Peliococcus balteatus, Green

Hodgson, Chris, 2005, The adult males of Coccoidea (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha) known from Greenland, Zootaxa 907, pp. 1-48 : 14-19

PELIOCOCCUS BALTEATUS (Green) (Fig. 3)

Phenacoccus balteatus Green, 1928: 20

Peliococcus balteatus (Green) : Ben­Dov, 1994: 291; Gertsson & Hodgson, 2005: 2.

(Described from 2 specimens, 1 in fair condition and the other less good; some details checked on remaining specimens).

Live appearance: not recorded.

Mounted material: quite small, total body length about 1.27–1.35 mm; antennae long, slightly less than three­quarters total body length, with long hair­like fleshy setae (fs); body with few setae, all hair­like (hs), fs setae apparently absent or not differentiated from hs; length of fs on antennae 3–4 times width of antennal segments; loculate pores (lp) each with mainly 3 or 4 loculi and each 4–7µm wide; many with a nearby minute pore. Wings shorter than total body length, about 0.9x total body length and about 0.38x as wide as long. Abdomen with 2 pairs of glandular pouches.

FIGURE 3. Adult male of Peliococcus balteatus (Green) . Where A = cranial apophysis; G = multilocular disc­pores; H = minute pore; J = apical antennal segment; K = dorsal and ventral view of genital segment. And where abr = antennal bristle; ads = dorsal abdominal setae; als = alar setae; amss = anterior metasternal setae; asp2s = antemesospiracular setae; avs = ventral abdominal setae; cdt = claw digitules; dhs = dorsal head setae; dps = dorsal pleural setae; fs = fleshy seta; gls = setae of glandular pouch; gp = glandular pouch pores; gs = genal setae; ham = hamulus; hs = hair­like setae; lp = loculate pore; med = medial vein; mts = metatergal setae; pm2s = postmesospiracular setae; pmss = posterior metasternal setae; prscs = prescutal setae; rad = radial vein; sb = sensilla basiconica; scts = scutal setae; sens = alar sensoria; stn2s = mesosternal setae; tcp = tarsal campaniform pore; tegs = tegular setae; tibs = distal spurs on tibia; vhs = ventral head setae; vmcrs = setae laterad to ventral mid­cranial ridge, and vps = ventral pleural setae. For abbreviations of other structures, see mainly Fig. 1.

Head: bluntly triangular, apex of triangle pointing anteriorly; probably with ventral eyes on a distinct postero­ventral bulge; length about 190µm; width across genae about 220µm. Median crest (mc) absent; postoccipital ridge (por) absent; with (on each side) about 8–12 hs dorsal head setae (dhs) + 1 or 2 lp mesad to each scape (generally also with a minute pore). Mid­cranial ridge: dorsal ridge (dmcr) faint, long and narrow, extending to about level of anterior margin of dorsal simple eyes (dse); ventral midcranial ridge (vmcr) short and narrow, poorly defined, extending from lateral arms (lmcr) posteriorly to about level with posterior margin of scapes; without any reticulation laterally; with 3 hs ventral midcranial ridge setae (vmcrs). Genae (g) not reticulated; with 2–4 hs genal setae (gs) on each side just laterad to preoccipital ridge. Eyes: two pairs of round, simple eyes, subequal in size; dorsal eyes (dse) each approximately level to ventral simple eyes (vse); dorsal eyes, each 31–33µm wide, ventral eyes each 33–35µm wide. Ocelli (o) fairly pronounced, situated laterally, each 16–18µm wide, lying just anterior to dorsal arm of postocular ridges. Ocular sclerite (ocs) lightly sclerotised, without reticulations, even immediately around simple eyes. Preocular ridge (procr) well developed, dorsally extending from inner margin of dorsal simple eyes antero­laterally to base of each scape (with which it articulates) and then ventrally to almost join with ventral midcranial ridge medially. Postocular ridge (pocr) strongly developed, extending antero­laterally, ending posterior to inner margin of dse; each with a small branch (part of interocular ridge?) extending dorsally more or less posterior to each ocellus but neither extending around ocelli nor touching it. Dorsal ocular setae (docs) absent. Ventral head setae (vhs): with 3–5 hs ventral head setae (vhs) on each side, distributed laterad to ventral mid­cranial ridge and also transversely anterior to vse. Preoral ridge (pror) probably absent or poorly developed. Cranial apophysis (ca) possibly represented by a finger­like extension.

Antennae: 10 segmented and filiform; 900–990µm long (ratio of total body length to antennal length 1:0.72). Scape (scp) approximately square, with pedicel arising anteriorly: 48–50µm long and 48–50µm wide, with 2 hs ventrally and 2 dorsolaterally. Pedicel (pdc): length 64–68µm, width 38–42µm; with concentric ridges on distal end; with 8–11 fs, 5–9 hs + a campaniform pore. Segments III–X all rather irregular in width, each about 16– 28µm wide; lengths of segments (µm): III: 147–151; IV: 120–150; V: 122–135; VI: 117– 123; VII: 99–108; VIII: 89–91; IX: 76–80; fs about 50–70µm long; approximate number of setae per segment: III: 16–20 fs + 5 hs; IV: 13–17 fs + 0 hs; V: 18–21 + 0 hs; VI: 17–20 fs + 0 hs; VII: 13–19 fs + 0 hs; VIII: 13 fs, 0 hs + 1 bristle (abr) (about half­way along segment); IX: 9–11 fs, 1 hs + 1 bristle (abr) (about half­way along segment). Segment X not constricted apically: length 84–88µm; without capitate setae (caps), about 14 fs, 1 hs + 2 or 3 bristles (abr) near apex (these barely differentiated from fs); with 1 or 2 sensilla basiconica (sb) near apex.

Thorax. Prothorax: pronotal ridges (prnr) well developed but not fused dorsally; long, extending ventrally and nearly touching proepisternum + cervical sclerite (pepcv); pronotal sclerite (prn) represented by a short finger­like projection postero­laterally; without lateral pronotal setae (lpns). Medial pronotal setae (mpns): on each side 0 hs + 1– 4 lp; post­tergite small, without post­tergital setae but with 0 or 1 lp on each side. Without lateral prothoracic setae (lps) or pores. Sternum (stn1) lightly sclerotised; median ridge absent, transverse ridge well developed; without prosternal setae (stn1s) or lp. Anteprosternal setae (astn1s) absent but with a group of about 3 lp medially; with 1 hs antemesospiracular setae (asp2s).

Mesothorax: prescutum (prsc) oval, 86–104µm long, 120–133µm wide; sclerotised but not reticulated; prescutal ridge (pscr) well developed anteriorly but narrowing posteriorly; prescutal suture (pscs) well developed; with 3–6 hs prescutal setae (prscs) on each side. Scutum (sct): sclerotised but not reticulated, distance between prsc and scutellum 33–44µm; scutal setae (scts) 2–4 hs + 2–4 minute pores on each side medially plus 2 hs more laterally; with a distinct, broad sclerotised apodeme (praa) on anterior margin near prealare (pra); prealar ridge (prar) quite well developed. Scutellum (scl) almost square, 76–82µm wide and 74–79µm long; without a scutellar ridge (sclr) or foramen; scutellar setae (scls): 0 or 1 hs on each side + 1 minute pore; postnotal wing process (pnp) strong and extending laterally. Basisternum (stn2) 190–216µm wide and 107–125µm long; without a median ridge (mdr); bounded anteriorly by a thin marginal ridge (mr), this becoming strong antero­laterally; posteriorly with a strong precoxal ridge (pcr2); with a narrow, short, additional ridge, extending ventrally from pcr2 near articulation with mesocoxa; with 3–12 hs basisternal setae (stn2s), mainly in a broad median band and along anterior margin; lateropleurite (lpl) broad, with a short extension from marginal ridge along anterior margin; lateropleurite with 1 or 2 hs setae along anterior margin; furca (f) well developed, narrow­waisted, arms very divergent and extending about 3/4 way to marginal ridge anteriorly. Mesopostnotum (pn2) well developed; postnotal apophysis (pna) well developed. Area bounded anteriorly by scutellum and laterally and posteriorly by mesopostnotum not sclerotised. Mesepisternum (eps2) not reticulated; subepisternal ridge (ser) long and well developed. Postalare (pa) without reticulations; without postalare setae (pas). Mesothoracic spiracle (sp2): width of peritreme 19–23µm, without associated loculate pores. Postmesospiracular setae (pm2s): with 2–6 hs + 2 lp posterior to each spiracle plus 0 or 1 hs + 3 pores medially. Tegula (teg) present, with 3 or 4 tegular setae (tegs) on each side.

Metathorax: with 4 or 5 hs metatergal setae (mts) on each side; metapostnotum (pn3) present as a transverse sclerite. Dorsospiracular setae (dss) absent. Dorsal part of metapleural ridge (plr3) present; with small suspensorial sclerites (ss). Posterior part of metapleural ridge well developed; episternum (eps3) sclerotised but without postmetaspiracular setae (eps3s); precoxal ridge (pcr3) well developed, extending medially about 80–85µm; metasternal apophysis (st3a) distinct. Metepimeron (epm3) sclerotised. Antemetaspiracular setae (am3s) absent. Metathoracic spiracle (sp3): width of peritreme 23–25µm, without associated lp. Metasternum (stn3) membranous, with 2 hs anterior metasternal setae (amss) + 1–3 lp, and 0–3 hs posterior metasternal setae (pmss) + 0 or 1 lp.

Wings: hyaline, rather short, 1075–1200 µm long and 400–450µm wide (ratio of length to width 1:0.36; ratio of total body length to wing length 1:0.83); alar lobe (al) well developed; each wing with 2 or 3 hs alar setae (als), plus 2 or 3 circular sensoria (sens) just distal to where medial vein branches from radial vein. Hamulohalteres (h): 96–100µm long, 23–27µm wide; with a single apical hamulus (ham), 46–55µm long.

Legs: mesothoracic legs shortest, others subequal in length. Coxae (cx): I: 95–100; II: 97–108; III: 103–108µm long; setae of coxa III: about 17–19 hs; long setae on each coxa not differentiated. Trochanter (tr) + femur (fm): I: 252–274; II: 240–248; III: 252–259µm long; trochanter III with about 6 hs; each trochanter with 3 circular sensoria on each side arranged in a triangle medially and with strong sclerotised ridges for articulation with femur; long trochanter seta not differentiated; femur III with about 31–35 hs, with 4 or 5 hs very long (each 33–47µm). Tibia (ti): I: 289–295; II: 248–274; III: 285–303µm; tibia III with a total of about 31–35 setae, a few long as on femur and several becoming spur­like on distal third of leg (none clearly fs); with 2 apical spurs (tibs) on all tibia; length 16– 22µm. Tarsi (ta) 2 segmented, proximal segment very short and ring­like, length of both segments combined: I: 105–112; II: 103–110; III: 107–112µm long (ratio of length of tibia III to length of tarsus III 1:0.37); tarsus III with 34–42 setae, mainly spur­like (none clearly fs); tarsal spurs (tabs) not differentiated, but seta in this position about 16–18µm long; tarsal campaniform pore (tcp) present; tarsal digitules (tdt) as long as claw, either without an apical knob or this very small. Claws (c) long and thin, nearly twice width of tarsus, almost straight, without a small denticle (cd); length: III: 33µm; claw digitules (cdt) setose, about 7–9µm long.

Abdomen: segments I–VII: tergites (at) and sternites (as) unsclerotised. Caudal extension (ce) of segment VII rounded. Dorsal abdominal setae (ads) (totals across segment): segment I: 3–6 hs + 2 or 3 lp; II: 6 or 7 hs + 1–4 lp; III–V: 7 hs + 1–5 lp; VI: 5–7 hs + 3 or 4 lp; VII: 2 hs + 2 or 3 lp. Pleural setae: dorsopleural setae (dps) on each side: I: 0 hs + 4 or 5 lp; II: 1 hs + 2–4 lp; III–VI: 2 or 3 hs + 0–4 lp; ventropleural setae (vps) (on each side): II: 1 hs; III–VI: 2 hs; VII: 1 hs. Ventral abdominal setae (avs) (totals): II: 2 hs + 2–4 lp; III & IV: 5–8 hs + 2 lp; V–VII: 3–7 hs + 0 lp. With a pair of distinct ostioles (os) laterally between segments VI and VII. Segment VII with a pair of glandular pouches, each shallow, with many loculate disc­pores; each with 2 glandular pouch setae, each 170– 178µm long; without additional setae.

Segment VIII: tergite (at) and sternite (as) unsclerotised; tergite with 1 pair hs dorsal abdominal setae (ads); sternite without ventral abdominal setae (avs); caudal extension (ce) rounded, with 2 short and 1 longer hs pleural setae (longest 30–32µm). Glandular pouches (gp) present, shallow, each with numerous loculate pores spreading out around glandular pouch (gp); with 2 rather long glandular pouch setae (gls), each about 170– 185µm long, plus a third, shorter seta, about 30–32µm long.

Genital segment: penial sheath (ps) short, anterior part with more or less parallel sides; posterior part ending in a sharply pointed apex; covered dorsally by a narrow, elongate membranous extension from segment VIII, with a vertical anal (an) opening at posterior end; about 25µm wide, dorsally with a small sclerotised area, probably representing segment IX. Length of penial sheath 101–106µm, greatest width 80µm; posterior part 41– 42µm long and 37–40µm wide. Ventral lateral processes of penial sheath absent; ventral surface with 3 pairs of short setae, each about 12µm long; with 3 pairs of longer setae (each 20–22µm long) near apex. Basal rod (bra) short but distinct, probably lying more or less vertically, perhaps about 25µm long to top of aedeagus (aed) (including heavily sclerotised area which probably represents internal genital aperture (iga)). Aedeagus (aed) more or less parallel­sided, extending to end of penial sheath, 75µm long and about 12µm wide, curved, lying within penial sheath.

Material examined. GREENLAND: Sydgrønland, Kap Farvel­omradet, Pamiagdluk, Anordliūitsoq, from pitfall traps, 30.vii.1970, Jens Böcher: 2/1adΨ + 1adɗ; Narsarsuaq, from pitfall trap, 1991, Jens Böcher: 9/11adΨΨ + 2adɗɗ ( ZMUC; BMNH; USNM).

Comment. The identity of these males is reasonably probable as they were collected on both occasions with adult females.

The males of P. balteatus can be immediately separated from other known pseudococcid males from Greenland in possessing 2 pairs of glandular pouches, one each on segments VII and VIII. Two pairs of glandular pouches are also present on Ceroputo pilosellae Šulc and Centrococcus insolitus (Green) , both of which this species resembles ( Afifi, 1968). P. balteatus differs from both in (character­states of other species in brackets) (i) absence of lateral prothoracic setae (present); (ii) position of the interocular ridge (if that is what it is) posterior to ocelli, (iii) absence of a tergite on abdominal segment VIII (present), and in having few ventral head setae (more). It also differs from C. pilosellae in having (character­states on C. pilosellae in brackets) some setae on the ventral surface of the penial sheath (absent), and from C. insolitus in having (i) some sclerotisation on the prosternite (absent); (ii) a broad lateropleurite (narrow) and (iii) no loculate pores dorsally on head (present).