Antecerococcus pileae (Mamet) Mamet, 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 : 102-104

Antecerococcus pileae (Mamet) , comb. nov.

( Fig. 38 )

Cerococcus pileae Mamet 1950: 35 .

Type details. MAURITIUS, Le Pouce Mountain, on Pilea urticifolia , 2.xi.1948, R. Mamet. Depository: MNHN: holotype adf, on Pilea urticifolia (MNHN 14879-1); paratype ff, same data as holotype, 2/2adff (MNHN 14879- 2; MNHN 14879-3). [Note: see under Comment below regarding host-plant species names].

Material studied. Holotype and paratype ff: MAURITIUS, Le Pouce Mountain, on Pilea urticifolia (Urticaceae) , 2.xi.1948, R. Mamet (MNHN 14879): 2/2adff (f–g).

Mounted material. Body elongate pear-shaped, about twice as long as wide, small, 1.5–2.1 mm long, and 0.8– 1.0 mm wide.

Dorsum. Eight-shaped pores of 4 sizes: (i) a large rounded pore, each 18–20 x 9–12 µm, in about a dozen “groups” on each margin and sparsely on each side of each stigmatic pore band; absent medially but with 5 or 6 on each side of posterior abdominal segments; (ii) an intermediate-sized pore, each 11–13 x 6.0–6.5 µm, sparsely present around all of margin; (iii) small pores, each 5 x 2.5–3.0 µm, present apparently randomly throughout rest of dorsum but perhaps absent in an area dorsad to vulva; and (iv) similar-sized but more heavily sclerotized small pores, each 5.5–6.0 x 4.5–5.0, with 2 pores on each side of apex of each stigmatic pore band. Simple pores, each 3 µm wide, sparse. Cribriform plates in a group of 2 submedially on each side of abdominal segment IV, each roundish and 8–14 µm wide with a broad margin and quite large microducts. Dorsal setae extremely few, each setose, and mainly 5–8 µm long. Tubular ducts each with outer ductule 30–35 µm long, inner ductules quite short; outer ductules slightly broader than those on venter; abundant throughout. Anal lobes mainly membranous, sclerotizations restricted to small areas on inner margins, without obvious folding; most setae on lobes quite short; apical setae on each lobe 225–235 µm long; dorsal fleshy setae somewhat bent; more basal fleshy seta 20–23 µm long; more apical fleshy seta 15–22 µm long; ventral seta near apex 8–12 µm long; medioventral ventral setae absent; outer margin setae each about 8 µm long; each lobe with 2 small 8-shaped pores. Median anal plate bluntly quadrate, 38–40 µm long, 30–40 µm wide at base. Anal ring with 4 pairs of setae, each about 75 µm long.

Venter. Eight-shaped pores of 1 size, subequal in size to intermediate-sized pores (type ii) on dorsum, each 8– 12 x 6.0–6.5 µm, in a fairly narrow marginal band on head and thorax and in sparse segmental bands across abdominal segments, but apparently absent in segment II. Simple pores sparse. Small bilocular pores, each 3.5–4.0 µm widest, frequent medially on head and thorax. Spiracular disc-pores each 3–4 µm wide with mainly 5 loculi; posterior band not bifurcated but with a few (1–6) pores extending in a line anteriorly from posterior spiracle (remains of anterior branch?); each band with a distinct group of disc-pores near peritreme and then each band sparse but broadening at apex, each with about 50 pores and 4–8 small 8-shaped pores associated with apex; also with 1–4 quinquelocular disc-pores just laterad to each antenna. Small convex closed pores absent. Multilocular disc-pores, each 7–8 µm wide with mainly 10 loculi, distributed possibly as follows: abdominal segment IX 7 or 8 submarginally; VIII 6 or 7 submarginally (actually appearing to be on dorsal surface of holotype specimen) + 12 medially; with single pores submarginally between segments VII and VIII; VII 1–3 submarginally + 7 or 8 on each side of vulva; VI 2 submarginally + 16–20 medially; V 2 or 3 submarginally + 14–17 medially; IV 2–4 submarginally + 12 medially; III 1 or 2 submarginally + 15–19 medially; II with 1–4 submarginally + 15–17 medially; metathorax with 1 or 2 laterad to leg stubs, none medially. Tubular ducts slightly narrower than those on dorsum, present throughout. Ventral setae showing nothing distinctive; preanal setae each 63–70 µm long; smaller companion seta short. Leg stubs present. Antennae unsegmented, each 25–27 µm long, 30–35 µm wide, with 6–8 fleshy setae; each without a cone-like apex but with a distinct setal cavity. Clypeolabral shield small, 120–125 long. Spiracular peritremes each 26–28 µm wide.

Comment. The above description is very similar to that of Lambdin and Kosztarab (1977) except that it is here considered that there are eight abdominal rows of multilocular disc-pores, with an unusual distribution on the most posterior segments, where they form a complete band across segment VII. The following combination of characterstates diagnoses A. pileae : (i) body elongate; (ii) dorsum with three or four sizes of 8-shaped pore; (iii) largest 8- shaped pores in groups around margin; (iv) smallest 8-shaped pores throughout dorsum and in apices of each stigmatic band; (v) posterior abdominal segments with five or six large 8-shaped pores along each margin; (vi) cribriform plates in a submedial group of two on either side of abdominal segment IV; (vii) leg stubs present; (viii) posterior stigmatic pore band not bifurcated; (ix) multilocular disc-pores present across all abdominal segments, including VIII and IX (latter possibly extending onto dorsum) and also laterad to metathoracic leg-stubs, and (x) antennae without a cone-like apex but with a setal cavity.

Lambdin and Kosztarab (1977), Miller et al. (2005a) and Miller et al. (2015) all state that the holotype and paratype specimens were collected on Pilea rupipendia Wedd. Whilst this species of Pilea does exist, the host name on the three type slides is given as P. urticifolia Blume , and Mamet (1950) stated that the host plant species was P. urticifolia . Danièle Matile has kindly checked all specimens of A. pileae and has confirmed that there are no slides with the host name P. rupipendia , but there are two additional slides (non-type specimens) where the host plant is P. balfourii Baker [ Cerococcus pileae Mamet , on Pilea balfouri , Mauritius (Cocotte Mt), 27.XI.1938, coll RM, Hall N°40].

The adult female of A. pileae falls within Group A in the key to species of Antecerococcus , and keys out close to A. gallicolus and A. philippiae . All three are from Madagascar and/or Mauritius.

Figures

FIGURE 38. Antecerococcus pileae (Mamet). Adult female.