Tanyscelis villosigibba Hardy & Gullan

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 : 42-44

Tanyscelis villosigibba Hardy & Gullan sp. n. Figs 3i23

Gall

(Fig. 3i). Female.On stem. Globose, with truncate apex and rugose surface. Mature female almost completely fills gall cavity, positioned with three sclerotic dorsal humps positioned just below gall orifice.

Male. Not known.

Adult female

(Fig. 23) (n = 10). Body turbinate, body margin entire, undulate (with segmental lobes) along posterior abdominal segments, length 2.2-2.9 mm, greatest width 2.0-2.6 mm; abdomen tapered, in mature females length of abdomen << length of head + thorax, abdomen extending beyond femur. Eyes highly convex, base perpendicular to body surface, parallel-sided, each 20-62 µm wide. Antennae 1-segmented, 25-85 mm long. Frontal lobes not detected. Tentorial box 375-425 mm long. Pump chamber 33-40 µm long, 33-40 µm wide. Labium 100-138 mm long, 60-93 mm wide. Spiracles 93-138 mm long, 50-93 mm wide across atrium. Fore and mid legs small sclerotic protuberances, 15-43 µm wide. Hind leg slender and elongate; coxa 395-450 µm long, trochanter + femur 340-490 µm long, tibia strongly curved, outer margin convex, 1000-1360 µm long, tarsus 220-280 µm long; translucent pores scattered on both surfaces of femur and tibia; trochanter with 2 campaniform sensilla on each side; femur-tibia articulation non-functional, base of tibia fixed; claw and digitules absent. Anal opening 8-15 µm wide, without distinct sclerotic anal ring.

Dorsum. Dominated by 3 large, sclerotic and setose humps, 1 on each thoracic segment, each hump 450-910 µm long, 520-790 µm wide. Derm elsewhere membranous or weakly sclerotised. Dorsal setae robust and conical to flagellate, 10-140 mm long; flagellate setae in a transverse row across each posterior abdominal segment, robust setae mounted on small raised base, scattered over surface of head and thorax, dense on thoracic humps. Macrotubular ducts present or absent, duct 12 mm long, dermal orifice with rim 5 mm wide; if present, only 1 to a few present somewhere on abdominal segments III–VI. Microtubular ducts absent. Quinquelocular pores 7-10 µm in diameter, in a transverse row or narrow band across each posterior abdominal segment.

Venter. Oral lobes membranous. Setae hair-like, each 10-130 mm long, in a transverse row across each abdominal segment; a few setae, each on a raised base, scattered along margin of head and thorax. Macrotubular ducts absent. Quinquelocular pores similar to those on dorsum, in a transverse row to narrow band across each posterior abdominal segment plus a few clustered around each posterior spiracle.

Material examined.

Holotype (here designated): AUSTRALIA: Queensland: 1 adult female (2.2 mm long, 2.0 mm wide): ex gall, Eucalyptus sp. (sapling), intersection of Boomerang Road and Beenleigh-Beaudesert Road, -27.78°; 153.19°, 2 May, 1993, PJG (ANIC).

Paratypes: AUSTRALIA: Queensland: 6 adult females, same data as holotype (ANIC); 2 adult females: Eucalyptus crebra , Barakula, 13 Apr., 1939, INSECOLL 0-067157, 0-067158 (QDPI); 5 adult females, 7 first-instar nymphs: ex stem galls, Eucalyptus sp. (ironbark), Dunmore State Forest, 2 May, 1995, G. Harper (ANIC); 1 adult female: ex gall, Eucalyptus sp., Kennedy Hwy, Hughenden–The Lynd junction, 885 m, -19.88°; 144.27°, 16 Oct., 2003, LGC and M. D. Crisp (ANIC).

Comments.

Adult females of Tanyscelis villosigibba are most similar to those of Tanyscelis megagibba [see comments under Tanyscelis megagibba ]. Specimens of Tanyscelis villosigibba from the type locality, just south of Brisbane, lack macrotubular ducts entirely, whereas specimens from the other two localities, the closest of which is about 200 km to the west in Dunmore State Forest, have 1 or a few macrotubular ducts restricted to the dorsal surface of the abdominal segments III-VI.

Etymology.

The species name is a combination of the Latin words villosus, meaning shaggy, and gibber, for hump. It refers to the setose dorsal protuberances that characterise this species. The name is a noun in apposition.