Acanthococcus punctatae Juárez & González, 2017

González, Patricia, Claps, Lucía E., Juárez, Andrea & Moreno, Diego, 2017, Review of the Eriococcidae (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) infesting Fabaceae in Argentina, with descriptions of three new species of Acanthococcus Signoret, Zootaxa 4232 (1), pp. 41-57 : 44-46

Acanthococcus punctatae Juárez & González sp. nov.

( Fig. 2 )

Type material. Holotype: adult female located centrally on the slide, marked with a red circle. Argentina, Mendoza, Potrerillos surroundings (32°57'59" S, 69°14'45" W), on Zuccagnia punctata , -/ XI/1940, Ruiz Leal col., 1(9) (CALyT) . Paratypes: the other 8 specimens on the holotype slide plus: same host, collector and locality data as holotype slide but dated -/ VI/1928, 1(4) (CALyT).

Species diagnosis, adult female. Dorsal setae conical, variable in size, all smaller than marginal setae; medial plate present. Ventral surface with sparse quinquelocular pores; cruciform pores present; other types of dermal pores absent; translucent pores on metacoxae present in small groups; frontal lobes present.

Description. Slide-mounted adult female body oval, about 1.7 (1.70–1.92) mm long, 1.18 (0.9–1.25) mm wide. Anal lobes membranous, but with a sclerotized bar along anterior and lateral part of outer margin; each about 60 (41–50) µm long, 41 (42–43) µm wide, with 3 dorsal conical setae of similar length, each about 36 (29) µm, and 2 ventral flagellate setae: anterior seta about 48 (31) µm long, posterior seta about 24 (36) µm long; apical setae about 162 (149–152) µm; medial plate present, triangular.

Dorsal surface: setae narrow and conical, each with a slightly rounded apex, variable in size, each 8–27 (7–19) µm long, smaller than marginal setae, scattered; largest in cephalic region and in lateral areas of thorax, smaller on abdomen. Macrotubular ducts symmetrical, each about 5 (5) µm wide, 20 (20) µm long; internal ductule with a terminal gland, abundant on margin and sub-margin of abdomen, less abundant on thorax. Microtubular ducts sparse, of type B. Anal ring with six setae and a single row of pores.

Margin: with two conical setae on each abdominal segment, each with a slightly rounded apex; variable in size, largest 29–40 (43–54) µm long, smallest 12–19 (19–27) µm long; larger setae distributed regularly along margin of thorax and cephalic region.

Ventral surface: setae of 2 types present: flagellate setae, each about 36 (36) µm long, numerous, with 10–12 setae in a line across each abdominal segment and also present medially in thoracic and cephalic regions; enlarged setae, each about 24 (24) µm long, present along body margin singly on each segment. Suranal seta flagellate, each about 51 (70) µm long. Macrotubular ducts abundant, each about 24 (24) µm long and 5 (5) µm wide, some on abdominal segments narrower, each about 2 (2) µm wide. Microtubular ducts absent. Quinquelocular pores, each about 5 (5) µm diameter, present close to spiracles and sparsely throughout abdomen. Cruciform pores present on margins of thoracic and cephalic regions. Other types of pores absent. Spiracles each about 41 (19–29) µm long, 24 (5–10) µm wide. Legs well developed; all claws each with a denticle; tarsal and claw digitules equal-sized. Prothoracic legs: each coxa about 72 (36) µm long; trochanter + femur about 125 (72) µm; tibia about 67 (38) µm, with 5 setae; tarsus about 84 (60) µm; claw about 24 (22) µm long. Mesothoracic legs: each coxa about 82 (41) µm long, with microspinules; trochanter + femur about 137 (77) µm; tibia about 79 (48) µm; tarsus about 96 (67) µm; claw about 48 (24) µm long. Metathoracic legs: each coxa about 84 (41) µm long, with microspinules and with 15– 20 pores distributed in small groups; trochanter + femur about 149 (84) µm; femur with 5 setae; tibia about 84 (48) µm, with 4 setae; tarsus about 103 (96) µm; claw about 24 (24) µm long. Antennae each about 206 (195) µm long, with 7 segments, third segment longest, about 24 (24–31) µm long, without setae. Frontal lobes present. Labium 3 segmented, basal segment with 2 pairs of setae. Anal tube not sclerotized.

Observations. The specimens seen in this study were identified by Lizer y Trelles as Eriococcus diversispinus (Leonardi) , but we did not find the type material of this species in either of the collections studied, nor did Miller & Gimpel (2000), who wrote: “Notes: According to S. Marotta (personal communication, June 5, 1996) ‘I have not found any specimens, on slide or dried, of Eriococcus diversispinus ’ ”. In addition, there is no depository cited for the type specimens in the original description.

Miller & Gimpel (2000) cite Mendoza, Luján , Los Papagallos , as the type locality of E. diversispinus , but in the study of Leonardi (1911), the type locality is given as Cacheuta , Mendoza. The original description of E. diversispinus by Leonardi (1911) is very poor, and the type locality of A. punctatae sp. nov. is not the same as that cited by Leonardi (1911) or by Miller & Gimpel (2000). In order to avoid further confusion, we have opted to describe this species as new.

Distribution. Argentina; South American Transition Zone, Monte Province.

Comments. Adult female A. punctatae sp. nov. resemble those of A. perplexus Hempel. Both species have pores on the metacoxae distributed in small groups, the same type of dorsal setae, and both lack a sclerotized anal tube. They differ in that A. perplexus has (character-states for A. punctatae in brackets): (i) large dorsal conical setae throughout the entire surface (restricted to cephalic region and lateral areas of thorax), (ii) two types of microtubular ducts (of type B only), and (iii) no frontal lobes (frontal lobes present).

According to their respective descriptions, A. diversispinus and A. punctatae sp. nov. are found on the same host, and (i) have a similar oval body shape, (ii) the same conical-shaped dorsal setae, and (iii) both have two enlarged setae along the margin of each abdominal segment. However, A. diversispinus has six-segmented antennae, an anal ring with eight setae and anal lobes each with three ventral setae, whereas A. punctatae sp. nov. has seven-segmented antennae, an anal ring with six setae and anal lobes each with two ventral setae.

Etymology. The name of this species refers to the specific epithet of the host plant, Zuccagnia punctata .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Acanthococcus punctatae Juárez & González sp. nov. Adult female. B: microduct type B; C: conical seta; D: flagellate seta; E: enlarged conical ventral seta; G: small tubular duct.