Cavariella lhasana Zhang, 1981

Xu, Ying, Chen, Jing, Jiang, Li-Yun & Qiao, Ge-Xia, 2023, Cavariella Del Guercio (Hemiptera, Aphidinae, Macrosiphini) in China, with a new species, new synonymies, and first country records, ZooKeys 1169, pp. 235-292 : 235

Cavariella lhasana Zhang, 1981

Figs 15 , 16 , 17

Cavariella lhasana Zhang, 1981: 262.

Specimens examined.

Syntypes. Three ap. viv. fems. and three ala. viv. fems., China: Tibet, 3.IX.1975, No. 6162-1-2, on Medicago , coll. Z.Q. Wang ( Zhang and Zhong 1981) .

Diagnosis.

PT 1.08-1.59 × Ant. VIb; URS wedge-shaped (Figs 15C , 16D ), 1.63-1.87 × the base wide, 0.93-1.07 × HT II; SIPH clavate, distal part distinctly swollen (Figs 15F , 16F ), the length 0.18-0.19 × body length, the swollen wide 1.82-1.91 × distal width; cauda broadly tongue-shaped (Figs 15H , 16H ), 1.24-1.38 × basal width ( Zhang and Zhong 1981).

Re-description.

Apterous viviparous females: body oval, green in life.

Mounted specimens. Body pale, unsclerotized; Ant. V and VI, distal part of rostrum, HT II, SIPH, cauda and anal plate pale brown, other parts pale in color (Fig. 16A ). See Table 2 for general measurements.

Head. Dorsum of head covered with wrinkles, distinctly at marginal areas. Frons convex with undeveloped antennal tubercles, slightly lower than median frontal tubercles (Figs 15A , 16B ). Dorsal setae of head short and blunt. Head with one pair of cephalic setae, one pair of setae at apex of antennal tubercles, two pairs of dorsal setae between antennae, two pairs of dorsal setae between compound eyes arranged transversely. Antennae 6-segmented, Ant. I-III smooth, Ant. IV-VI with slight imbrications (Figs 15B , 16C ). Antennal setae short and blunt. Ant. I-VI each with 3, 3 or 4, 3-5, 1 or 2, 2 or 3, 2-4+1 or 2 setae; apex of PT with two or three setae. Primary rhinaria unciliated. Rostrum reaching mid-coxae; URS wedge-shaped (Figs 15C , 16D ), with three pairs of primary setae, none or one pair of accessory setae.

Thorax. Thoracic nota with oval and semicircular sculptures, distinctly at marginal areas. Dorsal setae of thorax short and blunt; pronotum with two pairs of spinal setae, arranged anteriorly and posteriorly, one pair of pleural and one pair of marginal setae. Legs short. Distal part of femora and tibiae slightly imbricated. Setae on legs short and blunt. First tarsal chaetotaxy: 3, 3, 3. Second tarsal segments with imbrications.

Abdomen. Abdominal tergites with oval and semicircular sculptures, distinctly at marginal areas. ABD TERG VIII produced caudad into conical spinal supra-caudal process, at least longer than 1/2 of cauda, covered with wavy wrinkles and with two blunt setae at apex (Figs 15G , 16G ). Dorsal setae of abdomen short and blunt. Spiracles reniform and open. SIPH clavate, basal 1/2 cylindrical and then distinctly swollen towards apical part but constricted at apex (Figs 15F , 16F ), the swollen wide 1.82-1.91 × distal wide; basal 2/3 with wrinkles, distal 1/3 imbricated, with flange. Cauda broadly tongue-shaped (Figs 15H , 16H ), with spinulose imbrications and five or six setae. Anal plate semicircular (Fig. 15I ), spinulose, with 10-16 setae. Genital plate broadly oval, with sparse spinules in transverse rows, with two anterior setae and six or seven setae along the posterior margin.

Alate viviparous females: mounted specimens. Body long oval; head and thorax black-brown, antennae, legs, distal part of rostrum, SIPH, supra-caudal process, cauda and anal plate brown, other parts pale in color (Fig. 17A ). See Table 2 for general measurements.

Head. As in apterous viviparous females except as follows: dorsum of head smooth. Frons convex, antennal tubercles slightly prominent, lower than median frontal tubercle (Fig. 17B ). Dorsal setae of head short and pointed. Antennae 6-segmented (Fig. 17C ), Ant. I and II smooth, Ant. III-VI with imbrications. Antennal setae short and pointed. Ant. I-VI each with 3, 3, 4, 3, 2 or 3, 2+1 or 2 setae; apex of PT with three setae. Primary rhinaria ciliated. Ant. III with 22-25 circular secondary rhinaria.

Thorax. As in apterous viviparous females except as follows: dorsum of thorax smooth. Legs normal. Setae on legs long and pointed. Fore wing radius bent, media twice-branched, two cubitus; hind wings with one long longitudinal vein and two obliques.

Abdomen. Abdominal tergites I-VII each with one pair of brown marginal sclerites; tergite I with a band at spino-pleural areas, tergites II-V with a brown quadrate sclerite at spino-pleural areas, tergites VI-VIII each with a brown band. Dorsum of abdominal tergites with spinulose imbrications at sclerites, others smooth. Abdominal tergites I-IV each with one pair of small marginal tubercles; ABD TERG VIII with a short warty supra-caudal process (Figs 15K , 17F ), with two pointed setae at apex. Dorsal setae of abdomen long and pointed. SIPH clavate, basal 1/2 cylindrical and then distinctly swollen towards apical part but constricted at apex (Fig. 17E ); basal 2/3 with wrinkles, distal 1/3 imbricated, with flange. Cauda conical (Fig. 17G ), with spinulose imbrications and five setae. Anal plate semicircular, spinulose, with 12-15 setae. Genital plate broadly round, with sparse spinules in transverse rows, with two anterior setae and seven setae along the posterior margin. Others as in apterous viviparous females.

Comment.

The species was described by Zhang and Zhong (1981) in China and was considered as synonym of Cavariella aegopodii in Blackman and Eastop (2022). By checking the six syntypes of the species, it is sure that the species resembles Cavariella aegopodii in dorsum sculptures, conical supra-caudal process, the shape of URS, but the species differs from C. aegopodii as follows: URS 0.94-1.07 × HT II ( C. aegopodii : URS distinctly shorter than HT II, 0.73-0.83 × HT II); PT 1.08-1.59 × Ant. VIb ( C. aegopodii : PT mostly shorter than Ant. VIb); SIPH thick clavate, distal part distinctly swollen, the swollen wide 1.82-1.91 × distal wide ( C. aegopodii : SIPH clavate, the swollen wide 1.37-1.72 × distal wide). Due to these differences in major characters, we remove C. lhasana from synonymy with C. aegopodii and reinstate it as a valid species.

Biology.

The species feeds on leaves of Medicago .

Distribution.

China (Tibet).

Figures

Figure 15. Cavariella lhasana Zhang. Apterous viviparous female: A dorsal view of head B antenna C ultimate rostral segment D mesosternal furca E sculptures of abdominal tergites F siphunculus G supra-caudal process on abdominal tergite VIII H cauda I anal plate. Alate viviparous female: J antenna K supra-caudal process on abdominal tergite VIII. Scale bar: 0.10 mm.

Figure 16. Cavariella lhasana Zhang. Apterous viviparous female: A dorsal view of body B dorsal view of head C antenna D ultimate rostral segment E sculptures of abdominal tergites F siphunculus G supra-caudal process on abdominal tergite VIII H cauda. Scale bars: 0.10 mm.

Figure 17. Cavariella lhasana Zhang. Alate viviparous female: A dorsal view of body B dorsal view of head C antenna D ultimate rostral segment E siphunculus F supra-caudal process on abdominal tergite VIII G cauda. Scale bars: 0.10 mm.