Acanthocasuarina muellerianae Taylor

Taylor, Gary S., Jennings, John T., Purcell, Matthew F. & Austin, Andy D., 2011, A new genus and ten new species of jumping plant lice (Hemiptera: Triozidae) from Allocasuarina (Casuarinaceae) in Australia, Zootaxa 3009, pp. 1-45 : 33-37

Acanthocasuarina muellerianae Taylor , sp. nov.

Figs 103–110 , 127–129 , 139 ; Tables 1–5, 8

Types. AUSTRALIA, South Australia: Holotype: 1 3 (slide) Kangaroo Island, 5 km W Vivonne Bay, 35°59.123’S, 137°07.088’E, G.S. Taylor & J.T. Jennings, 9.ii.2008, swept from Allocasuarina muelleriana , ABCL 2008 518 (SAMA). Paratypes: 7 3, 15 Ƥ, 1 nymph (slide) same data as holotype (ANIC, SAMA, WINC).

Other material examined. AUSTRALIA, South Australia: from Allocasuarina muelleriana : 1 Ƥ Bullock Hill CP ( WINC); 5 nymphs (1 slide), 16 3, 10 Ƥ Douglas Scrub ( WINC); 1 Ƥ KI, Beyeria CP ( WINC); 3 3, 2 Ƥ KI, Cape Gantheaume ( WINC); 1 3, 1 Ƥ KI, Kelly Hill CP ( WINC); 1 3, 1 Ƥ KI, Little Terror Ck ( WINC); 2 3, 5 Ƥ KI, Parndana ( WINC); 1 3, 4 Ƥ KI, Parndana CP ( WINC); 2 Ƥ KI, Vivonne Bay ( WINC); 3 3, 3 Ƥ KI, 10 km W Vivonne Bay ( WINC); 1 Ƥ KI, Seal Bay ( WINC); from Allocasuarina striata : 2 3, 2 Ƥ KI, American River Rd ( WINC); 1 3, 2 Ƥ KI, Pigs Head Corner ( WINC); 1 3, 4 Ƥ KI, Willoughby Rd ( WINC); from Eucalyptus fasciculosa : 1 3 Douglas Scrub ( WINC).

Description. Adult ( Figs 103–109 ). Colour: Male: general colour pale with ochraceous to brown markings. Vertex pale with two pairs of small brown spots in vicinity of fovea; genal processes pale; antennal segments 1–2 brown; segment 3 ochraceous, darker apically; segments 4–10 dark brown to black; pronotum with a pair of dark brown submedial stripes; mesopraescutum with a pair of broad triangular ochraceous markings anteriorly; mesoscutum with two pairs of light orange-brown to brown longitudinal submedial stripes; mesoscutellum pale; wings clear; wing veins R+M+Cu, R, and proximal portion of C, Rs, M and Cu distinctly pale, all wing veins darker distally; abdominal tergites brown to dark brown; anterior face of proctiger brown to dark brown, pale laterally; subgenital plate and parameres ochraceous to orange-brown; proximal segment of aedeagus dark brown to black, distal segment ochraceous to orange-brown; legs with dorsal dark brown markings; tarsi dark brown to black. Female: as for male, except with distinct orange infuscation throughout; proctiger with proximal brown marking and brown infuscation in vicinity of circum-anal pore ring; subgenital plate with anterior brown markings; proctiger and subgenital plate with distinct internal black sclerotisation.

Structure: measurements and ratios as in Tables 1–5. Antennae short, 1.31–1.43 times width of head; genal processes moderate in length, conical, apices separated, divergent; anterior margin of vertex rounded from dorsal aspect, delineated from genal processes by prominent ridge; vertex with medial suture; pronotum with prominent anterior, medial node; thorax weakly arched, head distinctly wider than pronotum and mesoscutum, fore wings elongate with broadly rounded apex; Rs long, mostly straight except distally, terminating well short of wing apex; vein M1+2 terminating short of wing apex; cell m1 short, broadly triangular, m1 cell value 0.88–1.24; cell cu1 short triangular, cu1 cell value 1.27–1.84; radular areas thin, elongate in cells m1, m2 and cu1; male terminalia as in Figs 127–128 ; proctiger without lateral expansions; parameres thin elongate, strongly curved inward towards apex. Female terminalia as in Fig 129 ; proctiger short rectangular, with dorso-posterior margin steeply rounded from lateral aspect and an upturned blunt apical process; subgenital plate broad, elongate-triangular from lateral aspect.

Nymph ( Fig. 110 ) (exuvium): Body light-brown with dark brown markings. Head with extensive submedial dark brown infuscation; meso-and metathoracic depressions dark brown with extensive dark brown markings anteriorly and posteriorly; fore and hind wing pads with dark brown infuscation; caudal plate with extensive dark brown marking submedially [thorax and abdomen with thin medial pale stripe]. Body elongate; anterior margin of head weakly pointed medially; dorsum of body with a distinct medial longitudinal ridge; caudal plate with hind margin narrowly rounded.

Etymology. Named after the host plant, Allocasuarina muelleriana .

Distribution. Recorded from southern Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island in South Australia ( Fig. 139 ).

Host plant. Recorded from Allocasuarina muelleriana (Miq.) L. Johnson (slaty sheoak). Allocasuarina muelleriana occurs as a 0.5–3 m shrub in scrub and heath, from Ceduna and Flinders Ranges, Southern Lofty Ranges [Fleurieu Peninsula] and Kangaroo Island, South Australia, east to Bendigo, Victoria ( Wilson & Johnson 1989).

Comments. See Comments under Ac. acutivalvis for diagnoses.

Figures

FIGURES 103 – 110. Acanthocasuarina muellerianae sp. nov.: (103), habitus, male (dorsal aspect); (104), habitus, female (dorsal aspect); (105), habitus male (lateral aspect); (106), habitus female (lateral aspect); (107), fore wing, male; (108), fore wing, female; (109), head, female (dorsal aspect); (110), nymphal exuvium (dorsal aspect). Scale = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 127 – 135. Acanthocasuarina muellerianae sp. nov., Ac. tasmanica sp. nov. and Ac. verticillatae sp. nov.: Ac. muellerianae: (127), male terminalia (lateral aspect); (128), paramere (inner face, lateral aspect); (129), female terminalia (lateral aspect); Ac. tasmanica: (130), male terminalia (lateral aspect); (131), paramere (inner face, lateral aspect); (132), female terminalia; Ac. verticillatae: (133), male terminalia (lateral aspect); (134), paramere (inner face, lateral aspect); (135), female terminalia (lateral aspect). Scale = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 138 – 139. Distribution for species of Acanthocasuarina in Australia: (138),, Ac. acutivalvis sp. nov.,, Ac. campestris sp. nov.; (139),, Ac. diminutae sp. nov.; Ο (arrowed), Ac. muellerianae sp. nov.;, Ac.; tasmanica sp. nov.;, Ac. verticillatae sp. nov.