Antecerococcus intermedius (Balachowsky) Balachowsky, 2016

Chris J. Hodgson & Douglas J. Williams, 2016, (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha, Coccomorpha) with particular reference to species from the Afrotropical, western Palaearctic and western Oriental Regions, with the revival of Antecerococcus Green and description of a new genus and fifteen new species, and with ten new synonomies, Zootaxa 4091 (1), pp. 1-175 : 64-69

Antecerococcus intermedius (Balachowsky) , comb. nov.

( Figs 21 , 22 & 23 )

Cerococcus intermedius Balachowsky 1930: 212 –216. Cerococcus camarai Neves 1954: 235 . Syn. nov

Cerococcus cycliger Goux 1932: 140 –143. Syn. nov.

Type details. C. intermedius : TUNISIA, Maknassy, Bordj-Bou-Hedma, on Marrubium deserti (Lamiaceae) , -. xii.1928, C. Dumont. Depositories: MNHN: lectotype (here designated —see note below) (MNHN slide 4862- 4:1/1adf). Paralectotype ff: as previous (all MNHN, 18 slides: slide 4862-1: 1/2adff; slide 4862-2: 1/2adff; slide 4862-3: 1/1adf; slide 4862-5: 1/1adf; slide 4862-6: 1/2adff; slide 4862-7: 1/2 adff; slide 4862-8: 1/1adf; slide 4862- 8: 1/1adf; slide 4862-9: 1/2adff; slide 4862-10: 1/2adff; slide 4862-11: 1/2adff; slide 4862-12: 1/2adff; slide 4862- 13: 1/1adf; slide 4862-14: 1/1adf; slide 4862-15: 1/1adf; slides 4862-16, 17 and 18 (first-instar nymphs). BMNH: paralectotype ff: TUNISIA, Maknassy, Bordj-bou-Hedma, on Salvia sp. ( Lamiaceae ), -. xii.1928, C. Dumont: 1/ 2adff + 1/4adff (despite the different host plant names, this is almost certainly part of the type series); also?Marulesia deserte, Bordj-bou-Hedma, no host, -. xii.1928, Dumont coll.: 1/1adf. USNM: as for lectotype: paralectotype ff: 1/4 adff (g), 1/12 embryos, 1/1adf + 13 embryos.

Note: although Lambdin & Kosztarab (1977: 129) claim to have designated a lectotype for Cerococcus intermedius , and to have deposited it in MNHN, no such slide has been found in the MNHN collection (D. Matile, pers. comm.) nor in the USNM. Therefore a lectotype has been chosen from among the syntypes in MNHN and is designated here.

Type details. C. camarai : PORTUGAL, Serra da Arabidda, on Rosmarinus officinalis (Lamiaceae) , 7.ix.1943, M. Neves. Depository: INIAV, Portugal: lectotype (here designated) + paralectotypes: 1/4adff (fair—lectotype specimen arrowed, nearest collection data label) + 2/7 paralectotype adff (p).

Type details. C. cycliger : FRANCE, Courzieu, Rhône Valley, Thymus serpyllum (Lamiaceae) , 31.viii.1928, L. Goux. Depository: MNHN: 1/1 adf (g), lectotype (here designated) (MNHN 14890). Paralectotype ff: as for lectotype: 2/2adff (g) (MNHN 14890-1; MNHN 4858); also as previous but labelled: Rhône, Bessenay, 17.ix.1928: 1/1adf + 1/6 first-instar nymphs (g) (MNHN 14891) and 1/4 first-instar nymphs (MNHN 14891-2).

Material studied. Cerococcus intermedius : TUNISIA, Maknassy, Bordjbou-Hedma, on Salvia sp. ( Lamiaceae ), -. xii.1928, C. Dumont (BMNH): 1/2adff (f, mounted between coverslips—despite the different host plant names, this is almost certainly part of the type series). Also: TUNISIA, South Maknassy, on Salvia sp., -. xii.1928 (BMNH): 1/4adff (f; as previous, almost certainly part of type series).

Cerococcus camarai : lectotype & paralectotypes: PORTUGAL, Serra da Arabidda, on Rosmarinus officinalis (Lamiaceae) , 7.ix.1943, M. Neves (INIAV): 1/3adff (fair) + 2/7adff (p).

Cerococcus cycliger : lectotype and paralectotypes: FRANCE, Courzieu, Rhône Valley, Thymus serpyllum (Lamiaceae) , 31.viii.1928, L. Goux: 1/1adf (lectotype, g) + 2/2 paralectotypes adff (g),; also Bessenay, 17.ix.1928: 1/1adf + 1/6 1st -instar nymphs (g) paralectotypes. Also: HUNGARY, Tihany, on Thymus sp., 3.x.1979, F. Kozár & Jasnosh (BMNH): 1/2adff (f–g). ITALY, Aosta, Verrayes, 750m, on Thymus vulgaris , 4.vi.1992, D. Matile (MNHN): 3/3adff (g). MOLDOVA (spelt Moldovia), Orgeev, Szll, on Thymus marschallianus , 31.v.1985, F. Kozár (BMNH): 1/2adff (p). CZECH REPUBLIC, no site, on Thymus sp., 15.viii.1932, K. Šulc (BMNH): 1/5adff (f, as C. thymi Šulc—probably a manuscript name).

Note. The data for A. intermedius was taken mostly from the non-type specimens. The data for C. camarai and C. cycliger are given below in brackets, as follows [.../...]. The data for C. camarai were taken from the three specimens on the lectotype slide whilst those for C. cycliger were taken from parts of most specimens.

Mounted material. Body roundly pear-shaped, large, 2.8–3.35 [1.1–1.8/1.08–2.5] mm long, 1.1–2.1 [0.68– 0.95/0.75–2.25] mm wide.

Dorsum. Eight-shaped pores of 3 sizes: (i) largest pores, each 20–22 x 13 [20– 22 x 12–13 / 20 x 11] µm, in medial swirls and in about 5 radial bands, and with concentrations around each stigmatic pore band; also with 7–10 [7–11/6–8] on each side of posterior abdominal segments; (ii) intermediate-sized pores, each 11–12 x 4–6 [9–11 x 5.5–6.0/7– 9 x 3.5–5.0] µm, throughout rest of dorsum wherever larger pores absent but becoming smaller on posterior abdominal segments [7.5 x 4.0/7.5 x 5.0]; also in swirls medially; and (iii) minute pores, each 5 x 3 [5 x 3.0–3.5/5.5 x 3.0] µm, restricted to 1–4 in each apical group of stigmatic pore bands. Simple pores small, each 2.0– 2.5 µm wide, sparse. Cribriform plates in a submedial group of 2–4 [3–5/3–5] on each side of abdominal segment IV, each unevenly round and 16–21 [13–22/13–22] µm wide; each with a broad margin and medium-sized micropores, often with 2 or 3 fused together. Dorsal setae few, each setose, showing nothing distinctive. Tubular ducts with each outer ductule 24–25 µm long, inner ductules quite short; outer ductules broader than those on venter; abundant throughout. Anal lobes with quite broad areas of sclerotization on each inner margin, without obvious folding; setae as follows: apical seta each about 250 [at least 190–230/at least 215] µm long; dorsal fleshy setae somewhat bent; more basal setae 35–40 [38–45/30–35] µm long, more apical setae 33–40 [40–45/26–32] µm long; setose setae near apex on ventral surface 38–50 [35–45/33–35] µm long; medioventral setae long, each 25 [15–20/13–15] µm long; anteroventral setae absent; outer margin setae each 17–18 [15–20/15–18] µm long; each lobe with a few small 8-shaped pores. Median anal plate bluntly rounded, sometimes with serrations; 43–55 [25– 35/30–35] µm long, 50 [60–62/45–48] µm wide at base. Anal ring with 4 pairs of setae, each 90–115 [80–90/115] µm long.

Venter. Eight–shaped pores of intermediate size, approximately same size as those on dorsum but more rounded, each 12–13 x 6.0–6.5 [13–15 x 6.5–7.0/ 13 x 7] µm, in a marginal band on head and thorax and in segmental bands several pores wide across anterior abdominal segments; pores nearest stigmatic pore bands largest. Simple pores sparse. Small bilocular pores roundish, each 5 x 4 [5 x 3/ 6 x 4.5] µm, frequent medially on head and thorax. Spiracular disc-pores each 4–5 [3–4/5–6] µm wide, with mainly 5 loculi; with only a small group [8–15] near each peritreme; stigmatic pore bands mainly 1–3 pores wide [2–5 pores wide in C. cycliger ]; anterior band with a total of 39–53 [40–60/60–80] pores; posterior bands bifurcated, each with 30–50 [30–50/50–70] pores; each band with 0–2 [0–2/1–4] minute 8-shaped pores associated with apex; also with 1 or 2 [1–3/1–6] 5-locular pores laterad to each antenna. Small convex closed pores absent. Multilocular disc-pores, each 6.5–7.5 µm wide, mainly with 10 loculi, in transverse bands on each abdominal segment, as follows: IX 0; VIII with 1–5 on each side; VII 6–14 [4–9/4–7] in a submarginal group on each side of vulva; VI 7–10 [3–7/4–7] submarginally + 47–68 [20–36/31–37] medially; V 13–19 [7–10/6–12] submarginally + 63–76 [35–45/56–58] medially, in a band 2–4 pores wide; IV 13–22 [7–11/10–14] submarginally + 72–89 [32–42/64 or 65] medially, in a band 2–4 pores wide; III 4–6 [3–8/8–11] submarginally + 48–57 [9–16/44 medially], in a line 1 pore wide, and II 1–5 [0–7/7–19] submarginally +10–17 [6–8/29–32] medially; metathorax with 1–4 [0–7/10–16] submarginally, none medially. Tubular ducts very slightly narrower than those on dorsum, present throughout. Ventral setae showing nothing distinctive; preanal setae each 90–100 [65–80/about 100] µm long; smaller companion seta 12 [13/12] µm long. Leg stubs absent. Antennae unsegmented, each 50–55 [30–55/26] µm long, 35–40 [26–50/28] µm wide, with 6–8 fleshy setae; each antenna rounded, without either an apical cone-shaped point or a setal cavity. Clypeolabral shield 145 [150–155/180] long. Spiracular peritremes each about 33–40 [25–28/33–40] µm wide.

Comment. The above description is very similar to that of Lambdin and Kosztarab (1977) for C. intermedius .

The adult female of A. intermedius belongs to the Antecerococcus group with abundant large 8-shaped pores over much of the dorsum and has the following combination of character-states: (i) dorsum with three sizes of 8- shaped pore, largest in radial bands and medial swirls, intermediate-sized pores throughout; minute pores restricted to stigmatic pore bands; (ii) posterior abdominal segments with 6–10 large 8-shaped pores along each dorsal margin; (iii) cribriform plates roundish, with 2–4 submedially on each side of abdominal segment IV; (iv) leg stubs absent; (v) posterior stigmatic pore bands bifurcated; (vi) multilocular disc-pores in seven fairly broad transverse bands across abdominal segments and submarginally on metathorax; (vii) fleshy setae on dorsal surface of each anal lobe long; (viii) medioventral setae on each anal lobe long but anteroventral setae absent, and (ix) antennae without either an apical cone-shaped spine or an obvious setal cavity.

As indicated by Neves (1954), the adult female of C. camarai is very similar to that of C. intermedius Balachowsky. Both species were collected on Lamiaceae and no significant differences could be found between the two lots of material, although the multilocular disc-pores on C. camarai were between one half to a third fewer than on A. intermedius . On the other hand, these pores were slightly more frequent on C. cycliger . It is here considered that the small differences noted above relate to geographical variation and therefore the names C. camarai Neves and C. cycliger Goux are here considered to be junior synonyms of C. intermedius Balachowsky. The differences between the specimens illustrated in Figs 21–23 are considered to be natural variation due to age and environmental factors.

The adult female of A. intermedius falls within Group D in the key to species of Antecerococcus , keying out closest to A. delottoi from Kenya and A. perowskiae from the Palaearctic.

Figures

FIGURE 21. Antecerococcus intermedius (Balachowsky). Adult female.

FIGURE 22. Antecerococcus intermedius (Balachowsky) based on type specimens of C. camarai Neves. Adult female.

FIGURE 23. Antecerococcus intermedius (Balachowsky) based on type specimens of C. cycliger Goux. Adult female.