermal orifice with a 5 mm wide rim; in transverse row across each abdominal segment, scattered over thorax, absent from head. Microtubular ducts absent. Quinquelocular pores 5-7 µm in diameter, scattered over dorsum.

Venter. Setae as on dorsum, each 12-175 mm long, in a transverse row or narrow band across each abdominal segment as well as meta- and mesothorax, along margin and submargin of head and prothorax. Macrotubular ducts similar to those on dorsum, restricted to submarginal areas of abdominal segments. Quinquelocular pores similar to those on dorsum, similar in distribution to ventral setae; pores often occurring in pairs.

First-instar nymph

(Fig. 19) (n = 4). Body outline elliptical, anterior margin incised at midline, length 263-283 µm, greatest width 158-188 µm. Eyespots on margin, each 9-15 mm wide. Antennae 3-segmented, ca 60 mm long, with 4 fleshy setae. Tentorial box 50 mm long. Labium 20-28 mm long, 18-33 mm wide. Spiracles 11-18 mm long, 8 mm wide across atrium. Legs subequal in size: coxa 18-25 µm, with 5 setae, trochanter + femur 53-58 µm long, trochanter with 4 setae, femur with 2 setae, tibia 20-33 µm long, with 4 setae, tarsus 25-35 µm long, with 4 setae, claw 10-13 µm long; tarsal digitules capitate, unequal length, short digitule 18-20 µm long, long digitule 25-28 µm long, claw digitules capitate, each ca 15 µm long. Anal ring 9-15 µm wide, with 6 fine setae, each ca 8 µm long. Apical seta 55-65 µm long.

Dorsum. Derm membranous. Dorsal setae fine and minute £1 mm long; arranged in submedial longitudinal row on each side of body, 1 seta on each side of head, prothorax, and each of abdominal segments I–VII. Microtubular ducts 4 µm long, each side of body with 1 duct on submargin of each thoracic segment plus each of abdominal segments I and V; also with 1 duct on submedial area of head, each thoracic segment and abdominal segment VIII. Marginal setae sagittate, 2-5 µm long, each side of body with ca 6 setae between midline and eyes, 4 on prothorax, 3 on mesothorax, 2 on metathorax, 1 on each of abdominal segments I–VII, and on abdominal segment VIII 1 lateral and 2 medial of apical seta, these most likely homologous to anal lobe setae.

Venter. Setae hair-like, each 1-20 mm long, each side of body with 3 setae medial of scape, 1 seta medial of each coxa, 3 longitudinal rows on abdomen, each row with 1 seta on each of abdominal segments II–VII; suranal and ventral lobe setae hair-like, each ca 15 µm long. Trilocular pores 3 µm in diameter, 1 pore near each spiracle.

Material examined.

Lectotype of Opisthoscelis pisiformis (here designated): AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: 1 adult female (3.5 mm long, 2.3 mm wide): ex dry gall on leaf, with printed label: "No. 1786 E / GALL MAKING COCCIDS. / Opisthoscelis pisiformis , Frogtt. / Male and female galls on Eucalyptus sp. / N.S.W." ASCT00004858 (ASCU).

Paralectotypes: AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: 2 adult female, ca 400 first-instar nymphs & embryos [10 slides], ex dry galls on leaves and stems: same data as lectotype (ASCU).

Additional material:

AUSTRALIA: Australian Capital Territory: 6 adult females: ex galls, Eucalyptus botryoides , Jervis Bay, Jervis Bay Rd, 5 Sep., 1984, PJG (ANIC). New South Wales: 5 adult females: ex stem galls, Eucalyptus sp., Wonboyn, 21 Feb, 1993, PJG (ANIC); 3 adult female, 25 first-instar nymphs: ex galls on leaves, Eucalyptus sp., nr Wonboyn Lake Resort, N shore, -37.24°; 149.93°, 15 Jan., 1994, PJG (ANIC); 6 adult females: ex leaf galls, Eucalyptus saligna , S. Brooman, “Strathclyde” property, bank of Clyde River, -35.52°; 150.22°, 10 Jan., 1996, PJG (ANIC); 4 adult females (on 1 slide): ex Eucalyptus robusta , Sydney, 25 Dec. 1929, WWF, #1867 (ANIC); 2 adult females (1 slide): ex Eucalyptus robusta , Sydney Harbour, WWF, #1868 (ANIC). Locality unknown: 5 adult females, ex dry galls with labels: "Australia / W.W. Froggatt / 95-74" and “15” (BMNH).

Comments.

Adult females of Tanyscelis pisiformis are very similar to those of Tanyscelis verrucula. Both species have 4 anal spines and a small but distinct anal ring that often appears horseshoe-shaped and has ca 6 setae. Both also have marginal abdominal spines that are smaller than the anal spines, and they frequently have paired quinquelocular pores. Adult females of Tanyscelis pisiformis can be distinguished from those of Tanyscelis verrucula by having (1) marginal spines restricted to the posterior abdominal segments (marginal spines also occurring along margin on head and thorax on Tanyscelis verrucula ); (2) much smaller eyes (15-25 µm wide, compared to Tanyscelis verrucula with eyes 30-65 µm wide); (3) elongate flagellate setae up to 95 µm long on dorsal surface of posterior abdominal segments (shorter than 25 µm in Tanyscelis verrucula ); and (4) no weakly-sclerotised pads or protuberances near the spiracles (present in Tanyscelis verrucula ). Both Tanyscelis pisiformis and Tanyscelis verrucula are known from southeastern Australia, although Tanyscelis verrucula is much more widely distributed and Tanyscelis pisiformis appears to have a strictly coastal distribution and has not been collected in Victoria. The two have never been collected from the same site, although they both occur in New South Wales. Tanyscelis verrucula is known only from eucalypt species in the section Maidenaria . Most of the Tanyscelis pisiformis material was collected from unidentified hosts, but one sample was from Eucalyptus botryoides and another from Eucalyptus saligna (both in section Latoangulatae ).